getblown5.9

8* here this morning and I currently don't have a block heater due to a cord that was shorted out. these motors are designed to starts without the heater down to below zero right.

i go out and it wont even turn the beast over more than 2-3 times and dead. hook up jumper cables and after 30 minutes of charging off moms explorer i got her to fire but she didn't like it one bit. then i remembered why.

last night my GF showed up and told me my air compressor in the truck was running, not sure how long it ran before i turned it off but im sure that drained the batteries. i guess my plastic airline for the airhorn busted and causes the auto switch to make the compressor run.

what a wonderful and cold morning!

Shovelhead

Might not be an air leak....
I have to add oil to my compressor about once a year or it runs FOREVER to try to pump the system up to the 125psi cut off switch setting.
I topped it off Mid January with synthetic oil.

Geico266

Nope. If everything is in top shape it might start. It may start, but it sure help to have the oil warmed up alittle. As you found out they need to be plugged in when it's that cold. I plug mine in below 40F.

I think your batteries are toast.

Why not fix the cord and do it right?

getblown5.9

cord is in the mail for it, and honestly since i've owned the truck its never gotten below 20* here in Baltimore. i really don't think the batteries are toast. but we'll see when i head out for lunch if it starts again.

shovelhead, thanks for the heads up, i'll check out the compressor tonight but i thought it was oil-less. its a viair 450c.

also my air horns dont work, (im thinking the valve is froze shut) but my tank does have some air in it...not sure how much tho since i don't run a gauge and its mounted in the toolbox. but when i checked my other line and hooked the blow gun to it, it had pressure.

zulusafari

Not to start anything, but as long as I cycle the grid heaters, sometimes twice, I can start my truck any morning here in IA, even 20 below zero. The part of his story that is the letdown is the batteries, not the engine. My truck was parked in a location that prevented me from plugging in several days in a row. Cycled the heaters twice and she fired right up. As others have noted, be prepared for the horrendous racket under the hood, since that cold motor sounds terrible! I would let the oil pressure build, then ease on down the road until I could hear the engine noise change toward normal, then I would drive it at highway speeds to warm it up. I have never used a cold weather front or cardboard, either. Always starts and always heats up nice, and hasn't failed me yet. I will probably replace the stock Mopar batteries this spring, likely with Group 31's. Much more reliable in any weather than my Dad's Dodge vans have been -- mandatory to plug the vans in below 30 degrees and didn't heat up for anything! We always had to run the cardboard over the radiator in the winter.

getblown5.9

yea my batteries could use changing, but i think they will last thru the winter. they are the stock batteries, almost 5 years on with 84k on them.

PS- yesterday was the same temperature and when i started the truck it never hesitated to fire up!

Need95-00CTD

The block heater has nothing to do with how much cranking power you have, so you do need to at least charge the battery. It was -3 here today and with the block heater plugged in it fired up after 2 starts, the first time it fired then died. But if its windy out the block heater doesn't seem to do much.

GhettoVaquero

it was a nippy 49 degrees this morning in austin

dieselrob

Ive been having a battery problem the last monthand a half. If it20 and up truck starts like its 90 degrees. If its 19 or less, no go only cranks over 2- 3 times really slow. If its plugged in it fires over like its 90 again. Batteries are about 1 yr old. Load tested them and they were perfect. They just dont work whens its cold out. So I just ordered 2 interstate batterys and ill try that.

John DiMartino

5 degrees here this morning,truck started right up,like always. No block heater,just synthetic 5w40 Rotella.Anyone trying to start a diesel in these temps should be running synthetic oil or plugging in.Conventional 15w40 id like gear oil at these temps.

96_12V

[QUOTE=getblown5.9;1340813]yea my batteries could use changing, but i think they will last thru the winter. they are the stock batteries, almost 5 years on with 84k on them.

Since a starter is much more than two new batteries for this truck, it's a good idea if you're even beginning to have trouble to replace them.

I purchased Champion brand batteries at Sam's Club 4 years ago. The first cold snap we had, they barely got the truck started (this winter). I drove over to Sam's, since they have a "102 month" warrenty on them. Truns out it's 36 months free replacement, then pro-rated replacement after that. Being as it was around 48 months, the gave a 40% discount on two - which wound up being a total of $65 for two brand-new batteries. And again, we have the same warranty.

RickCJ

Guys this is a medium duty diesel engine if it starts in -100 weather you are good to go, it's much harder on a gas engine. Why does everyone wait till it gets cold to service their diesel?
My truck with 2 good batteries will spin over much easier than most of the gassers.

getblown5.9

just so i can put some of you haters to ease...yes my batteries are the originals and could use replacing...they started the truck just fine at 8* yesterday. they also will fire my truck just fine now that they are charged. the compressor drained them last night. simple as that. it started within the first turn of the crank when i went for lunch and the truck was sitting for 5 hours out in 24* weather. not even a hesitation.

so now, the compressor was the culprit, and you guys who are better than thou can rest your souls knowing my batteries are fine. they will be replaced in the spring.

96_12V

What would cause you to speak this way....

We're just relating our experances, we're not "haters" nor are we "better than thou."

Get off your high horse and cool down...this is not the place for attitudes to flare up over "friendly assistance."

Dodgezilla

If you had your new wheels on the truck you wouldn't have had any problems...


I'm still on schedule for next weekend too....