97 intersmashable Conversion

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I just want to know if the T-444E will start on its own at minus 31
-Cbristoipher

define on its own, with the block heater and the espar yes.

we have 3 more of them on base that only get used for exercises and such...

[plfking]

Thanks for the pics.....going to show them to my friends when they start bit**ing about getting 2" or 3" down here.

[o1marc]

My brother just text me and said he was going out for a 16° cigarette. I told him to text me back when he was done so I know he didn't freeze solid out there. I don't live in Ct. anymore for just this reason.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by o1marc

My brother just text me and said he was going out for a 16° cigarette. I told him to text me back when he was done so I know he didn't freeze solid out there. I don't live in Ct. anymore for just this reason.

When I left the other day, I told the boy if I wasn't back by 2000, I was likely in a bad way and to call the duty officer lol

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Yukon Cornelius

define on its own, with the block heater and the espar yes.

we have 3 more of them on base that only get used for exercises and such...

id expect them to start being plugged in.. im interested to know about being unplugged and espar not on.. mine startes at minus 10.. while i dont plan on travelling to minus 30 weathger.. ever.. period.. I have been caught in it before when I was blizzard chasing in my Jeep a couple years ago.. (I storm chase winter and summer astorms at times).. my jeep started at minus 28. it was a gasser though..



blizzard chasi g in the bus wouldnt be my first choice.. but sometimes my work ends up with me in the likes of minnesota where i have to park without a plugin.. and it can get clear and cold quickly.. one of these days Ill get my webasto installed then it will be a non-issue.
-Christopher

[Yukon Cornelius]

I think if your batteries are good and its only one or two days she should be fine. But as you know diesels are kind of like people cold means different things. I've had kit that wouldn't start at 28-32 F on the west coast without being plugged in and we had gear here at times go a couple 4 or 5 days without people realizing that it either wasn't plugged in, or the cord was borrowed for something and forgotten...
In a day to day scenario if you got caught with your pants down I wouldn't lose sleep over it. But planning to be sat up somewhere for a bit, then I would make plans, drip tray with charcoal, tiger torch through a pipe, or what have you to preheat the engine n fluids, and keep the batteries from suffering the cold.

[cadillackid]

when im travelling into really cold, I do carry my generator and Heavy duty battery charger.. probably be a good idea to carry a couple magnetic oil pan heaters too until I get my webasto installed..



seems the batteries are part of it, but more than anything the thick oil in all the bearing journals is the real killer.. lots of friction in goo lined bearings

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

when im travelling into really cold, I do carry my generator and Heavy duty battery charger.. probably be a good idea to carry a couple magnetic oil pan heaters too until I get my webasto installed..



seems the batteries are part of it, but more than anything the thick oil in all the bearing journals is the real killer.. lots of friction in goo lined bearings

them mag oil pan heaters are good, lots of people up here have them.

it's almost like a chicken or the egg convo...most people tend to say oil matters more than batteries, because are a much shorter lifed item and are less headache to change than engine internals....I like having both at peak

[cadillackid]

I was talking more about the oil being extremely thick when it’s wicked cold. It is one of the big reasons your engine cranks slow in really cold weather.sure good batteries are important and cold batteries don’t put out as much as warmer cells.. but after a glowplug cycle or two the batteries are on their way to warming up. I know navistar allows for thinner oil if you are operating in cold climates .. but often a single trip may place you in a climate where thin oil is dangerous to that engine.
Synthetics help if the manufacturer approves them but some engines don’t like them ..
minus 15.. we are expecting it nd t week here.. about the time I’m heading to Miami for 2 sites that need work.. alas if I ran the oil that navistar said I should for below 0f I’d likely have big issues when I hit the 80s in Florida..

My DEV bus has a block heater that gets turned on by timer for 2 hours in the night and 2 hours in the day.. that engine stays at a temp which it will start easily..

If I can get a mag heater for the red one by next week I’ll be getting one. The strain on engine internals is tough when the oil is wickedly thick and you fire it up.. she is- Texas bus so no block heater or EBPV.. but all of the heaters are clean and work fantastic

[o1marc]

Most engine damage and wear is done on start up when there is no oil in the circulation. If it's thick in the pan and doesn't pump, you're screwed before too long. That's why I've always thought warming and thinning the oil was important. But I never dealt with diesel back then and am learning the importance of keeping the fuel warm also. So I don't now which is more important. You think the one on my DT466 is a water jacket heater?

