Taking my first road trip in ‘Betty White’. She’s lived a long life here in SoCal. Is there anything I should worry about or prep for when traveling up to the Utah/Colorado cold weather? 

Winterized windshield washer fluid, engine coolant condition, tire pressure/condition, diff oil condition, etc. .  I carry a spare belt and hoses but never needed them.   I've done that route a few times I-15 to the I-70.  That one stretch on I-15 through Arizonian is fun.  Be safe.

Make sure you fill up with winterized diesel, maybe even have an extra bottle of anti gel if your not sure the condition of your fuel, It would be a good idea to check your grid heaters and block heater if you plan on leaving your truck sit overnight in the cold 

 

and keep that VP happy with a good dose of 2 stroke 

17 minutes ago, 01cummins4ever said:

Make sure you fill up with winterized diesel, maybe even have an extra bottle of anti gel if your not sure the condition of your fuel, It would be a good idea to check your grid heaters and block heater if you plan on leaving your truck sit overnight in the cold 

 

and keep that VP happy with a good dose of 2 stroke 

Ive been using Schaeffer Diesel Treat 2000 for awhile now. I acquired a gallon of the stuff and have read good things. Hopefully that sufficient for anti gel and lubrication of the VP44. I don’t expect anything colder than the teens. At that temp is the block heater necessary?

18 minutes ago, BennyGGG said:

Ive been using Schaeffer Diesel Treat 2000 for awhile now. I acquired a gallon of the stuff and have read good things. Hopefully that sufficient for anti gel and lubrication of the VP44. I don’t expect anything colder than the teens. At that temp is the block heater necessary?

  Temps in teens, you shouldn’t need it,

I don’t use my block heater unless truck sits overnight in below zero temps, even with that I don’t plug it in for more than a couple hours,  I don’t want to spoil it..lol. 

2 hours ago, BennyGGG said:

Ive been using Schaeffer Diesel Treat 2000 for awhile now. I acquired a gallon of the stuff and have read good things. Hopefully that sufficient for anti gel and lubrication of the VP44. I don’t expect anything colder than the teens. At that temp is the block heater necessary?

Has Schaeffer Diesel Treat 2000 been tested for scoring value? I wouldn't use if not listed on the lab test showing the value. 2 stroke has been tested at 1 oz. to the gallon of diesel and brings the value low enough to meet Bosch's specs. 2 stroke even lowers the gel temperatures. I have parked overnight in 18 degree weather without issue using heavy dose of two stroke.

 

Hoping Mopar1973Man jumps in with some info too.

 

In 25 years of driving Cummins I've learned to carry an extra idler pully wheel and bearing. You need the right torque tip and a 3/8ths ratchet to change the pully wheel and bearing off the arm. They sell in one replaceable unit, before Covid inflation, for around 30 bucks.

Edited January 4, 20214 yr by JAG1

54 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

Has Schaeffer Diesel Treat 2000 been tested for scoring value? I wouldn't use if not listed on the lab test showing the value. 2 stroke has been tested at 1 oz. to the gallon of diesel and brings the value low enough to meet Bosch's specs. 2 stroke even lowers the gel temperatures. I have parked overnight in 18 degree weather without issue using heavy dose of two stroke.

 

Hoping Mopar1973Man jumps in with some info too.

 

In 25 years of driving Cummins I've learned to carry an extra idler pully wheel and bearing. You need the right torque tip and a 3/8ths ratchet to change the pully wheel and bearing off the arm. They sell in one replaceable unit, before Covid inflation, for around 30 bucks.

Here’s some data on tested diesel additives. Schaeffer’s  “technically”ranked slightly better than 2 cycle when used at 200:1. I guess at 128:1 2 cycle is better. Schaeffers still seems to be a decent additive. 
 

 

I've started my truck plenty of times in Minnesota winter without plugging in (cheap hotel) and it certainly had no troubles starting, it just ran a little rough at first. That said, once it's below 35 and I'm at home it gets plugged in at night, with the timer set for two hours of heat. That's 1.2 kW-hrs, or 14.4 cents. Sure is nice to jump in the cab and have defrost work really quicky, and not have my batteries deal with grid heaters.

Nothing really... Winter temps here can range (+32°F to -40°F). Most here know I drove my Mom to dialysis for over 5 years and every single morning I just fired up and drove. Subzero weather is nothing. Still ran 15w-40 engine oils (petroleum). I normally let the engine warm to about 100-140°F before rolling. Even this winter the lowest my oil temp has gone at -10°F was barely 158° to 162°F.

