Winterized? I guess not :^(

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Nov 11, 2005 | 11:54 PM

#16

jrowland

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Joined: May 2005

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From: Clear AFB, AK

Well, the official word from the dealership (couldn't find any regular shops in town that could fit me in on short notice) is a clogged air filter. I'd been checking the little resistance gauge on the outside of the K&M filter box, and had not actually looked directly at the filter before... apparently the little gauge wasn't (still isn't?) working either, because it always read "good". They gave me my filter back, and sure enough it was dirty as heck. Anyway, the diagnosis was that the lack of air was causing too much vacuum pressure at the turbocharger, which caused some oil to "spurt out somewhere"...

Anyway, total charge was only $40 for the filter + labor (and seeing as how they cleaned the oil off of everything, I'll live with the price -- my mind was set on $500, so I was relieved enough when they gave me the damage that I would have thrown in a $50 tip if they had asked!)

They also ran an electrical test on the block heater and declared it just fine.

Thanks again for all the help... I poked around under the hood enough to walk away with more knowledge than I started with. Hopefully, I'll be heading back north with a Chilton's too.

Jimmy

Nov 14, 2005 | 12:44 PM

#17

jrowland

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Joined: May 2005

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From: Clear AFB, AK

It passed the test!! Got back up north last night, running fine. This morning it was -27 and she fired right up!

2 final questions... (well, for this thread anyway)

I noticed that my MPG on the drive north last night was about 2.5 lower than normal. I usually maintain right about 18mpg (even on the drive back to Anchorage last week with a clogged air filter), but last night I got 15.5. After an oil change and new air filter I expected perhaps just a little higher... This is the first time that I've measured mpg in the cold, though, so can that make a difference? All fuel was purchased at the same 2 places I always stop at.

Question #2... I stopped in at schucks and got an oil pan heater -- the orange pad that you silicone onto the pan. It's a 75w heater that is about 3x5 inches ($40). This seems a little small to me, but the guy said that it was standard issue. Is this right, or should I be looking for something bigger?

Thanks again for all the help.
Jimmy

Nov 15, 2005 | 12:58 AM

#18

Crumm

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Joined: Oct 2003

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From: Fairbanks, Alaska

I think you might be able to fit a larger one than 3x5 on your pan. I haven't looked at my pan lately but I think a larger one would fit. Climb under there with a tape measure and see what will fit. They come in all different sizes.

Not sure about your mileage. It should have gone up with a new filter. You might think about a Tymar type setup for the filter. The stock system is junk.

Mike, To answer your question I would recommend a tranny pan heater. I run one on mine. I never plug in at home(parked inside)so mine is wired in with the other heaters but if I was buying the electricity I would only plug in the tranny heater when it dropped below 0.

Nov 15, 2005 | 11:46 AM

#19

greythorn3

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Joined: Jan 2004

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From: Anchorage Alaska

75 watt

what good are them oil pan heaters if there only 75 watt i figured they woulda been a little higher wattage. anyone ever seen the ccuv propane heaters on the military hummvee's or blazers? they are super nice but take up allot of engine compartment space. im gonna put one on my jimmy someday.

ray

Nov 15, 2005 | 01:58 PM

#20

Crumm

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Joined: Oct 2003

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From: Fairbanks, Alaska

Nice catch, 75 watt is a battery heater. The oil pan heaters are more like 250-500 watt. Check out http://www.wolverineheater.com/products.shtml to get an idea of what you are looking for.

Nov 16, 2005 | 07:47 PM

#21

AlaskaPowerStroke

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Joined: Jul 2003

Posts: 226

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From: Utah Currently

Hope I am reading this right, that yours is a 7.3L, so I am not sure if it would be the same. We have the 6.0L and we always loose about 2 mpg (or more sometimes) when the temp drops, we don't get as good of fuel mileage with #1 diesel (1-2mpg less).
Glad you got everything working.

Nov 17, 2005 | 09:26 AM

#22

bob arrington

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From: alaska

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrowland

Thanks for the help guys... just got back inside from looking at it... no go on getting it started. I borrowed someone's 200-amp heavy-duty-charger-jump-starter thing so that I could rule out the batteries, but when I tried cranking it, it seemed slower than it did yesterday... almost like the batteries were getting really weak. I played around with the jumper cables and got the best connection I could, but there's not really any way to connect the things to the battery post directly.

Anyway, I didn't get home until after dark, and with no garage and just a flashlight, I was having a rough time of finding my way around. Forecast for tomorrow is looking like +10, and I should be able to get out there in the daylight. I've made arangments to tow it to someone's garage if nothing else works to try and get the ambient temperature up. The garage isn't heated, but we should be able to throw a space-heater under it for a while.

1 question on the block heater element... I crawled underneath and looked up near the oil filter like Crumm pointed out... the only wire I saw was going into the top of the housing area that the filter itself screwed into. I assume that this is the oil pressure sensor and not the block heater element? It wasn't warm at all. I didn't see any other wires "next to" the oil filter. I've been hunting around the internet for some pictures, but no luck so far. I knew I should have gotten a Chilton's before I left Anchorage! For some reason, this Chiltons that I have with me for my old 97 F-150 just isn't working! :^)

Of course, all of my tools, multimeter, test light, are all back home in my (heated) garage in Anchorage, so I'm forced to bum around for parts and pieces and assistance. This is frustrating! I'm hoping to drive home Thursday for the 3-day weekend.

Jimmy

EDIT: I just saw that this was post #13... that can't be good! LOL

it has been one of my learning experiences up on the slope , that you need to heat your oil in your oil pan ,untill it changes from black sirup to clearer oil , you'll be able to see the difference. a magnetic oil pan heater does wonders for diesel's and you can get one for less than $40.00 bucks. A quick way to do it would be to get on of those bullet space heaters and aim it at your oil pan. when your engine oil changes coler , it will start, my2'c,bob

Nov 17, 2005 | 05:20 PM

#23

mlb4966

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Joined: Mar 2004

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From: Valdez, Alaska

Thanks for the response. I have two of the small oil pan heaters on mine since they were out of the larger model. I'll have to get another one the next time I am in Anchorage. I rarely have to plug in, only when visiting Fairbanks, but I like the added security.