Car Problem

Discussion of all things technological and/or gadgety
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blackeagle603
Posts: 9770
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Re: Car Problem

Post by blackeagle603 »

te:
put sleeping bags over the hood down to within 6" of the ground and shove a camp stove under there. It will start in a half an hour or so. Just do it outside and don't light the block on fire. :D
Yup, my dad in the late 50's in Fairbanks. Campstove on a plank, slide under the car out in the drive. He worked for painting contractor and for a winter or two would drive between Fairbanks and Anchorage supplying crews painting pump stations. On those runs he says you'd get it running then pick your gear and expect to leave it there for the duration of the drive south cause the tranny would cool and get too stiff to shift.
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Weetabix
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Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Car Problem

Post by Weetabix »

A lot of people started garage fires that way. We were camping before cell phones and miles from anything. I think it was only about -35F, but his truck wasn't very robust in the cold.

If we didn't get it started, the greasy black smoke from the engine fire should have attracted someone. :mrgreen:
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McClarkus
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Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 10:50 pm

Re: Car Problem

Post by McClarkus »

I had that problem once in my truck. Granted it was a diesel but the issue was electrical. I had replaced the two older batteries and the truck still went "click". It turned out there was a short that was draining the new batteries just as fast as they could be charged. Got that fixed and life was good again.
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Old Grafton
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:07 am

Re: Car Problem

Post by Old Grafton »

McClarkus wrote:I had that problem once in my truck. Granted it was a diesel but the issue was electrical. I had replaced the two older batteries and the truck still went "click". It turned out there was a short that was draining the new batteries just as fast as they could be charged. Got that fixed and life was good again.
Had the exact same in my diesel F250. Internal voltage regulator was shorted; the alternator still charged but was soon hot to the touch after shutting down the truck.

That said, block heaters are the thing. Weather gets down to the thirties I plug the trucks in--one diesel, one gas. Diesel stored indoors in unheated space, gasser outdoors. Both start quickly and easily in the dead of winter.
I'm not old--It's too early to be this late.
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