At this point I'd be quite happy with a garage of any sort. Heating would just be scandalously wonderful.
CK5
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2000 GMT400 CREW CAB SFA SWAP-The Warden: Fuel leak fixed and awaiting surgery…
- Thread starter GWeakland620
- Start date
The ultimate goal for this truck is tow duty/family camping trips/small offroad adventures.
beags86
Eastbound and Down
Haven't been late yet, but I have had the thought.
My reluctance in using the heater is I remember Big Blue firing right up in the morning and then nearly stranding me after sitting at work for 9 hours (several times). I can't heat it at work, and the afternoon isn't always much warmer than the morning. So I'd rather be stranded at home where I have a backup car than be stranded at work where I don't. Of course that math changed when I sold the backup car, now I just want it running all the time!
I have seen some guys use a Mr buddy heater or something of the like before.
Head out at 3 and fire it up close the hood and at 4:30- 5 you are ready to leave.
I mean that's basically what we would do at the farm.
Tarp the tractor with a nibco heater inside and let it run awhile.
I'm going to start with swapping out the glow plugs. Then I'll go for a manual switch for the GP's. And also look into the circulating heater. Being able to warm the truck up quick would be nice. At least until a shop gets built.
What plugs are you gonna run?
Rene posted it a few pages back. I saved it to my phone. Can't remember at the moment.
Alright, Greg. I shot some films for your dining pleasure.
First up, here is my 10* cold start after work today. The Grendel clearly knew I was filming, I've never had such a miserable start from that truck, even at -2*. Not sure why it wouldn't start, nor why it stalled. TWICE! I'll be playing with the block heater tonight, we'll see how tomorrow's start goes. 10* was the high temp today, the engine may not have been as warm as the air temp yet.
A few minutes later I warm-started it like this:
Here is how Big Blue handled the cold. Dead batteries. Again.
I put the 6-amp charger on it before cranking, and it was drawing 3 amps. After the cranking the meter pegged. Ruining the (already weak) batteries is a real possibility this winter.
The Suburban fired up fairly promptly (considering how long it's been since it was last started). But the throttle stuck open, so I killed it pretty promptly. Bizarre. I do have the dash half-way torn apart, and the cruise control system is disconnected from its actuator on the IP. Maybe CC fails in the VROOM direction?
(I did cycle the plugs before shooting this film).
First up, here is my 10* cold start after work today. The Grendel clearly knew I was filming, I've never had such a miserable start from that truck, even at -2*. Not sure why it wouldn't start, nor why it stalled. TWICE! I'll be playing with the block heater tonight, we'll see how tomorrow's start goes. 10* was the high temp today, the engine may not have been as warm as the air temp yet.
A few minutes later I warm-started it like this:
Here is how Big Blue handled the cold. Dead batteries. Again.
I put the 6-amp charger on it before cranking, and it was drawing 3 amps. After the cranking the meter pegged. Ruining the (already weak) batteries is a real possibility this winter.
The Suburban fired up fairly promptly (considering how long it's been since it was last started). But the throttle stuck open, so I killed it pretty promptly. Bizarre. I do have the dash half-way torn apart, and the cruise control system is disconnected from its actuator on the IP. Maybe CC fails in the VROOM direction?
(I did cycle the plugs before shooting this film).
beags86
Eastbound and Down
Alright, Greg. I shot some films for your dining pleasure.
First up, here is my 10* cold start after work today. The Grendel clearly knew I was filming, I've never had such a miserable start from that truck, even at -2*. Not sure why it wouldn't start, nor why it stalled. TWICE! I'll be playing with the block heater tonight, we'll see how tomorrow's start goes. 10* was the high temp today, the engine may not have been as warm as the air temp yet.
A few minutes later I warm-started it like this:
Here is how Big Blue handled the cold. Dead batteries. Again.
I put the 6-amp charger on it before cranking, and it was drawing 3 amps. After the cranking the meter pegged. Ruining the (already weak) batteries is a real possibility this winter.
