[AJD] Physics 101

[Richard Strobel]

Hi Nick, I've been in Montana for almost 30 years and have learned a lot.

In the fall an oil/filter change is good.  Don't usually do plugs unless 
they're due.  Check the coolant antifreeze.

"Heat" gas antifreeze (methanol I think) is added to the tank and once a 
month doesn't hurt.

Now days almost everyone uses frost plug heaters.  ~600 watt, they draw less 
power than the old tank heater,  <100 rockets for the pro's to install and 
personally it's money well spent.  (Keep an eye out for leaks).  You can 
hear a soft plug heater seconds after it's plugged in if ya listen real 
hard.

I usually get around 4 years on a battery.  Some like previously mentioned 
plug a trickle charger in at night.  They even make battery warmers that go 
under the battery.  Some wire the frost plug heater, trickle charger, and 
battery warmer all together so you only have one plug sticking out the 
grill.  Some plug it into their porch light and when they get up in the 
morning, they turn on the porch light...I personally like that.  Sanitize 
those battery connections.

When it's 5 below or colder, the BOSS goes out and starts/warms up her car 
every 4 hours...at work.

Windshielf de-icer is used in the washer tank, NOT the summer stuff as it 
freezes.

I guess all in all is a fresh engine/tuneup/PM/ and follow the owners 
manual.

We also carry survival equipment...AAA has those guidelines I believe.  Warm 
clothes,cell phone, candle, matches are a must.  I could go on and on with 
that subject.

  Give the windshields a good scrape, clean off the head lights, turn 
signals and especially the tail/brake lights.  Brush/sweep the loose snow 
off the car..you can go IFR really quick!!

  And probably the most important is to give the guy in front of you PLENTY 
of room, and SLOW DOWN.

I know there's more and as they come to me I'll repost.

Hope this helps and good luck
RickinMt.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <nick_solomon at infostations.com>
To: "Antique John Deere mailing list" 
<antique-johndeere at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: [AJD] Physics 101


> My gal put her car in a ditch a few weeks back at 10 at night and was
> going to have to be back to work at 8 in the morning, so I went to crank
> up my '47 model b, and I don't think I could have started it for all the
> money in the world. it was -23f actual air temp. to be honest, my other
> car wouldent even start the next morning and it had been plugged in to all
> night as well... I guess that once it gets past a certain point some
> engines won't run? I don't know.... being from Ca this Minnesota weather
> is really eye opening.....
>
> can any body give me any tips for extreme cold (-20F or colder) operation
> of engines? aside from the obvious of using a nice thin oil?
> Nick Solomon
>
> > What is the physics behind our old treasures being harder to start in 
> > cold
> > weather?
> >
> > Is the ignition system affected by the cold?
> > Is the fuel mixture somehow different?
> > Is it harder to burn the fuel mixture enclosed by cold iron?
> > The physical effects of the thickened oils are obvious, but are there
> > other
> > issues with oils as well?
> > What about air intake?  Any changes there?  Am I more likely to suck a
> > glob
> > of oil from the breather into the carb during cold weather?
> > Aside from the obvious effects from freezing, does the coolant system
> > behave
> > differently during cold weather?
> >
> > My old John Deere tends to wake up pretty well on a cold morning, about 
> > as
> > well as I do, but the definition of cold here in Texas is different than
> > it
> > is elsewhere.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Cal B.
> > Nacogdoches, Texas
> >
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