2023 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel (maintenance, modifications, and more)

[biodiesel]

If you live in a very cold area, I would consider adding an oil pan heater (silicone pad). The block heater is only 300W, the old style block heater was 400W…neither of those are going to preheat the oil.

I've considered an oil pan heater for those really cold nights when the temps fall below 0*F. I've seen temps as cold as -27*F, so having an oil pan heater would be nice. Wolverine (Zerostart) has a 3.5" x 4.25" pad that is rated for 250 watts and oil pan capacities of 5 - 13 quarts.

Generally speaking, a block heater does a good job of warming the oil indirectly. I set my timer/block heater to come on at 1:00 AM. By the time I fire up the truck at 7:20 AM, the engine is good and hot. In essence, the block heater warms the oil by heating the entire block. If I remove the plastic engine cover, I can sometimes see a small spot in the middle of the hood where the snow/frost has melted from heat rising through the engine and radiating through the top of the engine.

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[biodiesel]

if you live in a cold climate (I'm in Alberta Canada) I would install a coolant pre heater. I have a heating pad installed underneath my battery and the OEM block heater as well.

In my opinion, the OE block heater is a coolant preheater.

I would prefer a battery blanket over a heating pad, but I think one or the other is a good idea. I've used battery blankets in the past, especially when the temps get down below -10*F.

 

[biodiesel]

Lake Speed Jr has multiple videos talking about using start stop vs disabling. Wear metals went up due to fuel dilution. Also, engineering explained did a video on it for fuel consumption.

Even though I do a fair amount of idling, fuel dilution hasn't been an issue with any of my EcoDiesel trucks. UOA results have always come back good.

 

[biodiesel]

Last winter when it got down to 0F. Have my block heater on a timer. It comes on 2 hrs before I leave the house in the morning. My temp gauge reads 100F when I start it.

I assume that you're talking about your oil temp? Most likely 100*F is the minimum digital reading from a cold start, therefore that might not be the actual oil temp. I would recommend pulling the dip stick and taking an oil temperature with an infrared temperature gun to get an idea of what the actual oil temperature is.

We are already hitting the upper 30s and low 40s at night, so I might do some testing myself.

 

[Krobarr]

In my opinion, the OE block heater is a coolant preheater.

I would prefer a battery blanket over a heating pad, but I think one or the other is a good idea. I've used battery blankets in the past, especially when the temps get down below -10*F.

The type of coolant pre-heater I’m talking about is for diesel engines and runs off of the fuel in your tank. It will have your engine coolant at close to operating temperature the moment you start it and actually heats the entire engine as the heat transfers through the coolant quickly once activated. It is not the same as a block heater plug at all.

 

[biodiesel]

The type of coolant pre-heater I’m talking about is for diesel engines and runs off of the fuel in your tank. It will have your engine coolant at close to operating temperature the moment you start it and actually heats the entire engine as the heat transfers through the coolant quickly once activated. It is not the same as a block heater plug at all.

I understand the differences. I’m just saying that in my opinion, the block heater is sufficient for warming up the coolant and radiating heat throughout the 3.0L EcoDiesel engine. Perhaps a bigger engine would benefit from the coolant preheater. I just think it's not necessary for the EcoDiesel.

 

[Rusty PW]

I assume that you're talking about your oil temp? Most likely 100*F is the minimum digital reading from a cold start, therefore that might not be the actual oil temp. I would recommend pulling the dip stick and taking an oil temperature with an infrared temperature gun to get an idea of what the actual oil temperature is.

We are already hitting the upper 30s and low 40s at night, so I might do some testing myself.

Water temp. If the temp is below 100F. The gauge is blank. 100F and over, the gauge has numbers displayed.

 

[ZeeJay]

Even though I do a fair amount of idling, fuel dilution hasn't been an issue with any of my EcoDiesel trucks. UOA results have always come back good.

Likely you won’t either, I hear and seem to see a lot about “fuel dilution”. In fact just talked to a younger kid the other day on this fuel dilution trip, he revealed during conversation he’d pick this up off a forum, wasn’t jeep either. That was an issue once on some HEUI engines and inlines but more isolated to mechanical injected and mechanically governed engines. There were workarounds to control. Any engine with MCRS will trim both rail pressure and event timing to minimize wash down. Excessively worn rings or fuel actuator issue, which you’ll know about long before an oil sample tells you something is wrong, overfueling injector(mechanical condition), injector body seal failing causing spill back to migrate up on top of cylinder head, or pump case seal failure on pump shaft allowing fuel to migrate down front cover are about it for dilution sources.

 

[Krobarr]

I understand the differences. I’m just saying that in my opinion, the block heater is sufficient for warming up the coolant and radiating heat throughout the 3.0L EcoDiesel engine. Perhaps a bigger engine would benefit from the coolant preheater. I just think it's not necessary for the EcoDiesel.

