Pickle,

You're right, it would make the 3 cylinders worker harder by themselves to move the truck than with all 6 cylinders ... BUT, the 3 cylinder mode and idle up feature(s) cease to work when you, a) touch the throttle pedal, b) touch the brake pedal, or c) push the cutch if equipped. There may be other things that shut it off too. The point is, this warm-up feature(s) do not work while driving.

Its the fact that the 3 firing cylinders are overcoming 3 dead cylinder's compression that generates more heat than 6 equally performing cylinders.

Mine stays in the garage most of the time, so starting on cold mornings has nearly the same effect as having had it plugged in. I left from work one day (I rarely drive it to work), and the temp gage said -5° F. It started OK (starter turned slower of course), but didn't run well for quite some time. Until after about 1/4 mile of driving it or so. But I had let it idle for a while hoping it would clear up before driving it.

I felt a little bad putting a load (not towing) on it with it running like that, but it cleared up quickly driving (about 1/4 mile).

- JyRO

 

This time last year, same discussion. Highway speeds + weak coolant (-30) + -30 temps + gelled coolant and overheating.

Those lund screen fronts with the little holes stop almost as much air as the solid ones. All you are doing is keeping the direct cold air blast off of the rad...which is what you want to do. Since about 1982 all Dodge trucks have been "bottom breathers" and pick up their cooling air from under the front bumper at speed. It's also where they get their intake air. Follow the intake hose and ta-da its not anywhere near the grille. On my 93 its below the rt hand signal. So you aren't interfering with your cold charge air, just the Arctic blast to the rad. The cooling air from the bottom doen't follow as direct a route to the rad hence better in cab heat, quicker warm-up far less chance of gelled coolant. As I posted in another forum today on pretty much the same subject, I run my winter front from Thanksgiving (October) to May 1..

Having said that, the flaps are open for some of that time depending on the weather, but I can assure you the difference in cab heat is incredible.

I have when towing in the summer had to remove my bug screen to keep from overhaeating in a strong crosswind from the right direction. Not getting enough cooling from the bottom alone but thats only happened twice.

Love your diesel? Keep it warm. Loaded and cold will dramatically shorten engine life. IMHO

 

Thanksgiving isn't in October. ???

 

It is in Canada Hoss...

 

Well I'll be. Learn something new every day. ;D

 

Who said you would only learn diesel here???

J-eh

 

[quote author=Hoss link=board=8;threadid=19800;start=30#msg188686 date=1064428781]
Well I'll be. Learn something new every day. ;D
[/quote]

You gotta get out a little more Hoss. I mean outa Texas....