Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Lower compression and starting

[mfunderburgh]

I am in the process of building a motor for my truck as soon as EEP gets everything in. I am getting some fly cut pistons and a . 020 head gasket. I know the cut pistons and head gasket are going to lower the compression a lot and this things going to be pretty sleepy to start as a daily driver. I can plug the truck in at night at my frat at school but am wondering how I should go about warming this block up while I sit in classes on campus for a few hours. Has anyone every put some sort of secondary heater on their truck or am I just going to have to put a generator in the bed and let it run while I'm in class? Thanks ,

Matt

 

[HoleshotHolset]

You could install an Espar diesel fired boiler in your truck for ~$1000 and never have to plug it in ever again...



It runs on diesel fuel and your truck's batteries - you can get a ~13,000 or ~17,000 BTU model... . both of which will easily heat the coolant in your engine and keep that sucker toasty warm in any weather.



#ad




The Espar units are very well built and are a good value.



They even usually come with a 7-day timer so that you can program it to turn on/off when you need to drive the truck or park it... . #ad




This link... has a lot of good info and great prices on the Espars... .



There are a lot of folks on the TDR that have them... and almost everyone has good things to say... .



Matt

 

[mfunderburgh]

Thanks for the info Matt. This item is just what i think i may need. It would be real nice to be able to program it so my truck was ready to start when I get out of class everyday. It's a little more money than what I have to spend right now but I'll get the truck back together first and see how bad it's going to be to start. Thanks, Matt

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I figured for you it was a good match.



They're whisper quiet - so you don't have to worry about offending any noise laws. (not that I ever really worry about them... :-laf )



The $1000 is a tough pill to swallow at first... but it's worth every penny.



In all honesty... I don't think your truck will be that bad to start... . it'll just run like dog poo for the first minute or so then it'll clear up.



Matt

 

[JDailey]

Just carry ether with ya.

 

[CGriffith]

How much will lower compression effect an engines starting ability? What is the benefit of lower compression?



Ether is a bad thing unless you have added a switch on the grid heaters- it can make for a big bang. I saw the heads get blown clear off a Detroit in the oilfield because of two much ether and it didn't have any glow plugs or grid heaters to my knowledge.





mfunderburgh

How long are you at class? I'd be more worried about spending the night at the g/f's apt.

It takes longer than you might think for an engine to reach ambient air temps.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

lower mechanical compression ratio allows more fuel and oxygen at a given "effective" compression ratio (and EGT)



less grunt off boost, but ultimately allows more power under boost.



Forrest

 

[CGriffith]

Interesting... I didn't know lower compression builds power in diesels. How low can you get before you run into problems? Do all the big power builders do this?

Thanks for the edumacation -I learn more here than I ever did in college

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Some guys running 150+psi of boost are at around 12:1 compression...



They have to plug their trucks in the minute they get to the track... and keep 'em plugged in until it's time to fire 'em off... at which point you'll need a can of ether in hand as well.



I would think that once you get below 14:1 or so... you'll have problems getting it going. The lower compression doesn't make power by itself... . all it does is allow you to run more boost before you start wrecking gaskets and hard parts... .



Not all the big power guys have ultra-low compression... . just the really serious pullers... . These trucks are not driven on the street and can't be taken to the grocery store... .



Matt

 

[mfunderburgh]

The reason I am lowering the compression is to make room for more fuel Since i'm going with the billet pulling cam I had to fly cut the pistons in order for the valves to clear the pistons. Doug told me that it's going to take a little more time to get it warmed up since there will be more air flowing through the motor. He warned me of some white smoke too but I'm not to woried about that. I think some of the reason that we see these trucks take a while to start at the pulls has something to do with the very high timing they are running. Any idea on what my compression ratio is going to be HoleshotHolset?

Cgriffith

The truck ain't going to the girfriends either. She knows she's going to have to stay here so I can keep an eye on my truck. I already lost a 97 from the frat lot my sophmore year and I know my insurance ain't going to pay me for all these toys I got in this one.

Matt

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Fly cut pistons + . 020 headgasket won't drop your compression ratio enough to even worry about cold starting.



The reason I posted all the stuff about the Espar is that it sounded like you wanted a warm engine on startup, etc... .



The stuff about the serious pullers was just for info/fun.



Matt

 

[CumminFast]

I am putting some flycut pistons in mine also. I think mine are a little different than yours. It will be a daily driver also. When is yours getting back together? Hopefully another week and mine will be belching smoke. It would be nice to have one of those "push the button" to start your truck deals. Might be kind of a trick on my 5-speed though. Plus the timing might take it 5 minutes to start up. What kind of twins are you running?

 

[mfunderburgh]

Hopefully I will get have the truck back together in a couple weeks. I'm just waiting till the cam and push rods to come in before I go to pick everything up from mitchells. Once I get all the stuff it should take me a weekend to get everything put together and back in the truck. Oo. I'm only runing a single charger on the truck right now and may stay that way for the coming year. The dana 80 and 5 speed w/ mitchell clutch are next on my to do list as the money comes in. The twins look like they will be another year away. I also riged my truck up with a push button start last year. Matt

 

[CumminFast]

Man you want to switch to 5 speed??? Pulling? You would have one hell of a drag truck. Shoot I'll trade ya my 5-speed.

 

[mfunderburgh]

I never have tried draging. Around here you don't have to go to far to find a pull. If you are serious about swaping tranies drop me a pm and maybe we could work something out. Matt

 

[Jim Fulmer]

It's not that bad with a . 020 gasket, it doesn't get real cold here in Oklahoma but lets say I'm at work and the truck is cold soaked at 20 F, I just cycle the grid heaters and she light's off fine, that's with a race pump too and one battery!



Jim

 

[DPS]

I am at around 14. 5 compression and the truck is a bear to get started with out being plugged in below 50. This is with manifold heaters and timing at 18 degrees it won't hardly run with less timing. I recommend going and to a John Deere dealer and buying a complete ether assist kit for a tractor and plumbing it in after the manifold heaters. The kit runs about 130 dollars and is worth every penny.



Expect massive amounts of white smoke when the temps fall below 35 degrees all the time at idle even when the motor is warm.



Good luck, pulling trucks are extreme give and take against drive-ability.