"cordless" engine block heaters.

[matt s]

The generator should if its in good running order. We start all sorts of gas toys at really cold temps without issue. Generators, chainsaws, snowmobiles, etc. even cold soaked if they have gas air and spark they go.

One of the small Honda units could be kept wherever you are (I.e. warm in the camper)

 

[dra2120]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned here, is a higher end remote start. Many of the higher end remote starts have a "simulated" block heater in which the remote start is connected to the water temp of the vehicle and when the temp gets below a preset number it will start the vehicle and run it for 10,15,30 minutes (again user selectable) and then shut the engine off till the temp drops again. I have a few friends in who live in AK, and many of them have switched over to this instead of using block heaters.

 

[IdaSHO]

bumping this up for an update.

Since my last response to this thread, I have done a couple of things to the truck.

Last month I thought the truck had eaten another starter. Batteries checked out, alt checked out, etc. yet my crank speed over the course of a week or so was become VERY slow.

So I pulled the starter. When Pulling it the battery cable connector pulled apart :snorkel:


So I pulled the cables and recrimped all of the ends. And since the starter was out anyways, I took the time to tear it apart and clean the contacts. Finishing up, the truck got a fresh oil/filter change. 5w40 Synthetic Rotella with a motorcraft filter.

Crank speed is VERY fast now and has little trouble starting in the cold. Still a smoke machine, but she starts much easier. The glow plugs and aftermarket Western Plow relay that the truck now has all check out. Last week we had a few 3 and 5-below zero nights. The truck had been sitting for a week or so, so I figured it was as good a test as any. With it being right at zero degrees, the truck fired right up, though very smokey :ylsmoke:

I believe the smoke to simply be evidence of this trucks hard life. Prior to us owning it, it was a ranch fleet rig. "Ridden hard and put away wet"


Finally, last week I scored a heck of a deal on a Honda EU2000 generator. So this little gen is being working into our camper to energize the block heater and charge the batteries for an hour or so prior to extreme cold starts while winter camping.

Thanks again.

 

[uglydukwling]

In extreme cold climates, some heavy equipment was (maybe still is) just left running all winter. I've even seen some engines with dual oil filters valved so oil could run through one while changing the other. You still couldn't change the oil, except for the little bit that went with the filter.

That post about draining the oil while it was still hot and taking it inside your tent for the night is an old bush-pilot's trick. With a water-cooled engine, you could do the same thing with the coolant. In fact, I can remember people doing that because they didn't want to buy anti-freeze. I think I've even seen that mentioned in old operators' manuals.

Another thing that bush-pilots used to use was a gasoline fired "blow-pot". The ones I've seen looked like a plumbers' pot, normally used for melting lead.

I also have a military gasoline-burning heater. It's a fairly compact unit, not much bigger than a football. The coolant circulated through it, and the exhaust was dumped into the engine compartment for extra heat.

Another military trick was to dilute the oil with gasoline to thin it for easier circulation and therefore easier starting. I'll have to see if I can find the manual that authorized this, but as I recall, it had tables detailing how much gasoline was to be added, depending on how low overnight temperatures were expected. The engine was to be idled just long enough to mix the gasoline with the oil before shut-down. When it was started, it was to be idled for a specified length of time, so all the gasoline would be evaporated and the oil would be oil again, before a load was put on the engine. Probably not something you'd want to do with a modern engine.

I knew a junk-yard operator who used to start his loader by slipping a brazier full of glowing charcoal under the oil pan. He said he figured it was safer than using an open flame.

 

[madmax718]

They used to sell little burners for your diesels. Went right under your engine. The webasto's coolant heater is probably your best bet.

 

[Rot Box]

Great thread. Good to hear you're getting it sorted out After one too many fits with the controller on my IDI I wired my glow plugs in to a momentary toggle switch. It's not an option I'd recommend to everyone here are a few advantages:

-You control how long the GP's burn.
-If one or more plugs burn out the others will still glow.
-Safer using ether.
-The glow plugs don't turn on every time you start the vehicle which increases the life of the gp's and solenoid.
-Troubleshooting/repair is easier.

