Winter is here..... now what?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 190
Likes: 2
From: Racine County
Winter is here..... now what?
As some of you may have heard we finally got our snow here in Wisconsin and that's a pretty good sign that we are done with the warm weather. Every morning this week when I've gone outside it has been around the 15-25 degree range. Do you guys have any recommendations for my 6.9 this winter as it is my first winter with her? Should I get one of those quilted grille covers for it? Also the truck was made in January of 85' so I am reluctant to test my luck with the block heater, but it does have an aftermarket lower radiator hose heater in it, should definitely start plugging that in I'm guessing. Would that be an all night leave it plugged in or maybe just plug it in 30min before I leave in the morning?
Scope Wizard
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,530
Likes: 25
I would put the block heater that is in the lower Hose on a timer, set the timer for 2 or 3 hrs before starting.
blanket to cover hood area is never a bad thing assuming it is out in the open, back in the Early to mid 60's we used to use a dipstick heater too... I was in North Dakota back then (dip sticks were a straight shot on most vehicles back then too) I think they make a magnetic pan heater nowadays but I haven't looked much as we don't need any such things here in Texas
blanket to cover hood area is never a bad thing assuming it is out in the open, back in the Early to mid 60's we used to use a dipstick heater too... I was in North Dakota back then (dip sticks were a straight shot on most vehicles back then too) I think they make a magnetic pan heater nowadays but I haven't looked much as we don't need any such things here in Texas
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,595
Likes: 5,623
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
if you are going to use a grill cover, invest in a good mechanical coolant temp gauge and pay close attention to it. it is very easy to overheat the engine with the grill blocked off, even in freezing temps.
Scope Wizard
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,530
Likes: 25
BUT I do remember we often used a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to help the heater out and it didn't block the whole radiator just a small area.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 5
I would put the block heater that is in the lower Hose on a timer, set the timer for 2 or 3 hrs before starting.
blanket to cover hood area is never a bad thing assuming it is out in the open, back in the Early to mid 60's we used to use a dipstick heater too... I was in North Dakota back then (dip sticks were a straight shot on most vehicles back then too) I think they make a magnetic pan heater nowadays but I haven't looked much as we don't need any such things here in Texas
blanket to cover hood area is never a bad thing assuming it is out in the open, back in the Early to mid 60's we used to use a dipstick heater too... I was in North Dakota back then (dip sticks were a straight shot on most vehicles back then too) I think they make a magnetic pan heater nowadays but I haven't looked much as we don't need any such things here in Texas
Now I use an ether start kit with refills available at any auto parts stores (or John Deere dealer) and keep a spare can understand the seat. I normally buy deeres 80% stuff works real good and just a bump of the button is all it takes. Been on roughly two years and compression was up to par six or so months ago.
Elder User
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 695
Likes: 22
The weather fronts (grille covers) seem to be optional, I don't see many, I've never needed one and our temps can get 10° below zero. On the other hand, a friend had an early Power Stroke 7.3 and he used one every winter. As far as plugging in the block heater, make sure the timer can handle 1200-1500 amps and 2-3 hours has always been enough for me.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,519
Likes: 224
From: Nevada
I throw a HF Moving Blanket over the engine when I use the Block Heater,
Really holds in the heat. Be sure to remove it before starting the engine.
I find the Mice like the warm cozy area also, throw in a couple traps.
An Oil Pan Heater would be a good add on, I don`t see it mentioned, but
the oil gets pretty thick and warm oil will get to the vital parts sooner.
Here is a Google search on Oil Pan heaters if some of you don`t know
what they are.
https://www.google.com/search?q=oil+...=1573325808366
I read one comment where the guy thought the Engine Block Heater warmed the oil.
I didn`t know heat went down hill....HMMMM. Any way, to each their own.
Now that I got off my procrastinating **** and finally hooked up my GP`s to a manual
switch, amazing how well the engine starts in the mornings. We have been down to the
high 20 to low 30`s at night, and 67 - 70 in the days the past few weeks here in the
Carson Valley south of Reno. I feel for you guys back east with the snow already.
Guess I`ll thrown on some more Sun screen.
Charlie
Really holds in the heat. Be sure to remove it before starting the engine.
I find the Mice like the warm cozy area also, throw in a couple traps.
An Oil Pan Heater would be a good add on, I don`t see it mentioned, but
the oil gets pretty thick and warm oil will get to the vital parts sooner.
Here is a Google search on Oil Pan heaters if some of you don`t know
what they are.
https://www.google.com/search?q=oil+...=1573325808366
I read one comment where the guy thought the Engine Block Heater warmed the oil.
I didn`t know heat went down hill....HMMMM. Any way, to each their own.
Now that I got off my procrastinating **** and finally hooked up my GP`s to a manual
switch, amazing how well the engine starts in the mornings. We have been down to the
high 20 to low 30`s at night, and 67 - 70 in the days the past few weeks here in the
Carson Valley south of Reno. I feel for you guys back east with the snow already.
Guess I`ll thrown on some more Sun screen.
Charlie
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