Starting/heating a cold soaked truck

Alaskan XL · #1 (**permalink**) 01-14-2010, 01:32 PM

I'm sure there are more than a few bright ideas out there on this - bring 'em

Imagine truck parked at -40F for 4 days while at cabin, no way to plug it in. Autostart "sentinel" cold weather mode only good for 24 hours then terminates as a "feature" so you don't run out of fuel. Truck equipped with battery heater + insulated blanket, block heater, oil pan heater and transmission pan heater.

What tried and true systems have folks used to revive the truck to where it will start? My preference would be something portable (take it with so you have it when truck gets broken into) that doesn't require any electricity. Open to any clever solutions/procedures, even if they don't fit the preference listed above.

Related to this, what is the consensus on motor oil in these conditions? I'd think it'd make quite a bit of difference. I'm running blended Motorcraft 5w-20 in my 2009 F-350 V10, and looking to swap to 0w-20 Mobil 1 or Amsoil full synthetic.

Huck BB62 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010, 12:26 AM

That's a tough one. I'd worry about my battery being frozen. They do have Mr. Heaters on clearance at Lowes right now. Perhaps you can put one of those guys facing under the front of the truck and put it on high and tarp the truck. I'm betting it'd warm everything up. I've seen the airplane guys do things like this before. Those bush pilots are pretty inventive guys!

Any of those synthetics are good choices.

Let us know how this turns out.

PwerStroke99 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-27-2010, 04:16 PM

If a battery is fully charged it should not freeze.

Ak68F250 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-27-2010, 08:19 PM

Do not know if they are still made but there where some propane fired circulating pumps.

Other way is like the old bush pilots that drained all the oil and took the batteries out so they could warm them up or warm them up.

Batteries can freeze even when they are fully charged when in extreme cold.

Dads 06 F250 with the 5.4 starts up at -40 with 0w-20 but it would not take much to kill the battery with to much cranking.

Wagion · #5 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 06:27 PM

Aluminum turkey roaster, bag of charcoal, big blue tarp.

Put charcoal one layer deep in turkey roaster light it and LET IT BURN UNTIL IT IS HOT

Tarp the truck slide it under engine.

I would disconnect the battery when you leave truck to make sure it doesn't drain.

Put battery in a cooler just a little bigger than it and throw in a handful of the disposable hand warmers. Or boil water and put in bottles around battery close lid wait at least an hour.

Are you hiking in to cabin or snow machine?

Suitcase portable generator?

Propane heater as mentioned.

Take extra battery with you, Take out batt3ery and take with you to cabin,

Drain half to all of oil when you get there build a fire and warm it up pour it back in truck before you start it.

bearman113 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-18-2010, 02:27 AM

there is an outfit online that sales a heater that pulls a very small amount of diesel out of your truck and heats the motor that way. Can't remember or find the web addy, but when I do I'll post it. Also if i remember correctly it ran about 1500.00.

Aerocell4x4 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-30-2010, 08:21 PM

Its Spring down here in Connecticut, and so I post these links for future reference.

By the way, pure Propane won't boil (vaporize at any decent rate) below −43.6 °F, so for you at -40 °F there might not be enough pressure (Inches WC) to jet a flame. Hopefully Alaska's propane is blended to raise its pressure.

Espar

Wesbasto USA
Wesbasto North America

Hilton Cordless Engine Heater
(Better have the room under the hood like an 18-wheeler. I have one and have yet to get it to fit.)

Best wishes,

Ak68F250 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-31-2010, 03:55 PM

Yeah alaska propane is different than lower 48 because of the colder temps.
But there will always be some left over that you cannot use till it is warmer.

Those are some good options Aero.

Aerocell4x4 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-31-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wagion

... Drain half to all of oil when you get there build a fire and warm it up pour it back in truck before you start it.

Though I've never been in weather so cold as to warrant following Wagion's advice, I have installed an oil pan drain valve.

Fumoto Engineering
Qwik*Valve**Ford Vehicle*Chart
Qwik*Valve, F-111 Series Valve for my 6.0 diesel.

My primary reason was to simplify oil changes.

Being I'm a diesel (I guess) my drain plug uses a copper washer as a gasket.
Technically those washers are one-time use, which gets expensive as they seem to only be available through the Ford dealership's parts department.
True you can re-anneal the copper for reuse, but that only goes so far before the hex of the bolt head has mushed through the washer.

Since my van has a four inch suspension lift to accommodate the 4x4 conversion, that drain valve is somewhat protected by the front axle.

Though, should something short come tumbling along then it could get whacked.

Now what are the chances of that?

Then again

my brother suffered a punctured spin-on oil filter due to a tumbling chuck of 2x4 the fell off a truck.

I have a Corbin clamp that acts as a second lock to keep the ball valve closed. That advice came from the Fumoto.

Just because

I have a vacuum line rubber cap over the hose nipple.
I went with the hose nipple version because I do my oil changes out in the weather and I hate it when the wind is blowing and the oil ropes-off and lands outside the drain pan.