Winter Operation

[Boner1]

Hi All its been awhile .. here's my 2$ worth . I live in one of those cold STATES and Plug my f350 2003 crew in ,if the temps are going down to 25F or below , (no Timer)why you ask? Because i've found the windshield defrost So Much faster, That warm coolant helps more then just the motor it helps me see .
Thank's for the thread COOL-Canuck [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]

[ikesway]

Hammer69, I second the Schaeffer oil. I have been running it for over ten years in everything I own. 10,000 mile drains with oil analysis. Nothing better on the market in my opinion.

[flybuddy]

This just happened to me: Some water got inside the transmission range switch or sensor which then froze while the truck was off, later making it impossible to move the shift lever out of Park and almost stranding me in sub-zero temps. (This switch assembly surrounds the point where the shift lever cable attaches to the transmission).

To verify that a stuck shifter is due to a frozen switch (or cable) and not the brake interlock, put the key in the "off" position and the lever should still be stuck.

[tropheus]

in cold starts -20C the engine turns over slower it took about 8 seconds to crank to start I know this is normal but how long shoud i let the engine crank over for before give it a rest

[ryaneverk2]

It's best not to crank for more than 20 or 30 seconds. Then give the starter a couple minute's rest to cool off before cranking again.

[Ford250man]

This is a great post and i thank canuck for starting it.
here my $.02. Even if u do everything right sometomes the it just refuses to start. A couple of winters ago i had my baby all ready 4 winter and on the first -20 night(at work i cant plug in) she refused to start,dont know why and only did it once never had trouble after that [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]. I finally managed to get a jump and it was smooth sailing after that,but now i keep 2 sets of jumper in my tool box during winter just incase. As an added bonus with the jumpers you can also help out any other owners who havent taken the time to properly prepare for the cold. Some people dont know or just dont care about proper care in cold weather.

[Formula302]

I just wanted to fill you guys in on my situtation. I have been bashing my head on a wall with a truck that just will not start when it is cold. Everything tested great. I tested everything myself then had two different shops test it out. The truck still would not start.... The other day some one suggested I jumper the glow plug relay. I did this AM and the truck started up no problem. So my point is that you can have a GPR that tests fine but is not passing enough current to actually get a good glow on the relays. In my case I was even seeing voltage on the Glow plugs but I guess it was not enough.

Jon

[Tall Timbers]

I've always installed heated battery blankets or battery pads and I glue one or two heat pads to the engine oil pan heater. It hasn't gotten cold enough here in years to seemingly affect my manual transmissions (with synthetic atf). I've never not had the added heat pads so I can't say for sure how things would go if I didn't have them.

One very nice thing about the 7.3 ltr diesel is that it will stay warm for several hours after you've shut it off, even at temperatures that are quite low.

I replace my batteries every 6 years whether they need it or not... I've only had one battery fail me in my life, and that battery was on its way to being bad the day I bought it. Replacing at 4 years may be premature, at least based on my experience.

Plugging in won't harm anything (unless you're paying for the electricity [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]...) Your coolant won't be boiling away, there's just a little heater thingie that warms the coolant a bit. Battery pads attached to the engine block just warm things up a bit so your oil doesn't get as thick as it otherwise might.

[Glenstr]

Good and informative thread.

Where I live -40 happens a few times a year, and the last few weeks it has not been above -20(C) in the morning. I have only the factory BH, not tranny warmers, battery warmers or anything else. I plug in at anything colder than -10, the truck will start at colder temps, I've started it at colder than -30 after sitting all day, but its not happy. If the power is free (Hotel, work etc.) I plug it in if its at all below freezing, why not? If I have to let it sit all day at extreme cold I usually get someone to start it every 4 hours or so if possible. I can set my command start to fire it up every few hours for 20 minutes but I don't like doing that. If I leave it overnight and forget to plug in, and it's -40 or colder and I have to go somewhere I don't even try it before I fire up the tiger torch and run it through a 3' length of stovepipe with a 90 at the end for about 10 minutes or so, although one time it was so cold the propane was gelling so I couldn't even do that..

[orp516]

Is there a way to test the block heater for proper operation? I can not find any info from Ford.

[ryaneverk2]

[ QUOTE ]
Is there a way to test the block heater for proper operation? I can not find any info from Ford.

[/ QUOTE ]
Easiest way is to just plug it in when the block is cold, and then feel the block a few hours later... should be nice and warm. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[orp516]

WOW..... : [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] I guess I just missed that trick..... does anyone know of a way to test out the block heater when it does not get nice and warm after many hours of being plugged in? Is there a fuse? Resistance test, etc? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] Thank you orp516

[ryaneverk2]

If it doesn't get nice and warm after a few hours, that means it's not working.

Either the plug in your house is bad or you've got a circuit breaker in your house popped, or the extension cord to your truck is bad, or the cord from the front of the truck to the heating element is bad, or the element is bad, or one of the connections therein. There aren't any fuses or anything in the truck for the block heater.

Here's some info I found in a search:
***
The block heater does not operate correctly
Block heater power cable. - CHECK the resistance of all three circuits in the power cable. If any circuit measures greater than 5 ohms, INSTALL a new power cable.

Block heater. - INSTALL a new block heater
***

[Hypnos]

Some of you have been asking about oil. For us Canucks, Esso makes XD 0W40 Synthetic which can be purchased as 4L jug (~$23) or by the pail at an Esso cardlock.

I've been using it year round for 70000 kms after changing from Rotella. Touch wood but I've had no problems, and I believe it has been starting easier in the cold.

[stevo98260]

Info was very helpful ......as always!