Hi, just bought my first diesel. 2004 3500 6 speed. I will be using this beast mostly for recreation purposes. During December - feb. I wont be using it very much except to got to work. 2-3 time per week.

Any suggestion what to do to truck if I am not going to use it very much during winter season? Also, being a 6 speed, do you guys run all the gears. in the city, not pulling anything? Thanks

 

2-3 times a week? mine sits all week. so dont worry
when empty, i start in 2nd, and use the all.
towing heavy, i start in 1st.

 

I guess I should not worry to much, I just heard that these trucks need to be used. How about cold starts in the winter. I live in central texas, so it does not get to cold. Do I need a heater for the engine?

 

uh, not in texas you dont. guys in canada dont worry until it gets into the teens. that baby will fire up just fine in sub zero weather.

 

.... but the block heater works great down here for getting heat into the cab a lot faster!

 

Don't worry about letting the truck set for a while. Ours would set for a couple of months in AZ. Then fire right up with good oil pressure.
In Houston now, it is used as a daily driver, short trip for wife to go to work, so in the winter when the temps would get in the 40's I would have the block heater on a timer, warm it 2 hours before work, so she could have some heat.
It started fine in Oregon, in near zero temps, with no block heaterjust had to wait for start light to go out.

 

Don't drive it much??? Heck sometimes I just go jump in and start driving around for the fun of it. Other times I get going and forget where I was going in the first place, so I just drive around having fun, other times I just get lost...I'd never ask for directions home...they might take my keys. haha

 

Sitting for a long time - while this isn't recommended, my '92 just sat for 10 months with a dead transmission and after not having been cranked for 10 months, I finally replaced the transmission, put in a fresh battery and it fired off on the first crank. Ran rough for 30 seconds or less and then purred like a top. That was 2.5 weeks ago and I've logged over 3700 miles on it since then with no problem. Yes, there are better ways to store a truck but in my case, where the wrecker dropped it was where it stayed so I wouldn't worry too much about it sitting for a few days or even a week or two.

 

I would keep a trickle battery charger (1 or 2 amp) every so often to keep the batteries up. When you go to use it, plug the heater in 30 minutes before starting, maybe 1 hr, just to make for an easier start, less wear on the batteries and motor. I would drive it at least once a month.

 

I think Zilla got it down pretty well. Start off in second, don't give it any fuel until you feel the clutch starting to take hold - - it won't stall. Once in a while if I am on a down slope, in traffic and not wanting to accellerate very much, I might ease out in third. I sometimes will skip 3rd by taking it up a little higher in 2nd. The norm is 2 thru 6. Don't let it lug, especially in the higher gears. Good tranny but noisy - - lots of low speed rattle in lower gears.
Bob

 

For the last four years ours gets parked in CA for 3-4 months than gets used for 3 months ect. This last year we started pulling the neg cables (dont know why I dont pull the fuse). Anyway, never had a problem and even leaving the batteries connected never had low batteries. Even after months of storage it fires up like it was parked yesterday. Only problem has been having the darned squirrels pack walnuts all over the engine compartment.