warm up

[ybt502r]

Canada cold

In Calgary, it's -18C (about zero F) and that's the high for today. I had synthetics in the engine and drive train last winter, but the 90w synthetics leaked just that much better (when I was able to check in the spring). I have a mix of 80% natural to 20% synthetic in the gearboxes now (kept the full synthetic in the differentials); the engine is still full synthetic. I run a lower radiator hose heater and a muff. The truck hardly ever gets warm inside (still the stock heater), but the engine and drive train run well enough. It's just too darn cold to spend time on my back checking fluids, so I need to get everything shipshape to last the winter.

The radiator muff is really key to getting (and keeping) the engine warm. I've a rebuilt Zenith and Pertronix igintion, and the engine has not failed to fire right up.

Uhh...what was this thread about originally anyway?

[badvibes]

I wish it were only a month, it is closer to 3-4 months. It has been unusually warm around here, but I think if it weren't for the snakes, I would move to New Mexico too.

ybt502r-

I think it was about snakes?

Jeff

[scott]

ybt502r-

I think it was about snakes?

Jeff

Snakes! not the dreaded Snow Snakes!

[badvibes]

now with my usual cr*ppy cell phone pics

Uhh...what was this thread about originally anyway?

I remember what it was now, me being a wimp cuz I want my truck to warm up faster and run better. Here's what this mornings drive home from work looked like. Not much snow but with winds gusting to 60 mph the slush on the roads is now a sheet of ice.



Getting closer to my neighborhood.



My neighborhood, just a block from home.



This is a preview of what's headed your way Easteners. It may be no big deal for you guys but I'm a desert dweller, Albuquerque drivers are crazy as it is, put them on a sheet of ice and the potential is unlimited.....

Jeff

[scott]

jeff

we have no cell phone while driving laws here now, there's talk of law that says no texting while driving, do we have to add no picture taking too!

[badvibes]

we have no cell phone while driving laws here now, there's talk of law that says no texting while driving, do we have to add no picture taking too!

Sir the vehicle is obviously a British made Land Rover and as everyone knows those crazy people drive on the wrong side of the road because they sit and drive in the wrong seat in the vehicle. So I must have been the passenger in that seat taking the pictures, yeah that's the ticket.....

.....and Morgan Fairchild is my wife.

[amcordo]

This is the reason I've been planning on getting/did get my rover:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=columbus+blizzard+stuck&m=text

This blizzard hit last year and nothing could move - the big 13 ton city busses were getting stuck on the roads. Naturally, I needed to be somewhere. So pulled out my one wheel drive Chrysler Crossfire and didn't go anywhere.

I started looking for a Jeep/light SUV and then ended up with probably the best/worst choice for winter driving: an ungalvanized LR! Wahoo!

PS those are random pictures of the blizzard, not mine.

[SafeAirOne]

This is a preview of what's headed your way Easteners. It may be no big deal for you guys but I'm a desert dweller, Albuquerque drivers are crazy as it is, put them on a sheet of ice and the potential is unlimited.....

Jeff

I WISH that was what was headed this way! Looks like you're TWICE as lucky--You had very mild winter weather AND you don't have an inch of rock salt all over the roads! Lucky dog...

[scott]

I WISH that was what was headed this way! Looks like you're TWICE as lucky--You had very mild winter weather AND you don't have an inch of rock salt all over the roads! Lucky dog...

even with all the snakes out here it's worth it given that we don't salt our winter roads and humidity is low. we usually just wait 'till noon here as that's when the passive solar snow removal kicks in. mild winters (except in the elevations over 7500') and no rust makes new mex a great place to own an old truck

[yorker]

First I know that New Mexico cold is nothing like Maine cold, but I'm a wimp. My truck runs like an absolute pig until it warms up well. The manual choke will keep it running but it misses, backfires and just runs very rough until well warmed up. I'm wondering about some type of add on engine heater, block type, inline on a raditor hose, whatever. Anybody use one, what type, and what do you like about it or dislike about it? I'd appreciate some feedback from experience to help me decide what I'd like to try. Thanks.

Jeff

here you go:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vintage-Bunsen-Kerosene-Auto-Motor-Heater-Very-Good_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4a9ceb8a0cQQitemZ320460261900QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

http://www.endtimesreport.com/Auto_Motor_Heater_Instructions.html

[badvibes]

yorker-

Nice! The answer to the problem and maybe others too. I was reading the instructions and noticed the parts about the "asbestos sheet" and "asbestos strips" stapled into a circular wick. Enough asbestos exposure and I'll be able to quit worrying which is going to last longer, me or my Rover.

Jeff

[scott]

a bud told me when he was living in chicago he had to light his coleman two burner stove and slide it under his jeep for a couple hours on more than one occasion to thaw it to the point it would start. i grew up just south of cleveland and don't miss hav'n winter forced on me. here if i want it i drive about an hour and when i'm done with it i drive home

[yorker]

ha! just don't inhale the asbestos.

I remember stories from a WWII veteran who was sent to Russia to build/service US Lend Lease trucks- he had all sorts of interesting tales but one of them was about lighting fires under engines to jeep them warm. also they'd drain the oil from the engines at night and take them inside and put the pails on stoves to keep it warm.

fun fun fun...

[KingSlug]

In Norway they had defenders with swingfire water jacket mounts on the bumpers. The swingfire heaters could be moved from rover to rover to heat the coolant and move on.

After you heated the engine you could heat the cab up.

Jared

[LaneRover]

Once started my Rover with a big cast iron pan with charcoal in it. Let the flames die down and then slide it underneath the engine, let it sit for about 10 minutes and it started right up.

In WWII I think that the Soviets would also pour gas down the crankcase of fighters to thin out the oil. As the engine warmed the gas evaporated. They also wouldn't grease their guns in the winter.