Jump Starters
The best jump starters for diesel trucks
Diesel ratings run roughly half the gas rating at the same capacity. That one fact decides this entire page.
Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Commission never decides a verdict or a ranking position — read our editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.
How we assessed these: picks are selected from manufacturer specifications, current retailer listings and published owner feedback — not from hands-on testing of every unit. Where a figure is not published by the manufacturer, we say so rather than estimate it.
Short answer
For a 3.0 L to 6.7 L light-truck diesel, buy a pack with a published diesel rating of 6.0 L or more — the NOCO GB70 at 2,000 peak amps is the reference point. Larger commercial diesels need the 7.0 L class, such as the GB150.
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 | $199.95View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026 |
| 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 | $299.95View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026 |
| 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 | $149.95View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026 |
| 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 | $129.00$169.00View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026 |
The diesel ratings, side by side
| Model | Peak amps | Gas rating | Diesel rating | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB40 | 1,000 A | Up to 6.0 L | Up to 3.0 L | 2.45 lb |
| GBX45 | 1,250 A | Up to 6.5 L | Up to 4.0 L | 2.16 lb |
| GB50 | 1,500 A | Up to 7.0 L | Up to 4.5 L | 2.71 lb |
| GB70 | 2,000 A | Up to 8.0 L | Up to 6.0 L | 4.18 lb |
| GB150 | 3,000 A | Up to 9.0 L | Up to 7.0 L | 6.39 lb |
Figures from NOCO's own specification pages. Read the diesel column, not the gas column, and not the peak-amp column.
Matching this to real truck engines
- 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.
The picks
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
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.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026
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
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.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026
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
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.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026
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 120 PSI digital compressor and USB-A plus USB-C power — the combo box for people who would rather carry one heavy thing than two light ones.
Published specifications
- Jump starting
- 1,600 peak amps, rated to start most 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines source
- Air compressor
- 120 PSI digital, with AUTOSTOP source
- USB output
- USB-A 15 W and USB-C 25 W source
- Battery types
- 12 V lead-acid: wet, gel and AGM source
- Diagnostics
- Alternator Check, plus reverse-polarity protection source
- In the box
- Clamps and cables, sports needle adapter source
What works
- Jump starter, 120 PSI compressor and USB-A/USB-C power in a single case
- 1,600 peak amps is rated for 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines
- Lead-acid chemistry is untroubled by living in a hot trunk
- Alternator Check tells you whether the jump was the problem or the symptom
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
- DEWALT's licensee publishes no weight, cable gauge, battery capacity or compressor duty cycle for this unit
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.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of November 10, 2026
Why we did not just recommend the biggest pack
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. For the most-searched diesel pickup specifically, jump starters for a Ford F-150 maps the packs to Ford's engine lineup, and battery chargers for diesel trucks covers the two-battery charging problem.
The GB70 is the pack this page keeps coming back to, and it deserves that. If you want to see what else clears a diesel rating — and where the extra headroom of a GBX155 or GB150 is worth the weight — NOCO GB70 alternatives compares the whole set on NOCO's own published engine ratings.
Key takeaways
- Diesel ratings run about half the gas rating at the same pack capacity.
- A 6.7 L diesel pickup needs the 6.0 L diesel class — 2,000 peak amps.
- Let the glow plugs finish their cycle before you crank.
- Dual batteries do not change which pack you need.
- Even the 3,000 A pack is 88 Wh, so it still clears the carry-on limit.
Two neighboring pages matter if your diesel is not a pickup. The best heavy duty jump starters covers equipment, fleet work and the 24-volt systems that rule out every pack on this page. And if the vehicle in question is a gas V6 rather than a diesel, the best jump starters for V6 engines is the right sizing page — buying diesel headroom you will never use is its own kind of mistake.
How we sourced this
Every figure on this page came from one of the following. Where a manufacturer or regulator does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
Common questions
- What size jump starter do I need for a 6.7 L diesel?
- A pack with a published diesel rating of at least 6.0 L, which in NOCO's range means 2,000 peak amps and the GB70. Read the diesel rating rather than the gas rating — the same pack is rated to 8.0 L gas and only 6.0 L diesel, and the diesel figure is the one that applies to your truck.
- Why do diesels need more amps than gas engines?
- A diesel ignites fuel by compression instead of a spark, so its compression ratio is much higher and the starter has to turn the engine against more resistance. Glow plugs or a grid heater also draw significant current before the starter engages. Both effects mean more current for the same displacement.
- Can a small jump starter start a diesel truck?
- Sometimes, in mild weather, with a healthy battery — and that is not a plan. A pack used beyond its published diesel rating has no margin left for the cold morning when you actually need it, and margin is the entire point of owning one.
- Do I connect to both batteries on a dual-battery diesel?
- No. The batteries are wired in parallel, so connecting to one set of terminals as the vehicle manufacturer directs supplies the pair. Follow your truck's manual for the designated jump-start points, which on some trucks are remote terminals rather than the battery posts.
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Best for Cold Weather
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Winter picks with real margin, plus the one situation where a lead-acid box beats lithium and why lithium usually still wins.
Best for Semi Trucks
Best for Semi Trucks
Why 24-volt capability, not peak amps, decides this category — and the short list of packs that actually have it.
Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Tell us — corrections get read first. Our methodology explains how picks are made, and contact is one click away.