The Suburban fired up fairly promptly (considering how long it's been since it was last started). But the throttle stuck open, so I killed it pretty promptly. Bizarre. I do have the dash half-way torn apart, and the cruise control system is disconnected from its actuator on the IP. Maybe CC fails in the VROOM direction?
(I did cycle the plugs before shooting this film).
Wow, those take me back the farms 6.2 days quick!
beags86
Eastbound and Down
The miserably long starting times?
Starting times, the rattle your teeth out ride and drive. ( Seen your other video)
( Something you haven't experienced)
but the forever long rides to Monroe to sell cows with a gooseneck cattle trailer in tow. ( Full-size Holsteins)
( But you have towed with your sub, so you know how gutless they are with weight behind them)
It's supposed to be -15 or so here tonight and real windy. They cancelled all the schools tomorrow due to the weather. Maybe I should try to fire mine up and see what it does. My block heater has been plugged in for weeks 24 hrs a day.
FWIW, mine tested good today @ 500 watts. I set it on a timer to come on at 4:15am. We'll see what happens next. 
I think the teeth-rattling is just because I have a stripped-down model. Big Blue rides quite smoothly, there's a pretty big difference. And the ride isn't quite as bad as it looks in the film, it looks terrible because the camera is resting on the steering wheel instead of the cushy seat. The steering column has a large amount of slop, when the weather warms up I'm planning on redoing or replacing it so I don't hafta wander all over the road.
Yes, these rigs are all gutless, but the Sub was definitely better at towing than the K10 is. No question about it. My heaviest combined loading was 11,200 pounds, so I'm not trying to do big-rig stuff. Most of my towing has been 8k-9k pounds combined. It requires a certain patience waiting for the truck to wind its way up to highway speed.
It was -9 at my house this morning. Block heater going I hit the key and wait to start light came on for about 7-10 seconds and went out. I cranked about 20 seconds and had to hit the throttle a little and it fired up. The 6.5L starter makes a huge difference in cranking speed but I'm pretty sure if it wasn't plugged in it would not have wanted to start. @beags86 that coolant heater with the pump will definitely be my next purchase when my block heater quits. My powerstroke would have loved one of those. I might even try them out on some of my company trucks. Also make sure you are running some Diesel Power Service or something similar in your fuel to avoid gelling issues and I always like to have a fresh fuel filter installed before winter hits also.
Fuel filter was changed in November. Running some Lucas additive at them moment, but thinking about running some of the Diesel Power Service. Truck started for me again this morning. I am almost 100% it's my GP's.
Mine fired up at -10* this morning. I tried filming it again, so I ran out of hands and wasn't able to push the GP button while cranking. It started anyway, much more nicely than yesterday (but prolly not as nicely as if I had pushed the button).
I'm still running summer additive in my month-old winter-blend No. 2 fuel. At the rate I'm getting through this tank, we probably will be done with sub zero weather before filling time comes again. I'm now down to the 7/8ths mark.
Fuel filter hasn't been changed. Still not planning on changing anything during the cold season, unless something breaks.
I'm still running summer additive in my month-old winter-blend No. 2 fuel. At the rate I'm getting through this tank, we probably will be done with sub zero weather before filling time comes again. I'm now down to the 7/8ths mark.
Fuel filter hasn't been changed. Still not planning on changing anything during the cold season, unless something breaks.
beags86
Eastbound and Down
Since typing that, I have been toying with the idea of buying one for the old K30 plow truck I just bought.
Not because it's a diesel, but because it's a plow truck. And any time that it's going to be started it's probably going to be cold.
It's carb 350. And I think it starts worse then the @green grendel
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beags86
Eastbound and Down
I hate carburetors.
Me too.
Probably needs the carb to be tuned.
And it has a open air cleaner, because it's a race truck.
Needs a closed element. But it is easier to shoot ether with the open cleaner.
