The_Head

Like how some of the big rigs do in cold weather? The reason I ask is my truck won't start worth a darn in cold weather if it's not plugged in, and I was thinking about taking a trip. Most hotels don't have plug ins so I was wondering if this could be an option.

maybe368

I don't think it would hurt it, as long as nothing fails, but I have found that most hotels and motels do have outlets in their parking lots. If not, I am sure most would accommodate an extension cord...Mark

NE frmhnd

I wouldn't think twice about it, at least not about starting it later in the evening. Wish I had the other day.

The_Head

Would I need to high idle it?

NE frmhnd

Couldn't hurt. Mine would have been low idle with the grill covered.

Richie O

Bring the revs up a little. Like at least 1,000 rpm's. A idle engine in cold will cool to the point of incomplete combustion, which will eat at the rings and also does not help the oil. The cyl temp just gets to low.

The_Head

That's what we used to do with our Peterbilts when we left them to idle overnight so I was wondering.

Richie O

I left one of mine running at like 1500 rpm's or so foor an hour to charge up the battery ( left the lights on ). I idled the truck down, put it in reverse to back up and BANG. the water pump siezed and snapped the belt off. I was so lucky it did not happen while she was running by herself. It would have cooked for sure. So just be aware stuff happens.

JBradley500

That's why I wouldn't dare do it. My truck is pretty decent under the hood yet i've had a water pump and idler pulley/serpentine belt go bad in the last 6 months. I have crap luck and it would happen again when i wasn't around.

The_Head

gees I thought Cummins were reliable

JBradley500

the engine will run forever... its the stuff bolted on it that i dont trust lol

Douglas2

hey-Hey!!!,
What have you done to the poor thing that cold starts are troublesome? I don't even bother with waiting for the grid heaters, and it does not crank long at all. I would not leave it idle; for one it is waaay too easy to steal that way. Rig an extension cord; even modifying one so it can fit under a door would be much easier on my piece ov mind( cut away enough of the outer sheath to allow the door to close on three conductors laid out side-by-side).

No...scratch that; leave it idle. What hotel and when if you'd be so kind?
cheers,
Douglas

The_Head

I don't know why it's such a dog when it's cold. I had a botched injection pump install last year (search my threads for more info) and the truck really hasn't been the same since. I wonder if maybe they reinstalled the original pump a tooth retarded. The truck ran better with the old DDP4's (5 x 13) and an HE351CW turbo than it does now.

I've just been living with it as it is.

JBradley500

Wouldn't that make a lot of sense? Your dyno numbers were way low too, right? Might want to check it out. Hopefully its not like 3 teeth advanced.

The_Head

One of these days I'm going to put in that hotrod pump from PDR.

FWIW, it only takes like 60-90 minutes of block heater to get it to start with little issue.