[AJD] Physics 101

[whodunnit]

> 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
> 

First off, your battery has less than half it's rated power when it's 
that cold. (If you have a battery...) If you keep the battery in a 
heated space until you need it you'll have far more cranking power.
Turning the headlamps on for a minute or cranking a bit then waiting 
will help to heat the battery internals also.

For oil, I found that my 6.2 GM diesel pickup starts up just fine at -10 
without being plugged in since I put in 0w40 mobil 1. The cranking speed 
at zero is at least 30% better. It would barely start at +20* with 
15w40. At $4.00 a quart, It's expensive but I've run all my cars to 
25,000 miles+ on mobil 1 between changes. I think they stopped 
recommending extended oil changes just to sell more oil.

Another trick that we used to get our ice racers started is setting a 
can of sterno under the oil pan-on an old JD there may actually be 
enough space to put it right under the cylinders to preheat them.

Eric