Diesel TV Experience in the Arctic Vortex!

[TucsonJim]

Ten days ago, we got a bad phone call here in sunny Arizona that my DW's sister was in the Ohio State University Medical Center ICU with a list of very serious health issues. So, after discussing the situation, we decided the best course of action was to drive from Arizona to Ohio in order to support the family. Her sister is still very sick and in the hospital, but is stable and no longer critical. We made the drive home, and safely arrived today.

We drove the 2013 F350 diesel TV for the trip because it has 4WD that we could use in ice and snow. Thank God we had the traction. I'm a native of Southern California and Arizona and have very little experience driving in winter weather.

When we hit Indiana, the wind was howling, and the snow started blowing across the fields and drifting onto the highway. The temperatures were in the teens, and the roads quickly became very slick. We saw many vehicles that slid off the roadway, but the Ford kept a nice solid track. By the time we got to the Ohio border, we were in white out conditions, but fortunately, we were able to find a place for the night.

Now mind you, the temperatures here in Tucson have been running around 70-80 degrees for the last six weeks. Last week in Ohio, it kept getting colder and colder. By Tuesday, it was -14F! The wind chill varied from -25 to -30. My truck does NOT have a block heater, and I was worried that the fuel would gel up and it wouldn't run. On Tuesday morning, I left the relative warmth of the hotel room and took the painful 50 yard walk to the truck. I put the key in the ignition, turned it on, and waited about 8-10 seconds for the glow plug light to extinguish. The truck fired right up and ran great. I'd treated the fuel the night before with some cetane booster and anti gel formula.

I wish it had a block heater, and there would have been a place to plug it in. It took quite a while for the temperature to rise enough to get some heat from the heater. It's okay though, I'm sure the skin grafts will heal from where my hind end was frozen to the leather seat...

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I'd find out where to look myself.

TucsonJim wrote:
I couldn't find a block heater or cord, so I asked the service manager to take a look. It wasn't installed on my truck. But he did say it was very easy to install, and he'd do it for the price of the part and waive the labor.

[TucsonJim]

I couldn't find a block heater or cord, so I asked the service manager to take a look. It wasn't installed on my truck. But he did say it was very easy to install, and he'd do it for the price of the part and waive the labor.

[Macktee]

Jim I also am sorry to hear about your SIL, hope all goes well.
As far as the fuel goes, any state or province that gets extreme cold will be selling winter fuel which already has the treatment in it. If you were up here in the areas that I have been working in Canada, you would definitely have needed a block heater on your engine. We had many days of minus 40 and lower. Macktee

[DutchmenSport]

TusonJim, we lived through all that horrid weather here in Indiana, and the weather is STILL in the toilet, even today. Thank goodness is finally above zero, and today it actually got above 32. All that snow is now melting and it's raining, so the flooding is now starting!

About 3 weeks ago I had my diesel in for a really good tune-up at my Chevy dealer. They did everything maintenance wise, even rotated tires and washed the windshield!

When I picked up the truck from service, I asked my technician (we have become good friends over the years as he's serviced all my GM vehicles for the last 20 years), I asked him about diesel fuel and it jelling in these extreme cold temps. He told me with today's formula diesel fuel, it won't jell. I was really surprised, but I trusted him there.

Well all that snow hit, and more snow, and more snow, my diesel became my daily driver to and from work. The temps were -18 (without wind) at the house, and -14 at work in the parking lot. I never had problems with fuel jelling. Today is the first day since January 1 I drove my car again. The truck (diesel) did just fine.

Actually, when we had the truck in the shop, I asked them to disconnect the seat warmers. The driver side was broken and it heated and would not shut off. I was literally burning my (south end) 😉 It would cost another $300 to replace the controller, and with all the other "little things" we had done, the cost was just too much at this time. My son also slammed his car into a curb and messed up his front end, we helped him pay for that little repair, so money did not afford fixing the seat heater. Personally, I don't like it. But my wife does. In the en-term while we save a few more bucks to get it fixed, my wife is using a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug in electric throw cover on her seat to heat it up. But I hate the seat heater!

[mdamerell]

Ford 6.0's came from the factor with a block heater they just did not install the power cord unless you ordered the option. Check with a Ford dealer but the block heater maybe installed and just missing the cord. When they come from the factor with the cord it is normally tied up and out of the way near the passenger side tow hook.

[Bull_Rider]

travelnutz wrote:
Helps to turn on the headlights for a couple minutes before cranking the engine also in extreme cold on both gas and diesel engines. Gets the battery fluid moving and even warms the battery/batteries a little.

Well, that's a new one for me. I've never heard this advice. I thought at first you were just joshing, but maybe not. Thanks for sharing.

[pasusan]

Great story - I just want to recommend that you quickly wash that truck and pay lots of attention to the underneath!

[travelnutz]

Had leather seats for many years in our Cadillacs etc and they suck in winter heated or not and suck even worse in summer as they are hot and stick to your legs. Only buy vehicles with premium cloth now even though it's often special order! Perfect 12 months a year in any temp or climate! Some manufacturers won't let you substitute so they lose the sale guaranteed!

[larry_barnhart]

TucsonJim wrote:
Oh, we have heated seats, but at those temps, it still takes a while.

Do you know for sure your truck doesn't have an engine heater?

We ordered our 05 duramax in Tempe Az so I didn't think it would have the electric engine heater but it does and if you did not know where to look it would seem it wasn't on the truck.

chevman sitting in Casa Grande az

[travelnutz]

Have never plugged in any of the 3 GM diesel trucks we've owned. Not even when in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or in Ontario, Canada on the extremely cold winter nights when snowmobiling up there. Always started right up but when it's -20F or -30F it sure turns over slower for a second or two before it fires up. No biggie but it's obvious. The oil must get very thick even if it is 15-40 diesel engine oil. The batteries don't have as much amperage either and that's part of the difference. Helps to turn on the headlights for a couple minutes before cranking the engine also in extreme cold on both gas and diesel engines. Gets the battery fluid moving and even warms the battery/batteries a little.

[TucsonJim]

Oh, we have heated seats, but at those temps, it still takes a while.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Sometimes it is good to allow the glow plugs to cycle twice.

[crickeydog]

Reading your post I recalled several of our winter trips over the years and I must say, I hope we never have to make such a trip like yours again. Thankfully, engine block heaters, heated steering wheels, and heated seats make such a trip more tolerable.

FWIW: We bought our first truck with heated seats in 1998 and I thought the idea at the time was a little silly not to mention expensive back then. But...we've never owned a vehicle since that didn't have heated seats.

Glad you made the trip safely.


Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)

[naturist]

I'm so sorry to hear of your wife's sister's medical issues. I am sure she'll get the best of care at OSU Medical Center. And I'm glad to hear your diesel truck fired up next morning in the frigid weather. But I'm not surprised by that.

We bought a VW Jetta diesel in 2001, and a year or so later spent Christmas at my parents about 60 miles north of Columbus. As I had been advised by wiser heads, we drove up on a full tank of southern diesel fuel, and filled up with winterized fuel and added some fuel anti-gel before shutting down for the night. Next morning it was -33, and the while the Jetta's glow plugs took longer to warm up than I was used to, it fired right up just like I was used to down south. And it has no block heater at all.

I'll wish your sister-in-law healing, and the family, peace. And tell you that your truck starting up like that was no fluke.

[downtheroad]

Good story and I'm glad it worked out for you...
Maybe next truck...heated seats. Great for those cold mornings before the heater kicks in.