I'll be going cougar hunting next month in central Oregon in a mule deer winter range. Temperatures typically mid 20's during the day and single digits near zero at night. Can be warmer or colder. According to my owners manual I should have the block heater plugged in. Aside from running a generator all night and not sure my little 1000 watt honda will power the block heater anyway. Is there any precautions I should take? We are tent camping and don't have the luxuries we have when trailer camping.

I don't plug my 12 valve in until the temp gets to zero. Your 24 valve shouldn't have any problem starting with those temps. Just make sure your battery terminals and cables are clean.

I have started mine in 0* weather. Made a lot of racket, but fired right off. I agree with Tom on the electrical connections and be sure the batteries are in good shape also.

Definitely triple check the batteries. Clean terminals and grounds and load test those batteries for sure. You should be fine then. Might run the grid heaters a couple times before trying to start it but you should be just fine.

Heck I just go done with a full day of shopping in Ontario, OR with temperatures ranging from barely even +6°F and high of about +25°F out. About 3 good cold starts on the truck with no block heater.

 

Out here in Idaho the current bushes tend to die off ever fall of the year so there is no current bushes to plug your truck into but the Might Cummins can with stand it just fine. I just kick the high idle on and let it warm up to at least 100°F and leave.

We recently had a cold snap (for us) and hit -10 to -15. I meant to plug my truck in before going to bed but forgot all about it until I had to go start it at 4AM. The grid heaters ran for what seemed like a loong time, but once they were done I hit the key and she lit right off.

My brother in law in Wyoming leaves his truck sit up at their cabin for days at a time. I'ts right at 10k feet in elevation, and when the sun goes down it gets cold QUICK. -20 to -30 at night is fairly normal during the coldest months. He does not have the option to plug in because they have no electricity, and his Cummins has never let him down. On a few occasions he has talked of sticking a kerosene heater under the oil pan for a bit just to get the oil warmed up, but thats extreme cold.

One thing you may think about is keeping some type of anti gel treatment with you and dose your tank. If your buying fuel local to where your hunting it shouldnt be a problem, but any kind of unseasonally cold temps might be a good idea to be proactive and dose the tank.

Out here in Idaho the current bushes tend to die off ever fall of the year so there is no current bushes to plug your truck into..

 

What?

What?

 

I've got a electric rock.

Keep them cougars warm....

 

Ws

I've got a electric rock.

 

Well! I'll be...

 

Son, of, a'gun!

 

I've yet to find me one of them, nor these bushes! I guess it must just be a central ID thing?

 

Thats one rare rock you got there! I'd keep my lips sealed about it if was you!

If it's under 32F and you can easily plug it in, I would.  Just because they can start without it doesn't mean there is no reason to use it.  If you have to go out of your way to plug it in with generators and stuff, don't bother.  If it gets below -10F I would start doing something that drastic.  The long term effects start to show if you start it at frigid temps repeatedly.  Every now and then doesn't really matter.  Daily -20F starts all winter would definitely start to wear things.  

 

The vid is my truck at -2F, not plugged in.  It will do it, so I kept doing it...it doesn't start like that anymore.  Months before that vid I went out and started it at 0F with no grids, fired up just the same.  I went to college and started it 3 times a day, each being frigid, it didn't take long to start sacrificing compression, I'm surprised the mpg hasn't dropped off as well.  

 

So yeah, if you can, do it, if you can't, don't do it often.  I mean a winter trip isn't going to kill it, just be sure to go easy on it when you take off until it warms up.  Idling is probably worse unless you have a jake or something to load the engine as it is too cold and idling produces almost no heat which is why it takes so long to warm up.  Let it idle a minute, get in, drive it, nicely..  

 

Cummins recomendation is 0F, I agree it doesn't hurt (except at the meter) but I have to wonder if you experienced a loss of compression, or if components like your starter, batteries, and cables have all declined in performance over the years. It does not get below 0 here often, maybe a handful of times a year, but it does get down to single digits at night during the cold months, so we technically fit in that area where generally plugging in is not needed. I know of lots of construction equipment and farm equipment that has spent many years sitting outside during the winter months and fired up everyday without being plugged in with no ill effects. My family has a large dairy farm with some tractors that have been around since the early 80s that literally get run 7 days a week, never get plugged in, and run like a top. Same with my job, we have equipment thats well north of 10k hours and they all run well.

Another point to ponder is that VW TDIs do not even come with block heaters. VW feels they are not necessary and are confident their engines will start in sub zero weather with a set of glow plugs and a good battery. I know theres lots of TDIs running around in the frozen north of Canada being started daily in frigid temps.

I started at -8*F with 2 cycles of the grid heaters & the smoke cleared up in about a minute.

But, them Cougars are hot. Just duct tape one to the oil pan & it should start right up...

 

Ed

Another point to ponder is that VW TDIs do not even come with block heaters. VW feels they are not necessary and are confident their engines will start in sub zero weather with a set of glow plugs and a good battery. I know theres lots of TDIs running around in the frozen north of Canada being started daily in frigid temps.

I have two in the family that are real difficult to start at 15* below zero and the Canadian TDIs have the heater option. My 2012 TDI has started at -30* though!

Are you sure they come from the factory with a heater? The only thing Im going by is on the TDI forum, alot of them guys brag about how cold they start their car with no heater....I know they make aftermarket jobs like the Frost Heater.

I had to put a brand new battery in our Beetle late fall but the one morning I drove it to work it was -12 and once the GP did their thing she spun over like a hamster wheel.

I agree with diesel4life dose the tank. If it gets mixed well,[on the drive to camp] you shouldn't have any problem starting. As said maybe cycle grid heat a couple times. In 2012 I worked in Cheyenne, truck would sit 2-3 days in 0-5 degrees started every time. 

Are you sure they come from the factory with a heater? The only thing Im going by is on the TDI forum, alot of them guys brag about how cold they start their car with no heater....I know they make aftermarket jobs like the Frost Heater.

I had to put a brand new battery in our Beetle late fall but the one morning I drove it to work it was -12 and once the GP did their thing she spun over like a hamster wheel.

From what I have read only the Canadian version has the heater. I just put a heater on my son's TDI today. At 1000 watts it should give him plenty of heat in that little 4 cylinder!

Only the later years had coolant heaters. (I don't know when they started) My 01 Jetta only had a dealer installed pan heater. It worked till it got really cold then I was stranded. I put the 1000 watt heater in my 05 Passat. No worries now!

Only the later years had coolant heaters. (I don't know when they started) My 01 Jetta only had a dealer installed pan heater. It worked till it got really cold then I was stranded. I put the 1000 watt heater in my 05 Passat. No worries now!

There is no heater on my 2012 TDI.

There is no heater on my 2012 TDI.

I believe Volkswagon is referring to those Canadian rigs...I was referring to the older cars in my original post, being I don't keep up very well with anything new..$$$$

When I was looking for a TDI I came across a good deal on Craigslist for a gently used Frost Heater. I kept the number and when I found a car I called the guy to see if he still had it and he did. While we don't get real cold weather here it is nice for the wife. I have it set up on a timer for 2 hours prior and she can literally go out on a 10 degree morning, start the car and it is making instant heat. Not hot, but definitely warm enough to call heat! Its amazing they put such a massive heater in a car with so little coolant capacity.  I keep meaning to take my IR gun out there and get a coolant temp reading out of curiosity to see how warm it really is.

JR, I wish you would check the temperature. Like you said, 1000 watts is a lot of heat. Shoot, we only have 750 watts on our trucks!