Basically my winter front is a old road sign cut up to fit the opening in the grill. (Thank you! Kelly Hinkley - "The Metal Shop" Riggins, Idaho) I've seen several other ideas including, stainless steel, plexiglass, lexan, and several other materials. But the principal is simple. Keep the cold air from blowing across the radiator and engine. This will aid in engine warm up times and fuel mileage.

Remember the cold air will extend the warm up times hence this will cause more fuel to be consumed till the engine is completely warmed up. (Roughly 160-190°F) I've seen about 5-10 miles before I got full engine temperature without the winter front. Now with the winter front its less than 3 miles to get full engine temperature.

Excessive cold air for air intake will actually degrade performance. So with the winter front in place it will trap more warm air under the hood for engine use. Compression engines (diesel) require compression of air to make heat to fire the fuel. When the air get cold enough it will start to degrade the performance and fuel economy.

As for overheating... Not likely. As long as the fan is in place with the winter front the fan will engage to help cool the engine down if the temperature was to rise from extra load or steep grade.

Updated - November 24, 2006

I'm seeing people that are putting a piece of cardboard in front of the coolers and radiators or putting it between the radiator and the coolers. Most people put a good size hole in the middle and insert it... This is WRONG! DON'T DO IT!

Why is cardboard inserted wrong??? Well when you put a piece of cardboard against radiator or coolers your block air flow completely all the time. Then when you cut a hole in the middle of the cardboard your blowing cold air on the fan clutch keeping it unlocked always... If the fan clutch did lock it couldn't cool the engine down you got cardboard block the flow of air. Remember also there is a lot of air pushing against this and will plug the face of the radiator/coolers with what ever material you use! The only air flow is going to be at the center where the hole is at... So now you got a overheat problem possibly with both coolant and exhaust temperatures.

So why is the winter front CORRECT?? Because the winter front block the cold in coming air but it leave a gap between the grill and the coolers. So now if the fan should happen to lock it can pull full flow of air through it to cool not only the radiator but the intercooler too!

Easiest fix is to move South---Like Texas..We dont have those cold awful winter storms like you guys up North. It does get cold but doesn't stay that away to long.Hook-Em Horns

Hey Live Oak there is ZERO cutting of wires everything plugs in...

As a matter of fact I'm building to kit as we speak I got to head out to Radio Shack and pick up the other parts I've ordered... I got some switches and resistors sitting up at McCall, Idaho...

Can you update the links to the pictures? I would be interested in seeing how you did this with all plug in components.

OK, I finally got the wife to take a pict of my home made thin plastic cold fronts... now on their second season. I like the blacked out look.

I used 1/4-20 SS bolts, except for one that I dropped & lost. Next year, I'm going to replace the pan head bolts with phillips, oval heads & finishing washers (all SS)... then I can use a screw gun to run it up on the SS nylocks & fender washers. The flexible plastic requires 2 bolts per pannel.

Pretty much the same set up I have on mine. I bought mine from Eric Buckle over on TDR. I replaced the lock washers and standard 1/4-20 nuts with stainless nylok nuts to keep things from rattling loose.

Nice lookin' truck by the way. :thumbsup:

Can you update the links to the pictures? I would be interested in seeing how you did this with all plug in components.

Yeah that is rather old...http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/cummins/2ndgen24v/high-idle/high-idle.htm Or the latest high idle thread... http://forum.mopar1973man.com/showthread.php?t=977& http://forum.mopar1973man.com/showthread.php?t=788&

Easiest fix is to move South---Like Texas..We dont have those cold awful winter storms like you guys up North. It does get cold but doesn't stay that away to long. Hook-Em Horns

Maybe that's true in some parts of Texas, but not up in the panhandle. I lived for 18 months in Amarillo, and we had snow. Sometimes a lot of snow. One blizzard while I was there dumped about 16 inches of snow that basically shut everything down for 3-4 days!!!! One other time, I flew home for a wedding, and when I left Amarillo, it was 0*F outside.:eek: When I got to Chitcago, it was also 0*F outside!!!!

Maybe that's true in some parts of Texas, but not up in the panhandle. I lived for 18 months in Amarillo, and we had snow. Sometimes a lot of snow. One blizzard while I was there dumped about 16 inches of snow that basically shut everything down for 3-4 days!!!! One other time, I flew home for a wedding, and when I left Amarillo, it was 0*F outside.:eek: When I got to Chitcago, it was also 0*F outside!!!!

