The best jump starters for diesel trucks

Here is the fact that most diesel jump-starter pages bury: manufacturers rate the same pack far lower for diesel than for gas. NOCO rates the GB40 to 6.0 L gas but only 3.0 L diesel. The GB70 is 8.0 L gas and 6.0 L diesel. The ratio is roughly two to one, consistently, across the range.

That is not marketing caution. A diesel has no spark plugs — it ignites fuel by compression alone, which means compression ratios far above a gas engine's. The starter motor has to turn the engine against that, and glow plugs or grid heaters draw their own current before the starter even engages. The result is a much larger current demand from the same displacement.

Quick picks

Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. Scoring criteria are published in full on our methodology page.

#	Product	Best for	Our read	Price
1	NOCO Boost HD GB70 Best for light-duty diesel	Diesel pickups and big V8s	6.0 L diesel rating covers the common truck engines	Check price on Amazon→ #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
2	NOCO Boost Pro GB150 Best for heavy diesel and equipment	Heavy diesel, fleet and equipment	7.0 L diesel rating, and 88 Wh still flies	Check price on Amazon→ #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
3	NOCO Boost Plus GB50 Smallest pack we would put near a diesel	V6 and small V8 gas engines	4.5 L diesel — only for the smaller engines	Check price on Amazon→ #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
4	DEWALT DXAEJ14 Power Station Best if you would rather have a lead-acid box	One box that jumps and inflates	Heat-tolerant, and it inflates too	Check price on Amazon→ #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one

• 3.0 L six-cylinder diesels (light-duty half-tons and SUVs): a 4.0-4.5 L diesel rating clears it, so the GBX45 or GB50 will do. We would still lean GB70 if the truck lives somewhere cold.
• 6.7 L and 6.6 L three-quarter- and one-ton diesels: you need the 6.0 L diesel class at minimum. The GB70 is the answer, and it has the cable length to reach a truck battery comfortably.
• Dual-battery trucks: connect to one battery as the manufacturer directs; the batteries are in parallel, so you are supplying the pair. It does not change the pack you need.
• Commercial and agricultural diesels above 7.0 L: the 3,000 A class, or a purpose-built commercial starter. A consumer pack is out of its published range here, and we will not recommend one past its rating.

1. Best for light-duty diesel

NOCO Boost HD GB70

NOCO · Best for diesel pickups and big v8s

The one to buy if you drive a diesel: 2,000 peak amps, a 6.0-liter diesel rating and 56 watt-hours, which is the smallest pack with real margin on a cold diesel.

Published specifications

Peak amps

2,000 A source

Internal battery

56 Wh lithium-ion source

Gas engine rating

Up to 8.0 liters source

Diesel engine rating

Up to 6.0 liters source

Weight

4.18 lb (1.9 kg) source

Recharge

3 hours at 12 V / 3 A source

Water resistance

IP65 source

Flashlight

400 lumens source

Warranty

1-year hassle-free source

What works

• +The 6.0 L diesel rating covers the common 3.0 L and 6.7 L light-truck diesels with margin
• +56 Wh is still comfortably under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so it flies as hand luggage
• +12 V 15 A accessory output, and a 400-lumen light that is genuinely usable roadside
• +12 V / 3 A fast charge brings it back in about three hours

What does not

• −4.18 lb — noticeably heavier than the compact packs, and it wants a dedicated spot
• −Overkill for a commuter four-cylinder; you are paying for headroom you will not use

Skip it if

Not the one to buy if you only ever start a four-cylinder commuter. Buy diesel headroom when you have a diesel.

Check price on Amazon→

#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one

Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost HD GB70.

2. Best for heavy diesel and equipment

NOCO Boost Pro GB150

NOCO · Best for heavy diesel, fleet and equipment

The heavy end: 3,000 peak amps, a 7.0-liter diesel rating and 88 watt-hours, for the engines the consumer packs cannot legitimately claim.

Published specifications

Peak amps

3,000 A source

Internal battery

88 Wh lithium-ion source

Gas engine rating

Up to 9.0 liters source

Diesel engine rating

Up to 7.0 liters source

Weight

6.39 lb (2.9 kg) source

Water resistance

IP65 with ports closed source

Flashlight

500 lumens source

Warranty

1-year hassle-free source

What works

• +The 7.0 L diesel rating is the highest in NOCO's consumer line
• +88 Wh still sits under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, which is unusual at this size
• +Long, heavy-gauge cables reach awkward battery positions on trucks and equipment

What does not

• −6.39 lb and bulky — a dedicated trunk or toolbox item, not a glovebox one
• −Far more capacity than any passenger car will ever draw

Skip it if

Wrong tool for a car or crossover. If your largest engine is a half-ton gas V8, the GB70 already has margin and costs and weighs less.

Check price on Amazon→

#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one

Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost Pro GB150.

3. Smallest pack we would put near a diesel

NOCO Boost Plus GB50

NOCO · Best for v6 and small v8 gas engines

The middle rung: 1,500 peak amps and 35 watt-hours for a quarter-pound more than the GB40, which is the cheapest headroom in the range.

Published specifications

Peak amps

1,500 A source

Internal battery

35 Wh lithium-ion source

Gas engine rating

Up to 7.0 liters source

Diesel engine rating

Up to 4.5 liters source

Weight

2.71 lb (1.22 kg) source

Water resistance

IP65 source

Flashlight

200 lumens source

Warranty

1-year hassle-free source

What works

• +A full liter more gas headroom than the GB40 for 0.26 lb more weight
• +35 Wh still clears the 100 Wh carry-on limit with room to spare
• +Doubles the flashlight output over the GB40 at 200 lumens

What does not

• −Overlaps awkwardly with the GBX45, which is lighter and charges over USB-C
• −Still short of the 6.0 L diesel rating a modern diesel pickup wants

Skip it if

Skip it if convenience matters more than amps — the GBX45 is lighter and takes USB-C Power Delivery, and the GB50's edge is raw current.

Check price on Amazon→

#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one

Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost Plus GB50.

4. Best if you would rather have a lead-acid box

DEWALT DXAEJ14 Power Station

DEWALT · Best for one box that jumps and inflates

A lead-acid jump station with a built-in air compressor and a 120 V outlet — the combo box for people who would rather carry one heavy thing than two light ones.

This manufacturer does not publish a full specification table for this model on its own site. Rather than repeat figures we cannot source, the assessment below is limited to what the product category and the retailer listing genuinely establish.

What works

• +Jump starter, air compressor and AC outlet in a single case
• +Lead-acid chemistry is untroubled by living in a hot trunk
• +Handle-and-case format survives being thrown in a truck bed

What does not

• −Heavy and bulky next to any lithium pack — the usual reason combo boxes end up in the garage
• −Lead-acid self-discharges, so it needs topping up on a schedule or it is flat when you need it
• −The built-in compressor is a convenience feature, not a match for a dedicated inflator's duty cycle

Skip it if

Not for anyone whose priority is packed size or carry-on travel. If the tool has to fit a door pocket or a suitcase, buy a lithium pack and a separate inflator.

Check price on Amazon→

#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one

Because weight is a real cost and margin past the rating buys nothing. The GB150 is 6.39 lb against the GB70's 4.18 lb, and unless your engine is genuinely above 6.0 L of diesel, that extra 2.2 lb is dead weight you carry permanently to solve a problem you do not have. Buy the rating that clears your engine with headroom, then stop.

One thing that surprises people: even the heavy packs here are under 100 Wh, so all of them can travel in carry-on baggage — the GB150 is 88 Wh. If you fly to where your truck is, that matters. Flying with a jump starter has the regulator's wording.