Cold weather whoas.... (1 Viewer)

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Interesting @OSS. My DieHard Platinum is still going, though the cranking voltage is low according to my little bluetooth monitor (just about 10v last I checked). So that could be part of the issue when it is that cold it just doesn't quite have the juice to turn off as strongly.
 
I don’t have anything helpful to contribute, but can’t help mentioning that my 62 started up this morning, first try, at minus 33 degrees (Celsius or Fahrenheit, take your pick). It’s my first winter with this truck, and I’m very impressed.
 
62 with the EFI is a bit of a different beast. EFI definitely makes things easier for starting when cold.
 
Seems like maybe you were running 15w-40?
I tried it and hated it. Sooo much thicker, seemed to me.
-18F is my record so far. Had to hold the clutch in for a bit before it would idle unsupervised with the trans in the mix.
Block heater + timer is real luxury, you know for a 60 driver.
There's my -.2
 
For instance, this morning I got in the truck, pulled choke, pumped pedal 7 times, gave it a good 15 seconds before I tried to turn her over. Nothing, repeated the process, Nothing. Repeat again, and she tires to fire over but nothing. This time 3 pumps of the pedal, wait only a couple seconds and turn and she will finally turn over and fire up though even with choke pulled idle is MAYBE 1k rpm. When the temp is above about 25* this is not really a problem or will take significantly less pumps/tries.

So I have found that with mine, pumping the gas a bunch seems to have an adverse effect on starting the truck. Makes it harder. When its cold, have you tried just pumping the gas pedal like 2-3 times instead of 7, and then waiting a bit to try starting the truck? It just does not get as cold where I am so this may be nonsense. But I have never had luck starting it by pumping the gas a bunch beforehand. Seems like, with mine anyway, turning the engine over is more effective in getting fuel to the carb than pumping. No idea why that would be, but its been my experience.

Full disclosure here, my truck has its rightful place in my garage overnights and not outside, so its apples to oranges comparison, and perhaps moves this post into useless thread sprawl. But thought I would offer it up anyways.

I also replaced my battery cables recently and that seems to have really helped with starting the truck. Cranks over so much faster now which seems to help get the old girl to come to life much quicker. Starter is audibly much more powerful sounding than before and starting it takes much less time than it did before the swap. Using an Optima RedTop battery (AGM as @OSS mentioned). HTH.
 
oil pan heater to warm the oil will make cranking over easier. i also installed a webasto heater in my truck (diesel!). don’t know if there are gas preheaters. you can get an in-line rad hose heater that’ll help if you can’t get a block heater. honestly unless you can find a stand alone preheater plugging in is really the only real option. you just have to make sure you park near a plug if you’re going to stop for a long time. it’s been -40 here in saskatchewan (canada) for nearly a month and i’ve only had one hard start because i forgot to plug in and didn’t have enough time to let the webasto heat things up. there’s also lock deicer you can use if your tumblers get moisture in them and freeze. we can get it at any gas station
 
. However, What do I need to grease, lube or whatever to get it so that the cold does not affect at least the latching mechanism as badly?

Good question, wish I knew answer as I have one door that occasionally does that too. Not driver's door, fortunately.
 
@CuCruiser Yeah I am actually running 15w40. I have in the past and never thought it made that much of a difference but maybe it is worth it to change over to 10w30 from now own.

Temps have been all over the place this year as mother nature is definitely off her meds. Last couple days has been nice and sunshiny. Temps were high yesterday and today, reaching almost 50*. Coldest night we had was about a week ago where it supposedly hit -2, but we regularly reached down into the single digits since about mid December.

New storm is currently on its way in but looking to be a warmer one with no snow anticipated, just rain.
For those that have heaters, do things like these magnetic ones really work? How do I know how many watts I want? If it looks like the weather is going to continue to do this I may grab one.
 
For those that have heaters, do things like these magnetic ones really work?

No, because the heat transfer is poor. They only really make contact on the magnetic contact points. They might work on very small engines, or maybe frozen iron pipes if you put insulation around them. I have used two, 250 watt magnetic ones on my tractor, and they are a joke. Some people have better luck with the stick on pads, but those have their issues as well.

You would do better with a tank style coolant heater or a so-called frost plug heater. They are far more effective at getting heat to the engine. I like the tank-style heaters, as the heat the engine head and manifold (depending in the vehicle) more effectively, and that's where the fuel needs to vaporize on cold days.
 
magnetic heaters don’t work. the glue on ones work nicely though. while the block heaters warm the engine best the oil pan heaters at least make the oil a little more “liquid” and not so stiff so the engine can crank easier.
 
