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Jump starter for a diesel truck
Updated
For a diesel truck, read only the diesel rating on the listing, and add headroom for cold. A 6.7 liter diesel in mild weather needs a maker diesel rating of about 8.4 liters by our rule of thumb, and only one of our five picks claims that. In a cold place, none of them do.
Step 1: find your engine size and battery setup
- Engine size. It is in the owner's manual, and it is often on the emissions label under the hood. Search terms like "6.7 diesel" are common because many heavy-duty pickups use an engine around that size. Check yours instead of guessing.
- Volts. AAA says to confirm the vehicle uses a 12 volt battery by reading the battery label, and warns that a 24 volt commercial truck system can damage a car's electronics. NOCO's support page says its standard Boost packs jump only 12V lead acid batteries. All five of our picks are 12 volt packs.
- How many batteries. Many big diesel trucks carry two batteries. Your manual will say where to connect a jump source. Follow it.
Step 2: compare the diesel ratings
- NOCO GB403 L
- NOCO GBX756.5 L
- GOOLOO A36.5 L
- GOOLOO GP400010 L
- What a 6.7L diesel needs in mild weather8.4 L
| Diesel engine | Climate | Rating to look for | Our picks that cover it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L diesel | Cold | 4.5L diesel | NOCO Boost GBX75, GOOLOO A3 with air compressor, GOOLOO GP4000 |
| 5.7L diesel | Mild | 7.1L diesel | GOOLOO GP4000 |
| 6.7L diesel | Mild | 8.4L diesel | GOOLOO GP4000 |
| 6.7L diesel | Cold | 10.1L diesel | none of our picks |
The numbers come from our size picker, which multiplies your engine size by 1.25 for mild weather and 1.5 for cold.
Which of our picks fit a diesel
- GOOLOO GP4000: the only pick with a maker diesel rating of 10.0 liters, so it is the one we would look at for a big diesel in mild weather. The caveat: the listing does not say how its 4000 amp figure is measured.
- NOCO Boost GBX75: a fit for a midsize diesel in cold weather. One caveat: the Amazon listing says diesel up to 6.5 liters, but NOCO's own support FAQ says 6 liters. With our cold weather headroom that covers a diesel of about 4.0 liters on the lower figure, or 4.3 on the listing figure. Plan around the lower one.
- Skip the GB40 and GB20 for diesels. The GB40 stops at 3.0 liters diesel and the GB20 lists no diesel rating.
If your truck is past every pick, look for a heavy-duty pack whose maker diesel rating covers your target, or keep heavy jumper cables and a second truck in mind. See jump starter vs jumper cables and the full comparison.
Safety: never jump a cracked, bulging or leaking battery. Wear eye protection. Do not connect a 12 volt pack to a 24 volt system. Follow your truck manual for where the clamps go, and ask a mechanic if you are not sure.