2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Question for Arctic Drivers

[DBeeman]

OK folks, my only gripe with this whole diesel thing is, how long can I leave my truck off, without plugging in at say 30 to 50 below? I am an avid outdoorsman, and this time of year is predator hunting, so I drive out to the boonies, and am wondering how long I can stay out at these temps, without doing damage that will hurt me down the road? I already noticed my transmission cooling line seeps where it goes from rubber to aluminium. I love this truck, just as much as I paid for her, I don't want to ruin her. Thanks folks.



Dave

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I'd start by monitoring the temperature of the cast iron--block or head, as well as coolant and oil. By the way, did you cut something off of HIM, since Rams are male:--) (ewes are female)

 

[DBeeman]

Alright you got me there, old habits die hard. My Ram, I have to practice that.

 

[JJW_ND]

Expect leaks when cold that go away when warm

Dave:



I can only speak for -15 to -30.



I do lots of ice fishing (truck sets out all day. My day job also keeps truck setting all day (but I can plug in if choose). As long as it is good and warm when you shut it off you should be fine for 8 hours of so. You can really help the cold starts by running a high quality full synthetic 5W diesel oil (Mobil or Amsoil). It really helps the motor crank over faster and get oil presure faster. The full sythetic goes for all fluids (differentials, TCase, steering box, transmission). Much better response in the cold and less leaks. Very good batteries are a requirement as well as working grid heaters.



Just a cold weather observation... . Leaks are a reallity in the winter (arctic cold type winter). It is about impossible to not seep some fluid with the kind of pressures that develop and the dramitic changes the cast, aluminum, etc all go through. The good news is 99% these leaks go ways on there own with warmer weather. Keep an eye on then but try to wait until spring if it is just a seep.



The other thing that goes away with the winter is all the extra weird noises.



Just drive... several hundered thousand miles later you will be well broke in but a long way for wore out!



jjw

ND

 

[DBeeman]

Thanks again, I was told I can't switch to Synthetic until I hit the 20,000 mile mark, as I don't pull a heavy load ( Iwill admit, I bought a Cummins because I always wanted one, definitely not because I needed it, I don't even own a trailer... ..... yet). Being in the military, and unsure about where I will be in the future(ie. Desert South West if I am lucky), I don't want to do too many Arctic mods, but if I stay here, I am thinking ESPAR heater.



Dave

 

[dpetre]

DBeeman

You are going fox, and cat hunting at -30 to -50 below? Have you been to the Artic survial school that is offered on base? I have had diesels start after being unplugged at -30 after about 10 hours. They really hard starting at those temp. As far as going hunting at -50 I would not even attempt it. It is hard on the vehicle and you take a chance of freezing to death. This coming Monday it is suppose to get to -43 dress warmly and go out in front of your quarters and see how long you can take it. Your own personnel safety is job one.

 

[DBeeman]

Thanks for the concern. -50 is a bit of exagerating, but I will go out to -40, but I tend to head up to the hills where it is warmer. This is my 4th winter here, but my first with a diesel. I just can't stand being cooped up in the house for long periods of time. I have had Arctic Survival training, and one of my friends teaches at the school. Predator hunting is a new obsession with me. I am very glad to hear that 1 or 2 hours will not leave me stranded.



Thanks,

Dave

 

[Cooker]

Originally posted by DBeeman

as I don't pull a heavy load

Borrow a trailer and break him in right. Good excuse for a road trip/vacation

 

[BatMan01]

DBeeman

I see you are stationed at Eielson. I am here at Elmendorf and I go to Eielson about 4 times a year to support the Comm squadron. When I go up there I always drive. I have seen it go from -12 to -30 in just a few hours. -50 is not unusual. Here's my . 02 cents. There is a cold weather start flash and a fast idle flash that I highly recommend this update if you have not already had it done. If you are out in the middle of no-where without plug-in's, and the ambient temputure around -30, you want to keep the block from getting to cold. I have had to start the engine up and bring it up to operating temps every few hours all through the night (not fun). This is not very easy to do. I have tried everything short of driving around for an hour. There is just no easy way to warm the engine at these temps. An Espar heater is the only answer I know. I just got mine last month and even here in the sun-belt it has made things great.



