Coldest you've started without plugging in?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Way back in 1993 my 7.3 was never plugged in to help start it. I worked the 11pm to 7am shift with no power in the parking lot at work. Now trust me when it was below zero all night the ole girl put up a fuss but she started each and every time I was ready to go home that morning. I never did drive it until the motor was warm though. On the really cold mornings I wasn't sure if all the pistons stayed in the same holes as it was noisy that's for sure.............LOL
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 73
From: Staunton, VA
Was about -10°F for two weeks or so while I was doing brakes on the truck. Fired up once to move it around and shut it back down. Turns out that killed the batteries as it wouldn't turn fast enough to hit after that.
I try to plug it in every night now, as I quite enjoy just hopping in, letting the bearings get oiled up, and then driving without the 5, 10 minute warmup period needed.
I try to plug it in every night now, as I quite enjoy just hopping in, letting the bearings get oiled up, and then driving without the 5, 10 minute warmup period needed.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 15
From: Lake Charles, LA
Man, i cant compare to some of these stories as it just doesnt get that cold down here on the Gulf Coast. But 6-7 yrs back we got an unusually cold spell for several days. I did a test each day when i got up early to go hunting, one day it would be plugged in and the next it would not. Temps got into the mid teens (which is extremely cold round here) and the day that it wasnt plugged up man did she buck and kick and put up a fuss. It sounded like the pistons were trying to swap cylinders. Took a few minutes for that to stop and gave it about 10-15 minutes to warm up and she drove like normal. The next morning it was plugged in, started right up like always and purred like a kitten and had inside heat with just few minutes. I think it was 16 both mornings. Now I dont bother much with waiting for the WTS light unless its under 40 or its been sitting for a spell. When it dips in the 30s i usually just cycle the GPs and let her do her thing. When it gets into the 20s she gets plugged in. Not much experience below that as it just doenst get really cold all that often down here. But i enjoyed reading the horror stories none the less....
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Zero degrees F, no bucking. Synthetic oil, winter fuel additive, and a couple of GP cycles for good measure. Maybe my method was overkill, but we get real winters here.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,648
Likes: 893
From: north of Minneapolis, MN
.....but we get real winters here.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 14,069
Likes: 17
From: Melbourne, Ky
I installed this last week Monster White-Rodgers Glow Plug Relay and I have noticed a difference in how quick it starts. Granted, it hasn't been 0 degrees yet, but it has been below 32 a few times already, and it starts easier than I can remember.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 710
Likes: 2
I installed this last week Monster White-Rodgers Glow Plug Relay and I have noticed a difference in how quick it starts. Granted, it hasn't been 0 degrees yet, but it has been below 32 a few times already, and it starts easier than I can remember.
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 710
Likes: 2
ah, didn't catch that this is the Stancor, thought it was a different one. Been looking at these since I;ve been replacing the stock one pretty much yearly. Lifetime warranty through Autozone so it doesn't cost anything, but obviously crap quality.