Interesting. Well I will do some research on the freeze plug style ones. Unfortunately, if that requires the removal of the engine then that is going to be a no-go right off. Not enough time or space for that to be applicable, Maybe if one day I am down the road and rebuilding this engine then yeah I would but at this point, the likelihood that I would replace the engine entirely with something like the R2.8 or LS swap would be more viable at that point. Only case would be if I need a quick swap and dropped a 3FE or another 2F in and then would install while it was out.

For the time being, seems like changing back over to 10w30 is going to be my best bet.
 
RE: the door lock not unlocking from the key, my '88 FJ62 is experiencing the same thing on the Driver's door. From within the truck, the power lock button gives a nice, strong pop to the locks in both directions. However, using the key to unlock the driver's door has given me more and more trouble recently, to the point where now the key only moves the lock about 90% of the way up.

I first noticed this problem during some cold mornings (below freezing, cold for Georgia) where I had to get in on the passenger door. It seemed like the lock was "frozen" because, even from inside the truck, I couldn't manually lift the lock, and the power switch didn't have any effect...until the vehicle warmed up. At one point, I used pliers to try to pull up the lock knob manually, and I'm afraid I may have stretched or bent some mechanism that is now contributing to the problem I have with the key not completely lifting the lock.

Sometimes now, if I turn the key all the way to the end of the travel in the cylinder and, at the same time, try to open the door handle, I can get it to open. Sometimes that doesn't work, though.

I took the door panel off on Sunday to inspect and lubricate the lock from the inside to see if that would help. I used PB Blaster silicone spray and also WD40.

I felt the back of the lock cylinder, which turned a metal arm that had a hole in the end, and the hole fit over what looked like a white plastic tab of some sort. Turning the lock would would manipulate the metal arm which would lift or press down on the tab. When I turned the lock with the key from the outside of the door, at the end of the travel, it still wasn't putting enough pressure on the plastic tab to raise the lock all the way. It made me wonder if:

1) this is a problem with the lock, or not--is something keeping it from turning further? Because I pressed down on the metal arm all that it would travel, and that still wouldn't raise the door lock 100%....

or

2) The whole assembly is just worn out and has too much play in it, necessitating a new lock.

Sorry I don't have any answers for the OP, but I have a similar problem and hoped it may be helpful to discuss what I found for the OP. I don't know if the lock cylinder actuates the lock rod in the same way in the 60 as the 62, since the 62 has power locks. Hope this helps. If anybody has any suggestions for me, I would love to hear them.

What I thought might actually help somewhat is if I could somehow shim the plastic tab (I thought about putting a rubber cap over it) so that there isn't as much play between it and the slot in the metal arm connected to the lock cylinder). Is there supposed to be some sort of grommet insulating the plastic tab from the metal arm? Thanks in advance.
 
Here an old Mud thread about 2f engine block heaters with sources and part numbers:

 
I think you should be able to put one in without pulling the engine. They have a rubber expansion ring, like a boat drain plug. Obviously you'd drain the coolant. Knock out the welch plug, then install the heater.
1914462
 
Put a 100 watt light bulb under the hood in a metal drop light. Hang it on the carb side, aim light at intake. Leave on all night. Or you can use an infrared red heat bulb in the HF clip on metal light hood. Aim at intake. Just keep away from meltables and flammables. Inlines are harder to get fuel into the cylinders. In a V8, carb is on top and gravity helps. Inline, fuel has to go sideways and up hill.

Starting fluid won't hurt anything at all. Just a whiff , maybe 1/2 second burst or less, is all you need, right into the carb through the hole for the stud. Guaranteed results.
 
Well it has definitely been nice having these last few warmer days. Couple pumps of the pedal in the morning and pull the choke and she fires instantly to life. New storm coming so will be fighting it again shortly.
 
EFI conversion has solved my cold starting issues, plus numerous others in my '87. Wish I did it years ago....
 
Lots of good ideas here. once it's 10F and colder you need a friend to help start things. A sniff of propane will kick it right up without the gymnastics. Something simple like these photos. 4" PVC cradle to hold the 16.4 oz/1-lb disposable cylinder. Camp stove regulator. 4' of vacuum hose.

If you are not garaged, or able to plug-in to electrical service, or on the trail... You need a self-contained solution that works. This is simple to remove or change a cylinder. You only need it in the coldest weather.

propaneAssist1.jpg


propaneAssist2.jpg


propaneAssist3.jpg
 
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