It's -13, windchill -32 in Detroit right now
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Livonia, MI
It's -13, windchill -32 in Detroit right now
Is my truck going to start tomorrow? It never gets this cold in Detroit. We had 12" of snow yesterday. I parked my truck with the bed facing the wind so it will bear the brunt of the cold tonight. Don't know if that will help the battery or not in the morning. Aside from parking it indoors, or getting a block heater, any other tips to help it start tomorrow?
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From: Hartland, WI
If possible, take the battery inside with you tonight. It's -17 with a w/c of -44 here, I feel your pain. Block heaters, oil pan heaters, and battery heaters all work to some effect. Oil heaters are preferred since that's what causes the most resistance when cranking.
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It is always best to plug in but I have started mine at -40 without being plugged in, mind you it made a bunch of weird noises but it fired right up! Defiantly got to let it warm up a bit. You can throw the transfer case in netural and put the trany in gear to warm the transmission and transfer case up.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Livonia, MI
That's a good idea. Seems obvious, but I never thought about that. Actually, your idea gave me another idea - maybe I should invest in one of those booster jump starter things. That would alleviate me from having to disconnect and reconnect the battery in the morning and probably give me enough boost not to have to worry about it.
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One thing to add unless you have a heat source (such as a block heater) it does not matter what the wind chill is. If it is -17 and with wind chill it is minus eleventy billion your truck will never get colder than -17.
This is what you want:
ZeroStart™ Tank/Circulation Engine Heater | Canadian Tire
This is what you want:
ZeroStart™ Tank/Circulation Engine Heater | Canadian Tire
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Roseville, MN
Same is true for people. Wind chill doesn't affect us after we reach air temp either. But then again, by the time you're at -17 you've been dead for quite a while. So it's best to figure that wind chill always affects people.
It was -26 this morning here. My truck was outside and hadn't been touched since Saturday evening. It started right up. I was happy. Cold, but happy.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Livonia, MI
One thing to add unless you have a heat source (such as a block heater) it does not matter what the wind chill is. If it is -17 and with wind chill it is minus eleventy billion your truck will never get colder than -17.
This is what you want:
ZeroStart™ Tank/Circulation Engine Heater | Canadian Tire
This is what you want:
ZeroStart™ Tank/Circulation Engine Heater | Canadian Tire
Really? I did not know that. So I think the air temp got down to like -10 last night. I'm assuming that sitting out there for 12 hours in the cold, everything on the truck was -10 this morning. You're saying that no matter what the wind chill is, it won't get colder than -10?
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Livonia, MI
BTW, the truck did start this morning. But it was close. It usually starts after the first or second revolution. I turned the key and after 2 revolutions it had not started yet, I knew it had maybe one or two left in her before she would die. On the last one, she leaped to life!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Midwest
As long as your battery is good,shouldn't be a problem starting. I had to drive my truck a couple days this week because of bad drifts. It was -14 here,and the truck hadn't been started in a week. started and ran without a problem.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Livonia, MI
This is what you want:
ZeroStart™ Tank/Circulation Engine Heater | Canadian Tire
ZeroStart™ Tank/Circulation Engine Heater | Canadian Tire
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Southwestern, Ontario
It was -25C (-13F) here this morning and although it took longer than normal, the old beast lurched to life. She wasn't happy she had to start today, but did so anyways.
I'm not sure why everyone is so upset about the cold weather. My beer gets to the perfect temp in record time
I'm not sure why everyone is so upset about the cold weather. My beer gets to the perfect temp in record time
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Livonia, MI
Yeah, I'm thinking a new battery would help. I just bought the truck about 6 months ago, so I have no idea how old the battery is. plus, it's not a name brand battery, and I've had to jump it a few times becasue I left the lights on. It starts great in weather above 20 degrees, and it did start today, although a bit harder.
Posting Guru
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Yeah, I'm thinking a new battery would help. I just bought the truck about 6 months ago, so I have no idea how old the battery is. plus, it's not a name brand battery, and I've had to jump it a few times becasue I left the lights on. It starts great in weather above 20 degrees, and it did start today, although a bit harder.
Elder User
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About -12 this morning, took about 30 seconds of slow cranking until it fired. I run full synthetic 5w-30 which I like to think helps.
Luckily i had wired up a battery maintainer under the hood and poked the plug out the grill. I left it charging all night, not really sure it would have started without that! I might get an oil pan heater and plug that in as well.
Luckily i had wired up a battery maintainer under the hood and poked the plug out the grill. I left it charging all night, not really sure it would have started without that! I might get an oil pan heater and plug that in as well.