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I was talking more about the oil being extremely thick when it’s wicked cold. It is one of the big reasons your engine cranks slow in really cold weather.sure good batteries are important and cold batteries don’t put out as much as warmer cells.. but after a glowplug cycle or two the batteries are on their way to warming up. I know navistar allows for thinner oil if you are operating in cold climates .. but often a single trip may place you in a climate where thin oil is dangerous to that engine.
Synthetics help if the manufacturer approves them but some engines don’t like them ..
minus 15.. we are expecting it nd t week here.. about the time I’m heading to Miami for 2 sites that need work.. alas if I ran the oil that navistar said I should for below 0f I’d likely have big issues when I hit the 80s in Florida..

My DEV bus has a block heater that gets turned on by timer for 2 hours in the night and 2 hours in the day.. that engine stays at a temp which it will start easily..

If I can get a mag heater for the red one by next week I’ll be getting one. The strain on engine internals is tough when the oil is wickedly thick and you fire it up.. she is- Texas bus so no block heater or EBPV.. but all of the heaters are clean and work fantastic

Completely concur with all of that, not as big an issue for us as we rock winter oil as we have stability to our temps and at this time I'm not travelling 40 deg temps swings.

Originally Posted by o1marc

Most engine damage and wear is done on start up when there is no oil in the circulation. If it's thick in the pan and doesn't pump, you're screwed before too long. That's why I've always thought warming and thinning the oil was important. But I never dealt with diesel back then and am learning the importance of keeping the fuel warm also. So I don't now which is more important. You think the one on my DT466 is a water jacket heater?

Again concur, but if you flatten your driving batteries regularly, then you'll be at replacing them almost yearly, and it won't take long for that to cost you an alternator and multiple sets of batteries which most likely will end up in the same neighbourhood as shot up bearings. SO then its the up front costs of nickel dime versus the one shot cash hit.

Ideally, block heater of some variety, oil warming, fuel heater/strainer, battery warming/tending setup.

As for the heater on your DT466, I couldn't say for sure I'd have to do some digging, Christopher may know off the top of his head

[cadillackid]

marc, if your heater is like the one in ny DT360, it is a water jacket heater.. it doesnt have a pump, the thing I do notice is that it heats things warm enough that the oil in the pan flows pretty good.. the oil pressure gauge pops up quickly and doesnt run off the scale.. most often those heaters are in a freeze plug hole in the driver side rear of the engine between holes 5 and 6.

-Christopher

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

marc, if your heater is like the one in ny DT360, it is a water jacket heater.. it doesnt have a pump, the thing I do notice is that it heats things warm enough that the oil in the pan flows pretty good.. the oil pressure gauge pops up quickly and doesnt run off the scale.. most often those heaters are in a freeze plug hole in the driver side rear of the engine between holes 5 and 6.

-Christopher

All I've seen of it so far is the cord coming out the drivers side of the bus. I'll look in the engine bay and look for the plug. Thanks

[o1marc]

Found it, right in plain view from on top.

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Found it, right in plain view from on top.

I'd be worried about that installation position. Looks like in the oil gallery, not in the coolant. Should be as low in the block as possible.


John

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by BlackJohn

I'd be worried about that installation position. Looks like in the oil gallery, not in the coolant. Should be as low in the block as possible.


John

It's a Washington bus, heaters been there for over 252K miles, I assume it correct.
I wonder if it is in an oil gallery if it helps heat both the oil and the water, as opposed to heating from the pan.

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by o1marc

It's a Washington bus, heaters been there for over 252K miles, I assume it correct.
I wonder if it is in an oil gallery if it helps heat both the oil and the water, as opposed to heating from the pan.

Nope, that heater will burn out if not immersed and oil doesn't immerse it, just flows near it if anything. It's likely sitting in free air.

Might have been there for x miles but does it even work? Plug it in, it'll either trip the breaker or explode.


John

[cadillackid]

cant tell nbut it looks liek a water jacket spot to me.. its a little farther forward than sume are biut its positioned similarly to mine other than its a bit further forward.


Plug it in, itll probably heat up your engine just fine..

-Christopher

[Yukon Cornelius]

So got a lil more ceiling work done after I re-arranged the interior a bit again to facilitate working to street side.



today was a beauty, turned gas into noise for a bit this morning



then I went and sorted through some of my lumber and relocated to a secure, dry storage area to lay pretty till needed



a couple board feet...



going grooming again first thing tomorrow so not sure I'll do anything else on the bus till Monday

[Sleddgracer]

that's a lot of snow - traditionally that's the kind of snowfall we get here, but 'tradition' seems to be changing in the west and our snowpack here in the valley is pretty low - lots of freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw weather, leaving a skating rink trail - good thing I have the old Tucker sno-cat - teeth on the drag were able to tear up the ice, and 1 inch of snow and our trail turned out very nice - sleds ( dog sleds ) were able to carve the corners this morning behind our two fastest teams - EXHILARATING runs