 

Day in day out I live in super cold area of Idaho. I do not use any anti-gel fuel products, I do not use any cetane booster. Then only thing I do is turn the key and wait for the light and start. I don't even plug it in till its below 0*F as Cummins suggest. I typically just fire up the 3 CYL high idle and the exhaust brake and have heat in less than 10 minutes and the ice is gone from the windows. This way I'm not hunting for power to block heater because lot of my jobs I end up in the back country away from power at times. 

 

426k miles all I do is turn the key, wait for the WAIT TO START go off and start. No added cetane or anti gels. To this day I've never had a fuel gel issues. 

 

Just a couple of days ago.

Edited January 6, 20214 yr by Mopar1973Man

4 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I typically just fire up the 3 CYL high idle and the exhaust brake and have heat in less than 10 minutes

I have neither 3 CYL high idle nor an exhaust brake, and if I let my truck rattle itself to life for 10 minutes outside a hotel I'd likely be missing some teeth.  And if I did that at home in Kansas City my truck might drive off with someone else in it (I don't have remote start), and my neighbors would stop being nice to me.  Very few people want to listen to one of these rattle traps first thing in the morning.

Before 7AM the longest I try to idle my truck is about 30 seconds, then proceed at very slow rate if not plugged in and it's cold out.
14.4 cents is worth it to me.  Knowing for a fact that most engine wear is at cold startup, it seems like the least I can do for my truck's well being - and my comfort!

I've still got people out here that have lived generations with out power. Better bring a generator and long cord and can of gas.

 

Like myself be self-contained. You can get the high idle kit. It will help a bunch. Even Quad high idle is better than nothing.

 I've read about the different high idle setups. Factory, Moparmans and the quad high idle. I have none of these. I'd like to have at least the factory high idle. I haven't called a dealer yet to see what they would charge, I'm a little scared. Lol it would be nice to have her idle up when it's cold out.

A remote start has other uses, like scaring coworkers who are smoking behind your truck.    I think I'm the only spoiled one in here.  

My high idle has forcsome reason been work this season. Smarty turned it on.

 

I think factory high idle stays even when smarty is removed

4 hours ago, Evan said:

My high idle has forcsome reason been work this season. Smarty turned it on.

 

I think factory high idle stays even when smarty is removed

 

Correct. There is no way to shut it off. It's enabled by the Smarty without a way to disable. This is the way I got my high idle. I barrowed Bob Wagner's Smary and ran a few tunes found out I don't like it at all. In 24 hours sent it back. Still to this day it is enabled.

Edited January 18, 20214 yr by Mopar1973Man

On 1/6/2021 at 6:47 AM, Doubletrouble said:

 I've read about the different high idle setups. Factory, Moparmans and the quad high idle. I have none of these. I'd like to have at least the factory high idle. I haven't called a dealer yet to see what they would charge, I'm a little scared. Lol it would be nice to have her idle up when it's cold out.

You have the option of cutting a broom handle or other kind of stick, place it between the front of the seat cushion and the go pedal. If you have an electric adjusting seat that's all the better to attain the 1100 rpm for warm ups. I found that a nice 1X4 works beautiful and is easy to slide under the rear seat when done. It may work okay on truck thieves someday too although I haven't tried it out.

 

High Idle self defense stick. 

Edited January 18, 20214 yr by JAG1

Problem. Doesn't create any heat. 

 

6 CYL high idle doesn't generate much more heat. Now when you use 3 CYL mode or even 6 CYL mode and exhaust brake different story now you have loaded the engine and it does warm up much faster. Even my truck is quick to warm up when the EGT's floating 600 to 800*F. Compared to 250 to 300*F which does take forever. 

 

If you use @JAG1 broom stick idea now the high idle there but you now cancelled the exhaust brake warm up feature. 

Edited January 18, 20214 yr by Mopar1973Man

Thanks MoparMan, both my trucks are do not have a good enough transmission for an exhaust brake, so in my case it's not bad. Does take long long time to warm up all the iron.

14 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

both my trucks are do not have a good enough transmission for an exhaust brake

 

Sound like a upgrade is in your future... 

6 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Sound like a upgrade is in your future... 

I've learned to take good care of my factory transmissions, but relish the day when I head to Dynamic. Dan's trans from Jon is really great.

Egts at 600-800 at high idle?