Starting below 0 degrees?

[gt1009]

Ok, so here is my problem.
The blazer starts great down to about 10, below that it takes a little more cranking but it will start. Around 0 though I can't start it. I was wondering if there is any way to get the to start down to -10 or maybe even -20 consistently. Now, the challenge is that it has to be done without an electric block heater. I am a high school swimmer, so I leave home at 5 in the morning, and start the truck again at 6 at night, so it's always a cold start. It is also parked outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and at home it's parked over snow. Is there any type of diesel fueled heater that I could install to make starting easier, I know someone on here has one of those arctic heater kits, but I don't know how hard those are to install in the truck. On a side note, the truck won't starrt right now without a jump start. It will crank a little on it's own but will never catch. It's like the starter is truning on and off very rapidly. The stater is still good because it start first turn with a jump. I think I have a bad battery.
Thanks,

 

[mangus580]

Well first off, if you have a bad battery, you will ahve trouble starting it. Especially at colder temps. Ideally, you would find one of the arctic heaters. they mount on the Drivers fender, and tap into your cooling system. You could fire it up, and warm your engine up with the heater, then start it.

Alternativly.... you could try this. Turn on your key, and watch your volt meter. As soon as you see the glow plugs kick off (volt meter jump up), turn yoru key off, and right back on again. Do this about 3 times, then start. Also, remember, that when starting below freezing, you should be holding the pedal to the floor.

 

[gt1009]

Thanks for the ideas. I have a manual switch, and it's 12 volts, so the voltmeter doesn't work but I can control it on my own. Also, I always follow the starting instructions on the visor. So, any leads on these arctic heater kits, and how much do they cost?

 

[jwaller]

Block heaters work wonders.

 

[kcimb]

Re: RE: Starting below 0 degrees?

Block heaters work wonders.

Some vehicles need them, some don't. My Benz would start fine in single digit temps without one but you had to let it idle for 10 minutes or so before driving off.

Probably helped that my cats tended to wrap themselves around the engine...cat-block heater

 

[mangus580]

Re: RE: Starting below 0 degrees?

Block heaters work wonders.

If you read through his post, he parks it at High School.... dont know of many of them who let you plug your trucks in

Since you have converted your plugs GT.... what plugs are you running? You may just have to glow for longer. If you have the right plugs, they wont overheat and swell.

 

[CCATLETT1984]

RE: Re: RE: Starting below 0 degrees?

also you could try to find the artic fuel heater. its a deisel fired heater that installs under the hood. heated air warms up the oil pan and battery boxes. Mike has the artic kit on his truck.

 

[jeli]

RE: Re: RE: Starting below 0 degrees?

Start with getting your batteries checked and replaced. Definately plug your truck in at night. It's normally colder at night and sits longest unstarted. If you can get out over lunch fire it up and let it run for a while.

 

[Armada]

I hear the fuel fired coolant heaters work good like Mike said. I have one in mine but have never tried it. The coolant lines are not plumbed yet, and probably won't be since the truck gets put up during the winter months. Here's a couple pics. This is also only one part of a complete CUCV arctic kit.

 

[maddawg308]

Armada - that is one of the cleanest looking engine compartments I have ever seen in a CUCV. Try messing up the wiring a bit or removing a component or two, in order to regain that "military issue" look that most CUCVs have.

 

[mangus580]

Armada... do you even have the fuel lines plumbed for the heater? I dont see them going across the firewall where mine are...

 

[Armada]

Is this better MD308?

Mangus, so far the fuel line only goes from the heater to the filter. The 24v pump is still in the box and the fuel line from the pump to the 'T' fiiting is not installed either. I haven't had a need to install it.

 

[mangus580]

Then why even have the heater??

 

[Armada]

Exactly!
I ran out of storage space in the garage so it gets stored under the hood....lol

 

[thedeliverator]

Re: RE: Starting below 0 degrees?

So, any leads on these arctic heater kits, and how much do they cost?

You could ask about buying Armada's - comes with a M1009 attached though

I've seen bits and pieces come up on ebay from time to time, usually not identified as arctic kit parts. If there are any complete kits still out there, whoever has them doesn't seem to be selling. As a side note, I now have almost $1K set aside to jump on one if I do ever see it for sale....

I've looked at a few other similar systems for starting in low temps. They're pricey ($600 and up).

It's best to plug it in - if you can't do that at home or work/school, next best thing is to go over the starting and charging systems, make sure your batteries, glow plugs, and alternators are functioning properly. If you've got a manual button for the GPs, and you've got the type that won't overheat and swell, you can glow as long as you need to - just don't drain the batteries to the point it won't crank over!

What weight engine oil are you using? Straight 30 is going to be a beast to start and hard on the engine in cold temps. Consider a 5W30 multigrade, or if it's really cold out where you are for more than three months of the year, go down to 0W30. See other threads for lengthy debate, pros and cons, synthetic versus non, etc.

As a last resort, consider getting a gasser to run around with in the winter.

 

[Michael]

RE: Re: RE: Starting below 0 degrees?

I think I have a bad battery.

i noticed that you had converted to 12v and battery is singular. Do you only have one battery? Civi truck still have two batteries hooked up in parallel. You still need the extra power of two batteries even in 12v systems esp at the colder temps you are in.

You will need two top notch batteries and all 8 glow plugs at the temps you are in. but, I am no expert, it was 78 here yesterday (a new record high).

 

[Jetnoise400]

This is what the complete and plumbed arctic kit looks like from the engine compartment. According to the TM, it's good to -40F!

 

[mangus580]

I thought it was -50....

One of these days... I will get the rest of mine installed...

 

[Armada]

That's it Sean. Man, that's clean too! You have to put in smaller batteries (dimensionally), to be able to get the pass side heater and battery boxes installed, correct?
I thought you already had yours installed Mike....

 

[mangus580]

I have about 80% of it done. I still need to mount the coolant heater, and hook up the exhaust on both.