Geico266

Guys, guys, guys, you are not thinking this though. It is not how cold the truck will start, it's how much DAMAGE you are doing by letting it start cold and NOT plugging it in. Cold starts are the hardest on ANY engine. Oil moves slow, different components expand at different rates, ect.

Below +32F plug it in. There is a reason Dodge puts the heaters in the diesel. AND there is a reason the manual says so also. Use it!

marv h.

Yes I understand this, and agree with you 100%, but there are times when you dont have a choice.

Tate

Run synthetic oil! You can hear and feel the difference in how fast it cranks over in cold weather. I run 0w40 or 5w40, depending on what I find at the time. I don't notice any difference between the two. But going from conventional 15w40, its huge. It was the difference between my truck starting or not at -30.

Geico266

They should only be replaced in pairs.

Get yourself a good battery maintainer / desufication and plug it in once a month. Your batteries will last twice as long.

http://www.thebatteryminder.com/12vb...nder-p-58.html

torquefan

Yes, you always want to replace both batteries at the same time, and with the same battery. Batteries wired in parallel will only function as well as the weakest and smallest of the pair.

marv h.

Thank You guys very much, this is great info, I really appriciate it. You all have been very helpfull. I am running conventional 15-40 (duh), I should've thought about that one, and dang I guess I had better get another new battery. Hopefully this wont start a big argument, but which synthetic works good at a reasonable price? Thanks.

Colo_River_Ram

I will argue with you on that one....Take two pieces of red hot metal blow on one with an air hose and see which one gets the coolest the fastest..

I work on engines in the oilfield if the unit goes down and there is a wind it is harder to start than just with similar cold temps..

As for starting your truck in sub zero temps...Plug it in ... hook it up to a timer heat it for 3 hrs before you start it (save on the electric bill)..sure saves a lot of wear and tear on things..

There is even a diesel fired unit you can mount on your frame to keep the thing warm if your away from electricity..think it goes for about $1,200

Just my frozen nickels worth

marv h.

I know you are right, plugging it in is the way to go. My delema is I start up in the morning (plugged in all night) drive to work, park in the lot. This is around 6:30 AM. It will be -30 to -35F. Then for another hour or so, the temprature continues to drop, untill around 7:30 or 8:00 where it may stop at -35 to -40. Then it SLOWLY starts to warm up to -5 to -12. We go several days without getting up to 0*. Then around 3:30, I go out to see if it wants to start. So my pickup sets out most of the day in way below zero temps without access to an electrcal outlet. I sometimes wonder if I am doing more damage to her than it is worth by driving her in the cold part of the winter.
Does anyone know if a 1000 watt generator will run the block heater?

bentwings

A 1000 watt would do the job I think as the heaters are 750. I have a 3500 watt gen in the back of my truck.

The biggest problem I have is getting the generator started. I'm down to 5-30 synthetic blend. It's doing the job down to -15 F but it struggles. I think the next step is 5-30 full synthetic.

I sure would like an electric start.

Dhorn33

I had trouble starting mine yesterday after it sat outside for a week in temps as cold as -20F. I did not have it plugged in - and I had to hook it up to a charger for 10 minutes before it would spin fast enough to fire it up. It took several minutes before it seemed to smooth out and I was comfortable driving it.

HOHN

Coldest start my truck has had unplugged was -25F. Fired right up, but didn't like it. 3-cyl idle helps with warmup a bunch.

The truck was happier with a -25F start on 5w-40 syn than it was with a +10F start with dino 15w40.


Synthetic is the way to go if you can't constantly plug in (who can?!) and need to start in bitter cold temps.

jmo

marv h.

The 5w-40 syn, is that amzoil, or some other? How much should I expect to pay for it?
Thanks, Marv.

Colo_River_Ram

Hey Marv,

What part of this great state you live in? I'm in the northwest corner (Rangely)..

Does the boss not have an outlet for vehicles??

dieselman2300

http://www.amsoil.com/
Remember you can run 15,000 miles on it.
If you run a amsoil bypass filter, you can run alot longer than that. You can also buy oil test kit from there also.
Another thing, if you get a 6 month amsoil preferred member for $20, the oil and filters are ALOT cheaper.

Ru rammin 2?

I don't know if both batteries need replaced at the same time being as I know a lot of people that test theirs and replace the weaker one. I have had trouble starting mine in -20*F without plugging in but it did start. I run regular rotella 15w-40 and I don't know if a oil heater would be necessary seeing as my block heater heats everything if given time. And for the record the biogger injectors are harder cold starting.