It was -17 this morning but the old F100 started fine. Problem is some of the other electronics weren't so co-operative.

The I turned the blower motor on to high and nothing happened for about 20 seconds... then it started.

The gas gauge read empty (all the way to the left) even though I had half a tank of gas. I put in another $20 worth of gas just in case... stil read empty. Drove a few minutes down the road and slowly the indicator started to move and showed and acurate reading.

Haven't had these things happen before... any thoughts about what is going on?

 

Well today my 1985 F-250 started leaking anti-freeze I think the cold weather srunk the hose and made it krak.

 

These are just some possible theories.

The blower motor was probably froze, and the heat of the "short circut". (Motor not turning) warmed it up enough to break it loose so to speak. Could also be the connectors at the resistor could have been so cold that it lost contact until they warmed up enough.



As for the fuel gauge, the connectors at the tank could have been so cold that they lost contact, until they warmed up enough. It's also possible for the gauge to have been "frozen" and engine and heat warmed them up.


I had to tighten the hose clamps to my heater core because the unseasonably cold weather made the heater core shrink enough to cause a very slight leak.

Metal contracts and becomes smaller in cold, and expands in heat. I believe that is what's going on here.

If it's -17ºF I would recommend a mixture of 70% Antifreeze with 30% water for extra protection if not already done so.

hope this helps.

 

It was 18 below here yesterday and my fuel gauge read empty. I knew it was low, but not totally empty. When it gets cold and the tank is low it will read beyond empty on my 1985 F150. It will peg to the far left until the truck is thoroughly warmed up. We are talking 10 minutes plus. I just plan for that to happen and keep at least one tank full at all times.

As far as the blower I have never had the exact problem you described, but in a 1979 F150 I once had the blower/fan would be exrtremely loud and chattering when in subzero weather. It would quiet down after a good warm up.

 

Those symptoms happen around here when it gets cold. I suspect it's your key switch sticking. Make sure the switch is in the run position after starting instead of halfway between start and run.

At lower temps any grease or dirt in the switch or ignition switch on the column gets sticky when cold and won't allow the spring to return the switches as well as it should.

It still takes me a few seconds to remember to turn the key back a hair every year the first time it happens.

 

It was -18* with a windchill of -40* here the other day and my gauges did the same thing. I think that they just freeze up and take a little more time to read normal. Either that, or voltage meets a lot of resistence in extreme cold like that. My clutch pedal on the other hand was like stepping on an orange. It just stuck and s-l-o-w-l-y came back up.

 

The gages do freeze. The bimetallic sweep springs on the gages actually get ice crystals on them.

Electric fuel pumps that are only partially submerged (low fuel condition) also freeze. That is why it is always best to keep the fuel tank topped off during the cold snaps.

The opposite happens in hot weather to electric fuel pumps at low fuel level. The pump has no case and uses the fuel to keep cool. If the fuel level remains low or consistently low the windings tend to get too hot and eventually stop working.

 

I have seen/heard my heater fan do the same thing when it starts getting cold. The 05 truck at work sure howls when it gets below -40. Heater fan will sometimes take a sec or two before it takes off. IMHO if its only -17 I would not worry to much about running 75%antifreeze 25% water Just test the stuff see what its good to. top up as required. I have to agree about keeping the fuel tanks full but that is so there is no room for condensation to form and have water form in the tank and have that freeze up.

 

Aye Big Red after reading all these posts I realized t'warn't just me that noticed these things!! Here in south-central Pa. we dipped down to +17 last night....O.K. so mebbe that ain't quite horrible-cold but by damn it's cold enough!! Anyways..the ignition switch didn't seem to want to return after firing up my 86 F-150. The gauges was a bit slow to come "online" as well...understandable of course. "Reefing" on the seatbelt was like pulling on taffy ta' get it hooked up and it took a spell for the windshield to clear. I noticed it shifted a bit..hmmm...forceful... as I exited the driveway (automatic trans..) and then I really noticed something! Pushing on the gas-pedal took a tad more effort! Matter of fact it was a 2-foot affair fer a spell!! Now, mind ye, even in warm weather it seems Ford has installed garage-door springs on the throttles of these trucks! Come a fearsome cold spell..just lay one foot o'er top of the other and scrunch down with both feet and brace yer back agin the rear window fer leverage!! And don't use the power windows til the cab heats up real well! They make crunchy noises and stuff breaks! Just sit there in a haze of ciggerrette smoke and gag until everything gets warm enough to function! JMHO....of course. Audie..the oldfart!

 

Chuckle....
Hey...that's what the wing windows are for, let the smoke out and use as ashtray.