"cordless" engine block heaters.

[Martyn]

The block heater on the 7.3 warms both the water and the oil, which helps enormously.

If you get a generator make sure it's producing enough power for everything. The block heater draws 1000 watts (around 8.5 amps), a battery charger will be 6-10 amps, plus anything else like a battery blanket. A 2500 watt generator should take care of you.

 

[Shawn686]

I don't have a 7.3, I have a GMC 6.5. But a live in Canada and spend about 4 months a year below -10F. What you need is an oil pan heater like this.

http://www.padheaters.com/description.html

The issue with diesels is that they run on compression and need the engine to spin fairly quickly to start. So if you are trying to start an engine with oil that is thick like molasses it will spin slower and not start.

Think of it like this, if you are paddling a boat in water the paddle moves quickly (hot oil) and starts. Now if you try a paddle a boat in jello the paddle moves slowly (cold oil) does not start.

You don't need battery blankets and all that other stuff. I run a single block heater and an oil pan heater and that's it. It was -15F this morning and I started my truck no problem and it was sitting since boxing day.

Now if you want to leave your truck somewhere where there is no outlets that is when I would suggest something like an espar.

Another good place for diesel info is a local truck stop. Talk to one of the drivers, these guys know how to run a diesel. If their truck doesn't start they make now money, a pretty good incentive to use stuff that works.

Try out an oil pan heater before you drop $2500 on a fuel fired heater. It might just work for you and it only costs $80.

Shawn

 

[The Adam Blaster]

Try out an oil pan heater before you drop $2500 on a fuel fired heater. It might just work for you and it only costs $80.

Shawn

This is very good advice.

 

[-JD-]

Going to a 5w-40 oil vs. a 15w-40 oil should help too.

Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic ($20/gal at Walmart), Mobil Delvac 1 ESP 5W-40, or Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck are all 5W-40 Diesel-rated Synthetics.

 

[sargeek]

When I was at the South Pole the vehicles were equiped with:
*Left Freeze Plug Heater
*Right Freeze Plug Heater
*Left Battery Blanket/Heater
*Right Battery Blanket/Heater
*Imersion Heater drilled into the oil pan
*Imersion Heater drilled into the AT pan
Even with all that auxiliary heat vehicles did not start and would need a blanket and a space heater. If the relays in the vehicle were made in a humid location ice/frost would form inside.

A cool trick I saw for fleet operations were quick connects added to the heater core lines. They would get one truck running and then circulate the warm coolent into the cold trucks.

I think some sort of APU/Generator would be the best. Run a block heater/and battery chargers while you cook breakfast in the morning, and the truck should start quickly.

 

[Desert Rancher]

You can get upgraded starters for the 7.3 that will spin the engine faster.

Try DB electrical: http://www.dbelectrical.com/p-5653-...rstroke-truck-ht-1994-2003-snd0355-17802.aspx

I have heard very good things about them.

 

[IdaSHO]

The starter on this truck IS a DB starter:ylsmoke:

 

[charlieaarons]

I love my 9kw Webasto diesel engine/cab preheater. With 3 x size 31 batteries no problem with battery depletion. Starts fine in -25F., cab is all warm and toasty, no snow or ice on windshield.

Charlie

 

[Adam R]

Although I run a much smaller engine (Toyota 2L with a turbo), I grafted a Cummins Grid Heater onto the intake. It made a night and difference day when it came to cold starting. I put both the grid heater and the glow plugs on separate momentary switches so I can control how long they stay energized. At sea level, I've fired it off with just the grid heater at -7F which is the coldest I've ever been in. This heater pulls 220 amps so it puts a lot of heat into the intake air.

Adam

 

[007]

I have no trouble starting at -40 F Oh wait..... I run gasoline :sombrero:

OP, are you running a thin cold climate synthetic?

 

[IdaSHO]

Im running a standard dyno oil.
Rotella T


And from the responses here, and just how slow she cranks below 20 degrees or so, I think I should swap over to the synth.

Would it be okay to run that year round though?

I only service this truck once a year, and it isnt even due to mileage. We simply dont drive much. Id hate to spend a ton of money on synth oil just to dump it out in a couple months for a thicker summer blend.

Then have to do it every year. Terrible waste of oil and $$

 

[007]

Im running a standard dyno oil.
Rotella T


And from the responses here, and just how slow she cranks below 20 degrees or so, I think I should swap over to the synth.

Would it be okay to run that year round though?

I only service this truck once a year, and it isnt even due to mileage. We simply dont drive much. Id hate to spend a ton of money on synth oil just to dump it out in a couple months for a thicker summer blend.

Then have to do it every year. Terrible waste of oil and $$

You would be golden to run a full syn edit*(5-40W) all year. It would be a major difference in crank speed.

 

[charlieaarons]

Im running a standard dyno oil.
Rotella T


And from the responses here, and just how slow she cranks below 20 degrees or so, I think I should swap over to the synth.

Would it be okay to run that year round though?

I only service this truck once a year, and it isnt even due to mileage. We simply dont drive much. Id hate to spend a ton of money on synth oil just to dump it out in a couple months for a thicker summer blend.

Then have to do it every year. Terrible waste of oil and $$

It is very BAD for an engine to try to start at -40F. on 15W40. An excellent way to ruin main bearings. As mentioned, you can run synthetic 5W40 all year round with no problem. I am running 5W40 Delvac 1 SHC in Australian heat right now.

Charlie

 

[IdaSHO]

5w40 Synth it is then

That should reduce the energy needed to crank, as well as lube things a bit better during cold start. Making the injector system and electrical starting system much happier.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. :ylsmoke:

 

[tbared]

The whole Coolant heat/bio heat/ tubes everywhere debacle

not to hijack Alright i am building up an F550 Expedition pickup w/o permanent camper attached. It has the 6.0l Internation diesel engine. Now, i spend most of my time in Northern midwest and Canada during the winter month hunting and treking. Im trying to develop a plan on both maintianing engine performance and longevity with the use of bio/wvo fuels. Im contemplating installing an external oil pump for prelubrication of the upper engine block and turbo with cool down of the turbo during shut off to prevent cakeing of the turbo bearings to promote bearing life. Yes oil pressure accumulators are an option but not with larger diesel engines, they do not hold enough volume necesary to coat and bring to pressure the entire oiling system of a large dispalcement engine. I also lilke i mentioned am adding an entire fuel system heating supply via coolant, such as systems like that of Arctic Fox with a Webasto coolant heater or something similar for the fuel geling and clouding problem. In addtion to this i would prefer to completely rely on alternative diesel fuels. Im having trouble incorporating start up, with the two other systems i have mentioned, warming an engine in the middle of nowhere with biofules is easy once the system is started. but how to get it started with geled fuel? The other option would be electric fuel line and tank heat up, but the problem with that is element burn, out engine heat is longer lasting and more durable. I can't run a deisel fired coolant/oil heater unless you leave the sytem running. That is not an option as the vehicle will sit for days. any ideas?