| Question: | How to:Cold Weather Tricks and Tips | | Answer: | I am in the military and just assigned to Fairbanks, AK. I have a 02 ram 3500 diesel DRW. I have never been anywhere where it gets much colder than the mid 20 -30 range now I am here where they tell me it normally stays -30 to-40 in the winters. My problem is that I don't know jack! The one and only dealer here is trying to tell me that I need to have installed two engine block heaters, a tranny heater(mine is auto), a battery blanket heater for each battery and insists that I need a "high idle" kit/switch as well. All this is going to be in the neigborhood of $900 on up. Can anyone tell me what i really "need" to survive. I feel the dealer is trying to take advantage of my ignorance. Also when plugging in your vehicle should I leave it plugged in overnight or should I plug in a few hours prior. Has anyone ever had experience with Marvels Mystery oil? My friend says I can add it to my fuel and my engine oil and it will prevent gelling at low temps??? I really can use any and all advice for operating in extreme cold environments that I can get. Thank You.
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NWDave
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Northwest corner Washington State
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Re:Winterizing Novice need help
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2002 08:48:32 PM »
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Hey, welcome to the site. I can't help you directly with the questions you ask. I just wanted to let you know that we're not ignoring you. We have several members who currently reside in Alaska and I'm sure that as soon as they WAKE up, they'll be jumping in with all kinds of advice. I can believe those temperatures because of a year I spent at Campion AFS, up near Galena AB, on the Yukon River. Anyway, the guys will be answering you real soon. Hang in there and enjoy your tour.
~Dave
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2001.5, 2500 HD 4x4 Quad SLT, 3.54 anti-spin diff., LB, Lt Almond Pearl Metallic, 24v CTD, Auto, Line-X, Running Boards, Trailer Tow/Camper Group. BHAF. heat shield. ISSPRO Gauges (egt, fuel pressure, tranny temp, boost soon to be in a ROD POD.) Thanks Rod at Wildcat Diesel HAC. Retired USAF. PCa survivor.
redram
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Re:Winterizing Novice need help
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2002 09:44:40 PM »
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Maybe I can help a bit. I'm from north central Manitoba, Canada, so it gets d**n cold here as well. You can save money on the high idler kit by cutting a stick to length and jamming it between the center console and gas pedal, RPM should be about 1300-1500. Crude, but effective. This would work to keep the temperature up when the truck is already warm. Don't do it to warm it up. Everyone says to drive it gently after letting it idle for a few minutes. Don't know about the two block heaters, one has always worked fine for me. Leave it plugged in all night under extreme conditions and during the day, if you can. You can get a fuel driven pre-heater if an outlet is unavailable, but these are costly(~$1000) Battery blanket(2) helps a great deal and is inexpensive. The best would be if you can keep it in a garage, even if it's not heated it helps more than anything. A truck plugged in at -40 outside ,no matter how many gadgets/heaters you have, is much harder to start than one plugged in indoors.Also, buy the grill and bumper inserts to prevent cold air from entering the front. Lund, among others, make nice ones in black plastic or stainless steel. Ignore anyone telling you to leave "10% of the front open for the charge air-cooler". It will get plenty of nice cold air with grill and bumper holes sealed.
I don't use synthetic, but have heard it helps alot for cold starts.
The most damage is probaly done by short runs in the winter, driving and shutting down the truck before it's had a chance to warm up. I suspect the diesel fuel in Alaska should be the winter blend as it is here this time of year. It contains anti-gel properties, though I always add some diesel fuel conditioner made by "Kleen-Flo"(not sure if this is a Canadian brand). Here we refer to diesel as "summer" and "winter" diesel.
I'm sure others have more ideas for you.
My trucks are an '02 2500 CTD/HO and a '91 CTD(smokes like it's on fire with cold starts).
Couple more things I thought of:
Shift tranny into neutral when you let it warm up. That gets the fluid warmed up faster. Also, you may have to shift into drive and move a few feet ahead before reverse will work properly.
If you start a Cummins in cold weather without it being plugged in, the engine sounds like there's a dozen gremlins with jackhammers under the hood. Don't be alarmed, it's normal!
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greatwhite
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Re:Winterizing Novice need help
« Reply #3 on: Today at 09:18:33am »
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I too am from Manitoba and my 93 has never had a battery blanket, but gets plugged in all night with it's single block heater. Theres a lot of iron and coolant in a CTD and it takes at least 5-6 hours for the block heater to do much. I switch to 0W-30 or 5W-30 semi synthetic when my Oct or Nov change comes up (Truck runs about 5000mi 8000km/month). It will make a huge difference in how much more quickly your oil pressure builds on start up. I got a high idle solenoid from a GM dealer and it works just fine. Once my oil pressure comes up, I set it to about 900. Put my winterfront on from Thanksgiving to Victoria Day and switch to bug screen opposite. (Mid Oct to Mid May). I refuse to use a remote starter as I want to be there if something isn't right on fire-up. 5-10 minute warmup in Neutral with brake set (cold automatics may creep). and away you go. Two block heaters will speed up your plug in time if you forget, but one is lots if you leave it plugged in or at least do it the night before. My truck makes lousy heat however and I am still trying to find a full flow 195 t'stat for winter use. Battery blanket(s) will help your battery get its charge back more quickly but mine lights up so quick I've never used one. Also if its below -30 I cycle my intake heater twice. Just a note, in March 97 in Regina SK @ trade show, had to park Greatwhite outside. Beautiful weekend 25-40 F then early Sunday AM cold front temp to -25 F with wind. Truck too big to fit in either parkade so it was parked outside hotel since Thursday with no access to power. Walked out and darn near stopped breathing. I've gotta start it in this!!??!! It lit right up but oh lord what a noise, I swear all that 15w40 was going around in a lump stuck to the crank. Probably cost me 10000 miles of engine life. BUT IT STARTED. . BTW what the @#$& is a tranny htr.
