-14 outside should I try to start'er w/o the heater?

[mankypro]

It's so cold outside it hurts to breathe. I'm tempted to go try and start Bessie without the block heater and see, but I'm scared it'll break something

Damn it's cold. I think I'll stay inside.

 

[Exekiel69]

Should it start? Heck Yes. Will it hurt something? Unlikely, it depends on every engine but if it does, it was going to happen anyway You just made it happen at home.

Personally I would plug it and go easy on it, why take a chance when You don't need to.

 

[mankypro]

Oh I know it will start, just hate the way it sounds when it's dead cold, sounds like a PSD

 

[alaska120]

We live, eat and breathe subzero temps up here and I always plug in if its under +20F. Its just good practice. Besides, with 30 weight oil, it really sounds bad without some heat (I have an oil pan heater as well). What can it hurt? Well, bearings for a start. Be nice to her and give her some heat....

 

[tractorman86]

i think you should wait till bout noon then start it and get to some warmer wheather! i couldnt handle -14... no way!

 

[RLDSL]

Unless you have synthetic oil in there, plug her in. that oil won't flow very well for a while once you get it kicked over . If you have synthetic in it, no worries, fire it up.
I was up north last week and it was nice to see my baby firing up at 8 deg on the first shot. Amazing what a fresh rebuild and new injectors will do for starting attitude That synthetic helps it spin over faster as well.

 

[opusd2]

Synthetic is truly the ticket. We run it in all of our tractors as well as diesel and gasser trucks on the farm. Even my motorcycle gets it to handle summer heat.

With cold starting you will have instant pressure if your pump is in good shape, and will protect much better than a dry start. Plus it will spin easier and work your batteries less.

The only downfall is that synthetic fluids WILL find any leaking gaskets with which to seep through. But for the way it helps the engines run, it's a small sacrifice.

 

[mankypro]

As expensive as the synth is and the fact I can't burn it....

Maybe after a few more 2k oil changes I'll go to synthetic - trying to clean the internals up a bit.

 

[seawalkersee]

Well...someone beat me to it. Its like 6 here today and mine started. It took a while, but none the less, it worked. It died but would start. Mind you there is not coolant in it yet so I don't let it run too long. I was just pumped that when I get it done it will be able to work for the snowy days.

SWS

 

[f-two-fiddy]

Yeah, the IDI's make some racket on cold AM's. Surely it cant hurt too much. My 85 has been up here for all of it's 300K miles. It still starts on -35 F AM's

 

[FordGuy100]

That is some crazy cold temps . I would go for it, what the hell. I started mine up today at 15*, and I need battery cables bad, but it fired off first try.

I'm getting a cold start vid at 9* tommorow, maybe you could go and get one so we can see a really cold start

 

[david85]

I've heard that the 6.9s have an easier time firing in the cold weather because of the 10% injector spray that is aimed at the glow plugs. Its been unusually cold here but not nearly as bad as you folks in the central USA. Mine still fires off after the first turn but there is one cylinder that is a little sleeply. Might be a dead glow plug.

Looking at the weather map its just insane how cold anywhere inland right now.

 

[FordGuy100]

I've heard that the 6.9s have an easier time firing in the cold weather because of the 10% injector spray that is aimed at the glow plugs. Its been unusually cold here but not nearly as bad as you folks in the central USA. Mine still fires off after the first turn but there is one cylinder that is a little sleeply. Might be a dead glow plug.

Looking at the weather map its just insane how cold anywhere inland right now.

That darned global warming eh? Sorry I couldnt resist

 

[mankypro]

Yeah it's -3 right now - It's a freaking heat wave! Tomorrow is supposed to get up to 26 - but then we get snow. Today we broke a record from 1901 -18F yeah baby. I'll do a video next time we're in the double digit negs.

Got me off my ass to get my storm windows all squared away and closed off the back half of the house to conserve some gas - the dog's water froze INSIDE THE HOUSE this afternoon in the "closed off" area near the back door.

 

[david85]

That darned global warming eh? Sorry I couldnt resist

Don't even get me started on that. Normally its really cold in late january. I shutter to think what it will be like by the time we get there.

Didn't even get much snow, just really cold and windy.