In Saskatchewan where cold may have been invented, I have a lot of trouble starting my 2001 F-250 7.3 engine when temp is at freezing or below. The local service station suggested I switch from Shell Rotella 10-30 oil to Co-Op DMO (diesel motor oil) 0-40. Others who have done this found better starting every time.
Any thoughts on this?
They did say that DMO has more detergent and they wondered if I should just stay with non-diesel oil but of the 0-40 viscosity.
will it hurt or cause damage to the truck to leave the block heater pluged in all night? and do you know how it works? Whats actually heating, coils, water?
No, it won't hurt to leave it plugged in all night. Some folks get a timer so that it comes on, say, three hours before they're planning to start it, just to save electricity.
There've been a few trucks that have caught on fire due to a shorted block heater cord, so it probably would be wise to check the cord to make sure it's not frayed or cut anywhere.
The heating element on the other end of the cord heats the coolant. I'm not sure if it's a coiled shape heating element or not, but I'm guessing it's some sort of real heavy resistor.
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Ryan Arthur
2000 F350 7.3 CC LB DRW 4x4 4R100 4.10 Lariat Performance Mods: ISSPRO gauges, DIY Tymar, straight piped, ITP boost regulator and tee, ATS ported housing, Banks Big Head, CCV Mod, DP-Tuner flip chip, BTS valve body ||| LEDs everywhere: taillights/running boards/mirrors/rear, side lights wired as turn signals, upgraded headlight harness w/ Xtravisions, aux backup lights in bumper ||| Misc. Mods: no more dingers, newer cupholder, fumoto, C-Betrs, locking fuel cap, mud flaps, wannabe air horn, Line-X, behind-seat storage shelf, intercooler foil wrap removed, SS HPX My Truck Pics
HI, this is my first post, I got my f250 7.3 2001 2wd from my dad, He had trouble with cold starts and had shop work in the past, I have taken the truck to mn, I have repaced the gpr, today the temps were
20 f , barely got the truck started. I will follow the steps above, my question is, what is the relay in front of the gpr, are there 2 start relays? thanks
That's the relay for the intake heater. It'll be a little taller. The intake heater is a large coil-looking-thing screwed into your aluminum intake. Its main purpose is emission related (less smoke at start/warm-up). But it does heat the intake air slightly during a cold startup, which helps a little. Downside is it draws a bunch of juice and some say it restricts intake flow a little.
I lived in fairbanks for 12 years , the first winter season in 75 there were so many people trying to get the power company to hook up there newly built houses ,that the power company got 3 months behind. I did not get power till christmas. the fall cold snap lasted from october 5 to dec 10. most of that time was -10 to -50.Every morning After I pulled on my frozen pants I would go out to my truck and put a 3 foot piece of stovepipe with a 90 degree elbow pointed up under the oil pan and stick a weed burner in it. I would throw a blanket over the hood. after about 5 minutes the engine was toasty warm and started right up.I thought the old oil would catch fire, but it never happened. I was never late to work.
greg
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99.5-f350 drw xlt rancho9000 fx-4 new to me 12/2003 pyro,tran temp,boost gauges -wicked wheel-sonnax/tricum-ford ais-edge-evolution tru-cool max with spin on filter,air bags, caribou camper 11m[4 feet past bumper]
This forum answered most of my questions. Thanks to all of you.
I had a blocker heater cord that wore through and finally shorted out. Fortunately no fire as it tripped the GCFI first. I ended up with a chunk of cord that I salvaged from a radial arm saw. I wrapped all of the potential abrasion points with heavy PVC tape.
I am valley trash and had a morning where my GCFI tripped and shut off the block heater. I ended up using charcoal brickets on a cookie sheet. I threw a movers-pad over the hood and after about 30 minutes the truck started like a champ. Not my frist choice but since then I carry a small bucket of the brickets in my tool box.
I did the GPR test as the truck was not starting good in the cold weather,results when putting the voltmeter red to big post as per instructions and grounding black ,no readings,next crossed the two small term. withe battery after removing small wires i get 11.6 volts but nothing on the big post that i tested before.Now i am not sure if i did the second test right.What i did was use jumper wire from one small term. across to the second small term. the using another jumper wire fed the terminals from batt,somehow this does not sound right but anyway i still could not get a reading on big post.Help please.Tom [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
The way to activate the GPR manually is to remove the wires from both of the small posts, then with two separate jumpers, apply 12 V to one and ground the other. That should make the relay pull in unless the coil in the relay is burnt out. Even if it pulls in, that doesn't guarantee that you'll get current thru the relay between the two big terminals, as the internal contacts may be burnt away. Sounds to me like it's time for you to replace the GPR.
I just discovered yesterday that mine is shot. A jumper cable clamp across the two large posts got it running without problems, and started up the rest of the day without messing with it. GPR replacement is planned after I get by International tomorrow to get one.
Thanks for the info klhanson,went back out there again this morning to do another test but still did it wrong,jumped from small post to small post but forgot to remove the wires in a hurry,this afternoon will do it again as you suggested,i would be lost without the people like on this forum,more used to gas engines.Tom
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Its your Exhaust Back Pressure Valve........its normal......goes away once the oil temp has reached something like 150 degrees. Yes, it hurts performance a little. Its designed to help the truck get up to running temps faster. It also acts as a warning to me not to get on it until it has quit. Some disconnect it, but not me. Its there for a reason.
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I'm having the same problem and I've noticed that my turbo boost gauge is pegged at zero whenever I hear it. If I get on it, the gauge starts reading and I can hear the turbo spin up.
Good to know that I shouldn't do that until it warms up!
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2001 F-250 SD 2WD Crew Cab 7.3L PS used to haul my 1969 Topless, Doorless, Avocado Green Desert Running Bronco
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