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93 D250 Super LE Clubcab intercooled CTD Auto 3.54 rear white tach, DSP 5th wheel, class V Hidden Hitch, 300,000km as at June 1, 2002 Uses no oil, Works every day straight truck or pulling 24' Gooseneck deck or for play 27' Cobra Sunrise 5ver
dodgeram
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Gillam manitoba Canada
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Re:Winterizing Novice need help
« Reply #4 on: Today at 09:30:47am »
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hello, I live in northern manitoba (a few miles south of churchill) and it gets down to -40 regularly around here .....
I use the 1 factory block heater, it's about 0 degrees farenhieght(-18 celcius) right now this time of year and my truck starts no problem not plugged in but the wait to start light stays on for almost 1 minute and it takes forever to warm up ......
if I plug it in right now the wait to start light stays on for like 3 seconds and the truck warms up pretty quick, so use your block heater, I leave my truck plugged in all the time and just unplug it when I go to use it, it stays plugged in for days on end sometimes (it's outside)......
the factory block heater is very good and CTD's start very well compared to other big diesels (my mom's volswagon TDI diesel has started at -35 NOT plugged in, it's amazing)
I use no winter front if the thermostat works it'll warm up on the highway, but I do hear from other local ctd owners the fronts help warmup time and around town driving very much, soo I'd get one
battery blankets are a must and work very well.....
I'd run mobile devlac 5w40 it'll help cold starts........
as for fule additive, I run none but I do carry a bottle of diesel fuel anti gel with me, when it's -40 sometimes it does gell up and then you need to add it .......
if it's -40 all the time I'd just add the anti gell every tank, most of the time it's only -30 around here, but it dip low quite often......
as for the tranny heater, I don't have an auto so maybe someone else can answer that, I have owned lots of auto equipt gas vehicles and never had a tranny heater on them though ....
also one thing I always do is drive it till it's warmed up to operating tempature before you shut it down again, it's very hard on them to start cold, make a short trip and shut down cold again
I find a short trip out on the highway warms em up the fastest, they'll never warm up idling, and slow town driving doesn't seem to help much.....
BTW dodge has a program for the computer that automatically fast idles the truck when it's gold........ I'm going in to get my truck flashed tomorrow......
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99 dodge ram 2500 quad cab 4x4, cummins 5.9 & a 5 speed, resonator & stock muffler replaced with a dynomax ultraflo welded, rest is stock ........but I'll change it ....... I promise
greatwhite
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Re:Winterizing Novice need help
« Reply #5 on: Today at 10:00:22am »
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YES!! I forgot to mention that. Always have anti-gel with you. Always. And that mark on the fuel guage that you thought meant you had a 1/4 tank left? Treat it as your EMPTY line. Running out of fuel at 30 F is inconvenient. Running out at -30 is death. . One quick note on winter fronts. Most times your antifreeze will be good to -40. Check it out. Be sure. Antifreeze will crystalize or gel in your radiator however and when your t'stat opens nothing will show up. I don't have a windchill chart handy, but I'm sure that -40 plus 65mph = very &*($#@! cold. Plus it will slow down that blast of cold air over your engine and up against your firewall. BTW if my truck isn't going to run for an hour on cold days, I don't run it at all.
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93 D250 Super LE Clubcab intercooled CTD Auto 3.54 rear white tach, DSP 5th wheel, class V Hidden Hitch, 300,000km as at June 1, 2002 Uses no oil, Works every day straight truck or pulling 24' Gooseneck deck or for play 27' Cobra Sunrise 5ver
Lil Dog
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High River, Alberta Canada
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Re:Winterizing Novice need help
« Reply #6 on: Today at 03:46:04pm »
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Running a semi-synthetic or synthetic oil would be benificial in the cold starts anyway..
As in another post, I use a 0W-40 heavy duty oil by Esso in the winter months. I notice at least a 10 second reduction to achieve full oil pressure at startup and you don't have to worry if you can't plug it in.. The oil will at least let you startup.
Good point about the winterfronts too.. When its -30, the rad will freeze if you don't have it covered or at least the truck warm before you go.. If you just jump in and blast off, you may be stopping real soon as the engine overheats but your rad is a solid block of ice.. Not fun.
These are all great cold weather tips... We should get these in the FAQ... Oh Gonzo!!!!
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