Okay so I am picking up my 92 dodge this sunday and it is around minus 12c during the day and colder at night I dont have a garage what can I do that is fairly cheap to keep this rig warm other than plugging it in I need answers since I dont want to have all that white smoke coming out of my tail pipe and from what I have heard that can damage the cylinder heads thanks for all replys I hope my question is not dumb

 

Just a quick question: Why not just plug it in? You can put it on a timer and have it warm up a few hours before you go out in the morning.

 

ya that I know but I just wonder will that be enough when its like 32 below and I was also told not to turn the wheel when it first starts as you can wreck your powersteering pump by doing that the guy who told me this owns a 2002 or 01 so whether they are diff or not for starting in cold I dont know thanks though for the reply

 

Plugging it in is probably the best you can do. Running the grid heaters a few times before starting would probably help, too. I've never heard that about the steering pump before, but I guess it makes at least a little sense. When it's cold (cold for us is about 0) I will plug the truck in and usually walk out and start it right fast a few minutes before I leave in the morning...get the juices flowing.

Suck thing about these big ol blocks of steel is the wait till the cab warms up...takes forever sometimes, it seems!

 

it will start just like it's warm if you plug it in at any temp,although you might want a battery warmer as well at that cold. Also I would put on two batteries.

 

I dont remember if this one has double batteries and I was told a battery warmer might help or just drag em in at night

 

A simple battery float-charger works better than a warmer to keep the battery(s) alive on cold mornings.


Also, silly as it may seem, having a tiny draw on the battery, such as a couple LED lights or such, will keep the juices working and make for a stronger battery than one that has no activity all night.


32-below; I would just set the throttle at about 1100 or thereabouts and let her run all night; it would be cheapest in the long run.

 

-12*C = 10*F

My truck is a real pain to start if I dont plug it in in cold temperatures. It will provide a smoke screen for a Normandy sized amphibious landing.

 

Plug it in at night and wait for the grids.....It'll start right up everytime.

My dad leaves with the 93 every morning at 6, the Timer is set to 3 AM so the truck is "plugged in" for a solid 3 hours before leaving. and it gets heat about 2x faster than normal. it's not even cold out now only like 40 in the morning but still it helps to have heat faster in the cab

 

If you want heat even faster, I've found that putting on a oil pan heater makes a big difference as well. That and blocking off the entire front end helps stop the natural convection action that cools the engine bay down. On my 2000, I went so far as to remove the fan for the winter and I still had the front completely blocked off with no heating issues.

And yes, I did tow my 14 foot dump trailer with no fan, I just made sure there was some air flow getting to the rad and watch the temperature gauge.

 

Go to princess auto and get a good mechanical temp gauge and a oil pan heater...I run unloaded without my fan for most of the winter,( I keep it behind the seat, though) and also have a piece of cardboard with a 8" hole cut in it stuffed in front of the rad..When the engine temp gets over 180 with the heat cranked (this rarely happens under 0C) I just remove the cardboard...she heats up quick with no fan and the rad blocked...also warm it up off-idle, around 12-1500rpm, this will keep raw fuel from coating your cylinders until it reaches operating temp...try not to build too much boost until she warms up either...synthetic in the tranny helps too..

 

i think just plugging it (or setting a timer) in for 1 or 2 hours before you start it plus waiting for the grid heaters to cycle 1 time is your best bet. ive read that cycling the grids more than 1 time simultaneously is actually bad for them and doesnt help you.

 

I know this is 1st gen trucks, but my second gen will start at -20 no issues not plugged in(runs rough), I have started it at -34 with it plugged in all night no issue.

 

hmmm where did you read that? I cycled mine like 4 times in a row this morning because I did not plug my truck in. I was planning on driving my car, but changed my mind.

 

i cant remember. it was a post last year when i said i was doing it 2 times in a row because i figured it would help.