Who had the Coldest start. How did it go?

[rbattelle]

Okay, got a decent response from the Powermaster:

We've had a misunderstanding on two points. We weren't saying that without a grid heater it would not start below 40 degrees. We were just saying that the grid heater kicks on at 40 degrees and so the logical answer was 41 degrees.



The second point is that we didn't know your operational parameters. The ECM on the Dodge product is not a Cummins ECM. Our diagnostic software INSITE won't communicate with the Dodge ECM so it is entirely possible that yours is set to 65 degrees. Also we assumed 40 degrees because all the old mechanical engines and other electronic engines were set to come on at temperatures lower than 40 degrees F.



Lastly, and perhaps this answers all questions, even the origional one the best, is that all our engines are rated downt to -15 degrees fahrenheit. That isn't to say they won't start lower, but that is just what we test down to. This is the rating for all the pumps in question and we do not have a published minimum start temperature. This kind of fact begins to depend on things like oil type in engine and cloud point of fuel, and cold cranking amps of batteries, etc.



You may be interested to know that the block heater will warm up the engine 40 degrees from ambient air temps. So at 0 degrees the engine coolant would be about 40 degrees, or at -15 up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

I thought that was pretty interesting. Whoever that Powermaster is, he knows his stuff.



Ryan

 

[Cattletrkr]

You may be interested to know that the block heater will warm up the engine 40 degrees from ambient air temps. So at 0 degrees the engine coolant would be about 40 degrees, or at -15 up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

If I plug my truck in when I get home w/o a timer so it is "heating" when the engine is already hot, my attitude would show 110* when I started the truck in the morning. That is with outside temps about 20* or so. At 10-15* below zero it would show about 80-85*. I don't know where that temp is taken though.

 

[JasonCzerak]

Okay, got a decent response from the Powermaster:







I thought that was pretty interesting. Whoever that Powermaster is, he knows his stuff.



Ryan

That's funny, I find that if it's under 60, you'll get more then the 3 second wait until start light... . not under 40... .

 

[ENafziger]

That's good information Ryan. Thanks for taking the time to investigate.

Do you know how many Watts the heater is rated at?

--Eric

 

[steved]

Do you know how many Watts the heater is rated at?



--Eric

IIRC, between 600 and 750 watts... with the newer engines having the higher wattage heaters.



steved

 

[steved]

I don't know where that temp is taken though.

Should be the coolant temp sensor on the front of the engine, which is a little distant from the actual block heater... I haven't really paid much attention to the temp in the morning (I have an outlook) other than it will throw heat as soon as its started.



One thing I've noticed, and I have no reason for this, is the fact that my 04. 5's block heater doesn't seem to work as well as my 99's block heater did. The 99 would keep the entire engine warm... the 04. 5 will have just the front half warm.



steved

 

[Champane Flight]

Rattle and hum

-35 with a chill factor of -50 Flaming Gorge Wyo. Had my fifthwheel and tried to find a hook up for heat for sleeping. None available, so I unplugged trailer to isolate batterys. Turned furnace on in trailer on batterys alone, woke up with furnace motor screaming with bad bearing, grabbed more blankets, shutdown furnace and went back to bed. It was ten below INSIDE the trailer when we woke! Very fun getting out of bed and dressed. Knew the truck would be very cold, went out cycled heater grid twice, and hit it. I had to give it a little throttle for a short period and it sounded like hell, but kept running, went two blocks to the truckstop and topped tank off with warm diesel. Took a long time for warmup that morning... ... For all of us...

 

[LowFly]

UM..... *Cough*... . yeah... i was talking to a friend... um yeah... . that said he was used to Texas winters that you didn’t have to "wait to start" and one day... when it was 8*F in MO... . I mean... somewhere up north... . he hit the key and didn’t wait and the engine was none too happy! Sputtered and coughed and basically flipped the bird... ... . yeah... what an idoit!:-laf:-laf



Moral: Don't do that!

 

[Cattletrkr]

-21*F here this morning. Didn't plug the truck in because I didn't plan on going anywhere. Decided I wanted to see if I could start it. It ws still -18*F by the time I tried it. Let the heater do its thing and them let 'er go. Fired once, cranked for another second and away she went. Smooth as could be. Minimal smoke, still a bunch but not like it used to be.

The Smarty dropped my "no start" by at least 5* and it ran sooooo much smoother than it would a 0* before the Smarty.

Timing is everything.

 

[Highfinance97]

The Smarty dropped my "no start" by at least 5* and it ran sooooo much smoother than it would a 0* before the Smarty.

Timing is everything.

What do you mean by this???


Michael

 

[mjoppie]

this is probably the worst thing ive ever done to my truck, about 5yrs ago we were up in the up snowmobiling and the radio said the wind chill was -55 degrees and my truck has no fuel heaters or grid heaters and someone unpluged my truck overnight, it took a ton of eather to get going#@$%! that old girl took it like a champ though. that is one tough truck.

 

[Alphacowboy]

-20*F this morning, and the truck has sat for over 2 weeks, 4 cycles of the heating grids, and no luck. It just wont start, even has brand new batteries! Oh well, kind of expected it, and I was just trying to see if it would start. Plugged it in, and I would hope in an hour or so it should start.