Fair enough.
I’ll be installing a Pre-Heater on mine later this fall as I’m often starting my truck in the early morning hours during the Canadian Winters where I’m sometimes unable to plug my block heater and battery pad in overnight while being away for work as a mobile crane operator.
As for battery blanket vs heating pad… I used a battery blanket from day one during cold weather in central & north Alberta Canada and had to get my batteries replaced on warranty in January at 54,038 Kms (33,578 miles) this year. To put this into perspective, I’ve owned my truck for two years as of August this year, and today I have 77,150 Kms (47,939 miles) on it. I drive a lot for work and bought the diesel in the hopes of getting longevity out it’s Eco Diesel engine.
As I mentioned in an earlier comment, I may even add a small heating pad for the auxiliary battery. I do really like the comment about using a timer to turn it on and not have it plugged in at all hours while in my driveway, however I’m not sure that would work well for me as I’m often getting up at all different times if I’m working from my home town.
IMO, a battery heating pad heats the entire battery from the bottom as heat rises. A blanket doesn’t heat anywhere near as well and is difficult to get installed into the box as they’re fairly thick and just don’t do as good of a job.
I am not trying to change your opinion, just sharing mine for all readers. This is definitely a good conversation to follow

 

[Rusty PW]

There is another thing to watch out for with a diesel. Heard of this with older diesels and big rigs.


What causes diesel wet stacking?
When a diesel engine is operated on light loads, it will not attain its correct operating temperature. When the diesel engine runs below its designed operating temperature for extended periods, unburned fuel is exhausted and noticed as wetness in the exhaust system, hence the phrase “wet stacking.”

 

[biodiesel]

I’ll be installing a Pre-Heater on mine later this fall as I’m often starting my truck in the early morning hours during the Canadian Winters where I’m sometimes unable to plug my block heater and battery pad in overnight while being away for work as a mobile crane operator.

That makes total sense. I'd be considering the same thing if I were in your position.

IMO, a battery heating pad heats the entire battery from the bottom as heat rises. A blanket doesn’t heat anywhere near as well and is difficult to get installed into the box as they’re fairly thick and just don’t do as good of a job.
I am not trying to change your opinion, just sharing mine for all readers. This is definitely a good conversation to follow

I'm not opposed to using a battery pad if the banket is too cumbersome to install. As a matter of fact, the OEM uses a non-electric insulating banket already, so adding the pad might be the way to go. Either way, having either the heating pad or the heating blanket is important when the temps get down to 0*F or below.

 

[biodiesel]

As for battery blanket vs heating pad… I used a battery blanket from day one during cold weather in central & north Alberta Canada and had to get my batteries replaced on warranty in January at 54,038 Kms (33,578 miles) this year. .

I think everyone is going to have battery issue unless they are charging and maintaining their battery. This is why I installed the BatterMINDer EZ Connector to the front bumper. I now have it charging/maintaining/desulfating several times each month. I could be wrong, but I believe that I can keep the OE batteries in good shape for a minimum of 5+ years simply by maintaining the batteries.

 

[biodiesel]

What causes diesel wet stacking?
When a diesel engine is operated on light loads, it will not attain its correct operating temperature. When the diesel engine runs below its designed operating temperature for extended periods, unburned fuel is exhausted and noticed as wetness in the exhaust system, hence the phrase “wet stacking.”

I haven't seen signs of fuel dilution, cylinder wash, wet stacking, etc. on any of our EcoDiesel vehicles even though we let them idle in the mornings (cold starts) for up to 10 minutes and let them idle for up to 30 minutes in other situations.

I'll plug in the daily driver (2015 EcoDiesel) when the temps begin to drop down into the 30's. As a matter of fact, I'm going to start using the block heater next week since we're now seeing the upper 30's in the mornings.

I've found that the emissions system is much happier when the engine is good and hot, especially since I have a short commute to work each day. As a matter of fact, I like to run the front winter cover when the morning temps get down into the twenties.

That reminds me, I still need to order a front winter cover for the Jeep.

 

[Rusty PW]

Water temp. If the temp is below 100F. The gauge is blank. 100F and over, the gauge has numbers displayed.

I have to redo this.
On the gauges between the speedo and tach. And on the off road page. The numbers are there soon as you start up. The bar graph on the water temp doesn't show until 105F. The trans temp not until 109F.

Had a case of CRS.

 

[Krobarr]

That makes total sense. I'd be considering the same thing if I were in your position.



I'm not opposed to using a battery pad if the banket is too cumbersome to install. As a matter of fact, the OEM uses a non-electric insulating banket already, so adding the pad might be the way to go. Either way, having either the heating pad or the heating blanket is important when the temps get down to 0*F or below.

The pad was super easy to install, simply placed it below the battery and routed the cord, which you’d need to do on a blanket as well. Here’s the one I bought, specifically cause it had the longest cord length so I could put it out front of the grill through my Winter Front heather opening

https://a.co/d/4RnMN0I

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