If I could have my choice of anything it would be a Espar..

 

[brp]

Just a thought here....I used to run vegetable oil in my diesel and I used a 12v fuel line heater called a Vegtherm. This worked well, but there is a 12v product that heats the fuel/oil in the injector lines directly, so very close to the injector. Google Fatty Wagons Injector Line Heater.

I don't have personal experience with these, but the concept seems like it would help for cold starts.

 

[Red90]

I've used a Websato coolant heater in my truck for years. It is the best accessory you will ever buy. Heat anywhere, anytime, any temperature in 15 minutes. Along with a remote starter, I can't imagine being without it, when winter gets serious. New ones have dropped in price lately as well.

 

[Dan Grec]

Up here every single vehicle has a block heater, battery blanket and stick on oil pan heater.

The guys with the big diesels (like the 7.3) stick on as many oil pan heaters as will fit. It's not uncommon to have 700-1000Watts of heating on your vehicle.
The rule of thumb is leave it plugged in 1 hour for every 5degC past -25C.
Past -40C, just leave it plugged in, or don't turn it off.

Of course, you need 110v to run this.. so then you have to carry around a gen.. and maybe pre-heat that.

As for the boiling water idea. DO NOT try that. It might crack a few things on contact, then it will freeze in no time then you've got much,much bigger problems.
Past about -35C, boiling water will turn to snow instantly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGjwe-BCfms

-Dan

 

[IdaSHO]

The block heater on mine is already 1000 watts.

No need for any more. All it does is increase the size of the generator you need :Wow1:

 

[madmax718]

Up here every single vehicle has a block heater, battery blanket and stick on oil pan heater.

The guys with the big diesels (like the 7.3) stick on as many oil pan heaters as will fit. It's not uncommon to have 700-1000Watts of heating on your vehicle.
The rule of thumb is leave it plugged in 1 hour for every 5degC past -25C.
Past -40C, just leave it plugged in, or don't turn it off.

Of course, you need 110v to run this.. so then you have to carry around a gen.. and maybe pre-heat that.

As for the boiling water idea. DO NOT try that. It might crack a few things on contact, then it will freeze in no time then you've got much,much bigger problems.
Past about -35C, boiling water will turn to snow instantly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGjwe-BCfms

-Dan

I noticed the walmarts up there even have outlets for block heaters?

 

[Dan Grec]

I noticed the walmarts up there even have outlets for block heaters?

Public parking spaces usually don't (someone has to pay for the power).
Most people pay for a spot that has power.

The block heater on mine is already 1000 watts.

No need for any more. All it does is increase the size of the generator you need

Trust me, when it gets cold, you need to heat more than just your coolant. Even synthetic oil gets sludge like around -45 -> -55C, and your battery will freeze solid killing it.

-Dan

 

[IdaSHO]

Factory block heater heats coolant AND oil.

And it gets nowhere near 45 below. Even at 20 below when it is plugged in it starts like it is 60 degrees out.


These Powerstrokes use HEUI injectors. They dont fire unless you have oil pressure.
If its so cold that the oil it thick enough to now flow, your not going to damage the motor when started.... as it wont even start!

All that said, the T6 Rotella Im running is rated for cold pout point of -41 C

its good stuff:ylsmoke:

 

[Dan Grec]

Factory block heater heats coolant AND oil.

Do you have more info on that?

I've seen a lot of factory block heaters, and they're all essentially kettle elements that screw into a welsh plug - thus only heating the coolant.
(Unless the oil gets a little warm as a side effect, but at -40, nothing gets warm as a side effect.)

-Dan

 

[digitaldelay]

Factory block heater heats coolant AND oil.:

I always thought that was the idea. The heater heats the coolant which, in turn, warms the oil. That allows the engine to crank over with less resistance. Using synthetic oil, with it's superior cold flow properties, lowers the temperature at which you need to plug in.

Jason