 

[JasonCzerak]

this is probably the worst thing ive ever done to my truck, about 5yrs ago we were up in the up snowmobiling and the radio said the wind chill was -55 degrees and my truck has no fuel heaters or grid heaters and someone unpluged my truck overnight, it took a ton of eather to get going#@$%! that old girl took it like a champ though. that is one tough truck.

Why would someone do such a thing. argh





Well, Friday when it was -13, truck sat unplugged for 5. 5 hours most this year thus far! :-laf :-laf Started like it was 60 out. I let the grids go once.



No wind tho, that's the main reason the truck never really cooled off



However, the differentials didn't wanna do much.



it's -5 out and been since Friday night sitting on the plug. going to fire her up and do some shopping

 

[hwebster]

With my '93 cold starting was an issue if it wasn't plugged in. However, once I switch to Shell Rotoella T 0W30 oil, she'd fire up even if she wasn't plugged in. Usually got a little extra smoke but that was it.



Tried my new 3500 this am @ -20*C, not plugged in an it had sat all night. Cycled the grid twice and away she went. No Smoke, no clanking and banging. Hit the Jake brake and let her sit for a minute and then pulled out. I was getting warm air in a few minutes and she was up operating temps is 5 minutes...



Best thing about cold days with this unit is... . The Heated Seats!!!



Cheers. .

 

[LSchulz]

the radio said the wind chill was -55 degrees and my truck has no fuel heaters or grid heaters and someone unpluged my truck overnight,

Except that trucks, and any other non-living things don't feel wind chill. The wind chill will only matter if you're plugged in facing the wind, or if you shut down recently, in which case it will carry the residual or generated heat away from the source faster than if there was no wind. If it's 20 degrees out and blowing 100 miles per hour, the thermometer will still read 20 degrees.



Sorry for the rant. That said, I've started mine down to about -20 without being plugged in. Cycled the grids once, and it turned over a couple more times than usual, but then fired right up.

 

[Skydiver]

Except that trucks, and any other non-living things don't feel wind chill. The wind chill will only matter if you're plugged in facing the wind, or if you shut down recently, in which case it will carry the residual or generated heat away from the source faster than if there was no wind. If it's 20 degrees out and blowing 100 miles per hour, the thermometer will still read 20 degrees.



Sorry for the rant. That said, I've started mine down to about -20 without being plugged in. Cycled the grids once, and it turned over a couple more times than usual, but then fired right up.

Very true. Good point,.

 

[Cattletrkr]

The Smarty dropped my "no start" by at least 5* and it ran sooooo much smoother than it would a 0* before the Smarty.

What do you mean by this???

About a month ago we had a little cold snap. I started my truck w/o plugging it in at -15*F. Took me about 6 tries before it kept running and even then it was really rough and there was a lot of smoke. Since the smarty went in I have had nothing but smooth starts, with or w/o pluggin it in.

I've been told the timing advance from the Smarty has something to do with it.

 

[Highfinance97]

About a month ago we had a little cold snap. I started my truck w/o plugging it in at -15*F. Took me about 6 tries before it kept running and even then it was really rough and there was a lot of smoke. Since the smarty went in I have had nothing but smooth starts, with or w/o pluggin it in.

I've been told the timing advance from the Smarty has something to do with it.

OK I Got Ya!!


Michael

 

[David_VT]

It has been several years but we had a good week of -40F. That was before I had the cold weather idle software upgraded.



Two cycles of the grid heater always worked. The power steering pump would howl and the 5 speed gear box would be sluggish if I was too impatient. I've used amsoil since the first oil change. I am convinced that this has a real positive influence on cold weather starting and wear. (I could barely pull my genset over at -30 on hydrocarbon but now on Amsoil it pulls easily when that cold)



I have a winter front made from a piece of paneling. A six in hole in the center and cut to slide in and out as I need it.



This AM it is -10 but I have no fear it will start. I love to hear the three cylinder idle kick in as I feed the horses... .



Stay warm!

 

[jtisdale]

Yesterday. .

Truck sat for about 16-17hrs over night low -27F. 15w40 (I know, I know). Red Top's new last year. Not plugged in. Power Service added to fuel. Walked outside... now its -22F cycled grids once and cranked, (kinda) for about 2 seconds. Stretched an extension cord out and plugged it in and hooked up battery charger. I tried again 2 hrs later, kicked the charger up to 50 amp, cycled the grids twice and it started, puking out power steering fluid all over and blowing the fuse on the FASS before I could get it in the shop to warm it up with the LB White.

I need. .

1) Advice from WDaniels to winterize for really cold weather

2) Larry B's starter contacts. . @ 91,xxx mine are due for new ones

3) 200 amp alternator. . help recharge batterys so I dont have to drive around for an hour after every cold start

4) Better Batterys? Odysseys???

5) Some way to keep the FASS from popping the fuse when its really cold out (could be more directly related to voltage drop and increased amp draw, and not so much cold, waxing fuel) Others in my area with same treated fuel but no Fass having NO fuel related trouble at same temps.

6) Other suggestions?

Thanks, Jim