As far as synthetics go, you are right on target, wait until after break-in. The rest of the truck is another story. I understand that the factory puts synthetics in the power steering system, transfer case and diff's. At a minimum I recommend changing to a higher quality synthetic power steering fluid.



Have fun and stay warm

 

[Sled Puller]

Personaly, 20,000 is excessive.



Good synthetics flow at -50 plus.

However, if your batterys are frozen soild, it does not help much!!



I would change to synthetic at first change, if it seems it using too much oil by spring,(I doubt it) switch it back and go put some hard miles on it.



DON"T let it sit around idling!

 

[baby.driver]

Leave it run

As long as it won't get stolen. Button it up good (winterfront) and use a high idle device. I don't know this would work, I've never been in that kind of cold, but you can test it just sitting in the truck and watching the temps. If the engine temps go too low, well it don't work



OOPS, scratch the above if it aint broke in yet.

 

[DSiemens]

Cold starting aids

I use an Espar brand heater, My brother swears by his Wabasso brand. Either one will serve you well.

I use synthetics and they do help with starting. I'd wait till I put on more miles before switching.

In an emergency when you have to start: carry a tiger torch and a length of stovepipe with an elbow. Place under oil pan and make sure you monitor the flame. Would not want to see you burn your truck.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

Good batteries are definitely where I would start. -50 is sure a daunting # though. -30 I wouldnt even think twice. These things huff and puff and -30 but so does almost any vehicle. You would be hard pressed to get many carburetor engines started at temps colder than -30 let alone a diesel which runs solely on heat created by friction. Would an air charge that cold be capable of warming up to the point of combusting a diesel charge? Obviously not in a cold engine otherwise there wouldnt be a need for a grid heater or glow plugs. I wonder if the density of air that cold makes compressing it difficult for just the starter. Not to mention that the batteries are screaming in revolt. At -50 below its complete mutiny. My steering pump wont work below -20 for several minutes. Dont forget If the steering is lazy and the pump is howling that the brakes WILL NOT WORK.

Let me take my original statement back. The best cold operation batteries money can buy is where I would start. Let the grid cycle a bit. Make sure you have a good antigel additive. Something Ive learned can be stated best as an example. Have you ever left your lights on and not noticed. Gone out to start your baby and she turned over too lazily to start. Turn off your lights and sit there a five minutes and then try again. Batteries make power using a chemical process. Just cause it wont start now doesnt mean its dead. It just means it needs some time to generate more power. When you go to start it in obscenely cold weather watch the voltmeter to come back up after the grid shuts off. If you wait a minute sometimes they will generate enough power to fire it up even if it wouldnt moments earlier. Think of battery power like a turtle that needs a little time to catch up. If you live in super cold climates you might even supplement you batteries with a few BatCaps. They are much more adept at delivering instant power but they are costly. I have a single batcap and am thinking of adding two more( my use isnt for cold starting purposes). A BatCap is a hybrid battery and capacitor. Mine is capable of throwing 400 plus amps for many seconds and is available instantly. Just what a diesel needs to get going. The old style capacitors released their payload of power in a matter of milliseconds. And they cost quite a bit for about a 70 amp capability( not sure if 70 is accurate for 1 farad). These new batcaps absolutely stomp the old style capacitors. Just food for thought.

 

[JJW_ND]

Just a random thought

Do other diesels (non on road) have grid heaters or glow plugs or do they use ether???



Even with good batteries, -30 and below as said above is beyond the extreme to expect our duel batteries to survive one or more cycles of the grid heaters (60 - 80 amps draw) and then crank the engine over long enough to get it to fire (forgot 40W oil at this temp ..... even full synthetic) when not plugged in.



I have not read where someone disconected the grid heaters (not to hard to do) then gave it a little shot of either to get things going. All the John Deeres live on ether down here in the banana belt when temps go below zero. I makes vary nasty noises but they always start!



