Need to find a way to keep my truck warmer, no garage for it to be in and its been very angry starting in the mornings. Has anyone used the Powerblanket? Wonder if they work and worth the cash.

 

Plug in the block heater? That's all I do down to -40.

 

Yes that is plugged in, but I dont believe its working. Today temps were -10 with wind chills to -20 and it would not start without a fight. That included getting a battery booster out to get enough juice to start. Additive in fuel and all that fun stuff.

 

I should mention new batteries this past fall.

 

Put your hand on the block heater after its been on for a few hours and see if it is warm. If not I would replace it or the cable first, much cheaper and less of a hassle. Mine starts like a hot day when it has been plugged in for a couple of hours and it was -30F the other day here. I should mention the lift pump is barely working and the injectors are due.

 

Intake heaters working?

 

Easy to change out? I am fairly mechanical but slightly engine work shy....

 

With the engine heater plugged on, the whole engine is warm to the touch, sorta like a summer morning. The oil in the pan, however, is still cold as a rat's in the Yukon. Oil pressure tends to come up real slow.

Full synthetic oil pours at extreme cold temperatures, so that's one fix. The other is a 200 watt magnetic heater stuck to the low (sump) part of the pan.

Red neck fix for blown block heater, thick oil is a pan of charcoal under the truck.

I've used them all. They all work.

 

To replace your block heater cord all you need to do is remove your oil filter and its right there. Just unscrew the locking collar with your fingers and unplug. To install it is just the reverse except the colar is now a nut, idk why. I just used a small adjustable wrench and snugged it. Geno has them for dirt cheap. But feel your engine first before you go anywhere. Any decent shop can replace the block heater if you are really uncomfortable, it isnt much different from a chevy 350 heater.

Also on oil, poor some 10W-40 out of a bottle when its -10 out, its like ketchup lol. Synthetic makes a world of difference.

 

After sitting for 8 hours in 0*, not plugged at work ,my truck fires up. Sometimes it helps to give it half throttle while cranking, per directions on the visor. Hahaha


Have you tried given her a little throttle?

 

That's the key to a nice smoothing start, vs a bobbly noisy, smoky start. Don't know why, but that little pedal on start makes a world of difference.

 

Mine starts in -28F without being plugged in overnight, but that is not necessarily good for the engine. Oil gets very hard to move when it is that cold and when you are staring at your oil pressure gauge and it is still reading 0 when the engine has been running for more than 5 seconds that is scary.

 

Amen there - I moved the truck 200 feet before it came up the other day, and even then it came up slower than I was comfortable.

 

I recently just started watching the oil light instead of the gauge. If the oil light goes out than i am happy. The gauge takes much longer to respond.

 

Thanks everyone I will give it a go. About time for an oil change so I will go synthetic for now on....

Praying for warmer weather and not the 20" of snow forecasted for next week......