Exactly-the panhandle does get the worst of it. I am in DFW so we rarely see blizzard type conditions.

Easiest fix is to move South---Like Texas..We dont have those cold awful winter storms like you guys up North. It does get cold but doesn't stay that away to long.

i had been say'n the samething....and christmas eve.....we're hammered like none i have seen in the 24 years living in OK

It would be very interesting to see how high the under hood temps are when running a cold front or other devise to restrict air through the grill / bumper. It's been said earlier, but I'll repeat here, that blocking the "radiatior" is not the same thing because there are a multiplex of coolers & such. In my experience, engine temperatures run normal with my cold front panels installed... and reach normal (dead center on the temp guage) about as quickly as they would in Spring & Fall. The bumper cut outs remain open so some fresh air is input.Before I reinstalled the cold fronts... that one trip out, I stopped at the market. The parking space had a big snow pile & I agressively pushed into the snow with the bumper. I realized that the bumper cut outs were solid snow when I got home. Note to self: "Do not do this with cold front installed." This will be the third season with these panels.Russ

Just thought I'd throw a couple of pics of my winter front up. To the inspiration from Mike's set up. Had some .080" Aluminum plate around. Put in place with carriage bolts. Used thumb screws with 1" washers to hold in place. Also a pic of my High Idle kicker switches.

Just thought I'd throw a couple of pics of my winter front up. To the inspiration from Mike's set up. Had some .080" Aluminum plate around. Put in place with carriage bolts. Used thumb screws with 1" washers to hold in place. Also a pic of my High Idle kicker switches.

that is a very clean install on the switches and that front looks very good also

I'll have to ask my buddy at the dealership how much they will charge me with the DRB 3 to enable the high idle. I would like to get a copy of the TSB from you for it if possible.

I'll have to ask my buddy at the dealership how much they will charge me with the DRB 3 to enable the high idle. I would like to get a copy of the TSB from you for it if possible.

Usually cost a shop hour... But here is the TSB. http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/cummins/2ndgen24v/high-idle/tsb18-019-01.htm

I still know a few mechanics that work in the local Chrysler dealerships so I'll see if one of them can do it for me a little cheaper.

It would be very interesting to see how high the under hood temps are when running a cold front or other devise to restrict air through the grill / bumper.

I have winter fronts on and all I know is when I idled after being on the highway, it was in the teens and was radiating the heat to the overhead outdoor temp sensor. This was when the engine had been on the road for 5 hours so it was good and warm. Forgot I took my fan off. I wondered how it went from 16F to 60F

I'll have to ask my buddy at the dealership how much they will charge me with the DRB 3 to enable the high idle. I would like to get a copy of the TSB from you for it if possible.

Not to correct but "HIGH IDLE" is wide open foot to the floor full governed rpm. What you are after is the "Elevated Idle" option. Also known as fast idle. Just find someone with a Smarty programmer and do a download and just unload it again the elevated idle will then be activated for good. Most guys with smarty programmers are always passing them around just to enable the elevated idle option for others.:shades:

I've never heard of a smarty programmer but I'll ask around and see if anybody has one.

I think the overhead sensor the the doohicky on the hood behind the grill. I'd like to know what the air temp is outside the air box... & inside, too.I will look at my overhead just to see what the sensor says... but that's in front of the radiator. Still the truck should run fine in 60 degree weather... so 60 degrees on the sensor should not be alarming. Errr, I guess that's what you were trying to say. SorryRuss

I think the overhead sensor the the doohicky on the hood behind the grill. I'd like to know what the air temp is outside the air box... & inside, too. I will look at my overhead just to see what the sensor says... but that's in front of the radiator. Still the truck should run fine in 60 degree weather... so 60 degrees on the sensor should not be alarming. Errr, I guess that's what you were trying to say. Sorry Russ

I meant the radiator produces enough heat to make my overhead sensor read 60f when its only 16f outside.. This was when I was just sitting there idling.

I've never heard of a smarty programmer but I'll ask around and see if anybody has one.

http://www.madselectronics.com/Smarty03.html you can find them for about $650 with free shipping.

http://www.madselectronics.com/Smarty03.html you can find them for about $650 with free shipping.

www.smartypower.com and Bob Wagner will let you try one with no strings attached......... He is the USA distributer and is out of Washinton state.