On oil..... I would change my brand new diesel to 5W full synthetic oil if it had 100 miles on it and I had to start it (not plugged in) at temps below -20. I have seen how long straight 15W40 takes to get oil pressure at -25. I can only image how much worse it is at temps below that. The wear will be measureable with that thick of oil, at those temps, under those conditions. Far Far worse them running 5W oil with a brand new engine. I would rather have quick oil pressure and extend the break in period then minutes of now oil presure and the wear associated with it.



My work 2001 has an EBrake and the Cold Weather Flash. Even when under high idle condition, I can have the Ebrake on. Really gets heat in the motor fast when idleing at 1200 and Ebrake on!



Us lower 48 states can not begin to apprecate how cold temps below -30 are. Even here in ND we go several winters were temps NEVER get below -30 (actual air temp). I can remember maybe 1 or two times that actual air temps were below -40. Not a regular thing here. Yes it is darn cold, but you can be outside most anyday here. I would not go outside unless I had to in temps below -50.



Even the predators hunker down when temps get below -20 here!



jjw

ND

 

[dpetre]

I have a John Deere bachhoe and it uses either injection in the intake manifold. The grid heater on the Cummins heats the air that helps the fuel compress better. Glow plugs heat the injection chamber up. My question is what is a BatCap. I have never heard of this product or term. Are you refering to gel cel batteries. Also a capacitor is different from a battery. A capacitor stores energy and does not create it where as a battery can create energy thru chemical reaction and can store x amount of energy per number of cells and amount of available surface area.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

jpetre a batcap is a new product. It comes with a significant price tag but opperates as a battery and capacitor. I know the two are different because I have owned both. Maybe its a very clever name for a battery that is very adept at making instant power. It is used in the high end car audio field. Call around to your local stereo stores and inquire about them. Not all stores carried em a year ago but they are so far ahead of the capacitor technology that I would assume that most do now.



Ether can have a tendency to detonate. And also cuts the oil on the cylinder wall. I cant see how that would be any better. My father has a backhoe with a good ol detroit in it. Without ether your not gonna get it going if its colder than 20. Its a rather large backhoe and makes short work of the snow in the winter so it comes in handy.

 

[dpetre]

Several years ago I purchased some Sears Marine Die Hards that had a backup charge system that charge enough charge if the main battery went died. You just turned the switch and it gave you enough charge to turn the motor over to start it. Well one of my main starting batteries went died and I tried the reserve and it did not work. I used jumper cable off my other engine and got the died engine going. I took the battery's back and Sears gave me my money back. Where did you buy this batcap battery at. Was it in Alaska? I am always looking for a better product that can be used to support the electrical systems that I maintain. We used a lot of batteries in our ups systems, generator systems, and in our emergency lightening systems. Any information you can supply would be greatly appreciated.

 

[osmith]

Espar

I'm the same as you. . hunting, ice-fishing etc. . don't mix well with diesels in those temperatures.



I bit the bullet and got an Espar heater.



Speaking of Espars. . I have a question for those of you who have them.



I will run mine for about an hour in -10c to -15c and after an hour the air coming into my truck is just warm. After an hour I thought it would be quite a bit warmer. It takes the chill out of the truck and starts to defrost the window. It's working you can hear it blasting away, but I expected a little more. What are your experiences with how warm your espar gets??

 

[DSiemens]

Espar heating time

By the time 1 hour has passed -15*C, my Espar is blowing air that does melt windshield moisture. Mine is set to turn on the cab heat at 140*F. I have never not been able to start after 2 hours of running the Espar.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

I purchased my batcaps at shimeks audio in anchorage. 907-276-2525. I have purchased them for two audio systems and they have worked as advertised. One is in my diesel. They are wired into the electrical system. So a side effect is that they assist cold starts. I have 2 750 cold cranking amp deep cycle batteries and a 400 batcap. It works quite well in keeping the lights going dim from a 160 amp draw stereo. On a 115 amp alternator. And I like it real loud.