I just recently moved to Lubbock, TX (fiance started law school at Texas Tech), and it gets a little colder up here than what it does in Central Texas. I have always been religous about plugging in the old dodge when it gets below freezing, and with us living in an apartment I may not always be able to plug it in. It gets down in the single digits here(I know that's not cold for you guys up north). So, will my truck have any problem starting when it gets really cold without being plugged in?

 

You should be ok down there. If it gets below 20* or so, I would try and plug it in. Thats about the temp I plug mine in at, if possible. Also, make sure the battery is a good one, that makes a difference too.

 

When I can, I plug mine up at anything below 32*/freezing, just to make it easier on the engine, so maybe it will last a little longer.

They will start un-aided way down in the below-zero range; it is just not good for them.

Get yourself a drain-plug valve; and, drain, and take inside your oil, on cold nights.

Put the oil behind the wood-stove all night and pour the steaming hot oil back in the engine, before starting up, in the morning.

For real cold conditions, the same can be done with the engine coolant.

A BIG HOT battery is imperative in questionable conditions.

 

The oven will have to work, don't have a wood-stove.

 

Just kick it over. The only time I plug mine in is if it sits for a few days in below freezing temps. If it is going to be run everyday, I would not worry about it until it gets into the teens. Even then, 45 minutes to an hour is long enough. I unplugged the grid heaters on mine, and it starts fine down to 20 degrees with no help.

 

I had my truck pluged in any day below 32deg. It started fine once or twice it cranked a little hard. It got as low as around 10deg here, then I found out that my block heater had been bad the whole winter. I wouldn't worry to much about it it will start but it just might have to crank a little more.

 

No troubles starting my truck in chicago. We had some cold days last winter probally -10F. fired right up with maybe one turn of the crankshaft compared to the first two cylinders. I pluged my truck in just to try out the block heater. started like it was spring day after sitting all night. Just did it once mainly to test the block heater. Unless the truck is going to sit for a long time in the cold I don't see a need to worry about it. It definately would not hurt the truck to have it plugged in when you can but if you can't I would not sweat it.

 

Try this if you ar really worried about not being able to plug in.

http://www.webasto.us/am/en/am_auto_heaters.html

Although in TX the likleyhood that it would get cold enough to begin thinking about starting problems is very slim IMO.

 

You could switch to synthetic oil in the winter if you are worried.

I have started mine at -3F and not plugged it. The battery is the main concern. At that temp they don't put out near the current. My bat is 5 years old and when it was that cold if it didn't fire in a few seconds that was going to be it. It always fired right up though with just a little bit of throttle.

Andy

 

I can't plug in at work. Mine started with no grids at 15 degrees. I think you'll be OK.

Just make sure you have a good battery.

 

Thanks guys, I'm alot less worried now.

 

This is what will happen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLXHSXtrQdc

 

It will be just fine. I plug mine in if it's under 20*, but just for easier starting. If would be just fine at -20 even without plugging it.

Some of the 1st gen CTD trucks we have at work don't even have working grid heaters and they don't get plugged in or anything. They fire up just fine in single digit temps

 

i rarley get to plug mine due to living situation. mine starts pretty good with no grids/block heater to about 15*. after that, a lil sniff of either gets her going. do not use either if your grids are operational

 

I try to plug mine in below 35 or so. You probably don't need to being that warm but that's what I do. Like the other guys are saying just easier on the starter.

I do a lot of hunting and was out in -20 one day. That is rare but it was -20 she started right up. Now she talked to me about it for a while but she ran fine. Oh and did I mention I have a nice buck lined up in the crosshairs but the bolt on the rifle was froze.