Yeah, I used to live in a small town and everyone left their car running… Although anything more than 10 or 15 minutes is a waste. they’d go in and have coffee at a restaurant, for example. The first car theft I heard of was about 1980. By mid-80’s everyone locked their car when running. Less so in a driveway in a suburban setting, but in a downtown populated area - don’t leave it running unlocked.
Even better than leaving it running, if you park in a garage overnight the heat from the engine before it cools off will get rid of the frost usually.
Some cars - like BMW - do not put block heaters in the engines. However, they use synthetic oil which flows at -40. Regardless, when it’s -20, let the engine run a minute or two to get everything lubricated before taking off.
There’s the story I heard on the radio, from an ancient (1930’s) aviation pioneer. They would fly into remote communities when it was -20; first thing they would do is run around to the engine, undo the oil plug, and drain the oil onto the ground.
When it was time to leave, they would dig around in the snow, pick up the oil spill, roll it up, and take it inside. There, you boil it in a pot until it’s liquid again and boiling hot. Pour that in the engine, and you had about 5 minutes to get the engine started before it got too cold.
I remember listening to some advice about not leaving your car idling in winter; some environmentalist was saying cars only need a minute or two for the motor to get warm enough to drive, but he reluctantly admitted that in extreme cold temperatures, you sometimes do need more than two minutes to get your car ready to go. I just filed that under, “No shit, Sherlock.”
Indeed, or in that particular case, the accumulated snow (remember we had six feet of new snow on top of what had already fallen that season) and drifting from the wind made it so that some people had to exit from a second story window anyway. It was heavy stuff too, so you could easily walk up to a first story roof at waist height. I had a drift that allowed me to walk right up onto my (flat) garage roof.
The steeply sloped roofs weren’t in danger so much as the flat, or nearly flat, roofs on carports, sheds and older garages, apartment and commercial buildings. We lost several old theaters and a school gym roof before they could be cleaned off.
A block heater is an electric heater mounted at the front of a car. A small power cable sticks out the front grill. You plug it into a regular wall socket and effectively thaw ( or keep warm) your engine block.
The problem is getting the car into the room with the wall socket.
Seriously, YogSosoth, most people run an extension cord from an outdoor outlet to the car’s block heater plug. It’s not uncommon in these parts to see extension cords outside of every house, all winter long. Some parking lots also have outlets for just this purpose, and drivers will have another extension cord in the car to plug into these.
I remember the first time I ever encountered a car with a block heater. I grew up in Pennsylvania, where the winters generally don’t get cold enough long enough to need specially equipped cars, but I took training in St. Paul, Minnesota. Didn’t have a car myself. I used to take walks around the neighborhood where the training center was (this was in the summer) and I noticed these cars with electric plugs sticking out of them. It baffled the hell out of me (this was before even hybrids were common, let alone fully electric cars).
I finally asked one of my local classmates about it and they told me it was a block heater. It made sense, but I would never have figured that out on my own.
You’ll note my clever omission of which wall the outlet is in Mr. fancy lawyer guy!
YogSosoth some people actually put their car in their garage/car port which normally have some sort of outlet so a short extension cord works. Others leave the car in the driveway and run a 20/25ft cord out to the car. Obligatory link for block heaters
Everyone starts their cars early in the morning here (New England) and leaves them running. It would be poor form to steal it. I’d like to get one of those automatic starters so I don’t have to go out in the cold to start it. Anyone know if those can those be installed on older cars, say like a 2004 Explorer?
I always keep blankets, a cigarette lighter, a metal cup and some tea lights in my car just in case. You can use the lighter/candles to melt snow in the cup.
Going out to start your car a few minutes before you leave is very common. When the weather is in the single digits there are not as many people hanging around on the street looking to get into trouble. Still. it seems every year there will be a couple stories of cars being stolen because they where left running and a reminder from the police not to leave your car running.
Personally I have a second key so I can lock my car while it is running, I think a lot of people do that. Also, remote starters are popular and the car can not be driven when it is started with a remote starter until you put the key in the ignition.
Wow, I had no idea these things existed! The things you miss living in a place that doesn’t snow…
Unfortunately, I also don’t have any emergency stuff. I’ve been stuck on the road twice. Once was in the median during rush hour, I was lucky a cop came by after an hour. The other time a tire blew out but I got off the freeway and used a pay phone (I don’t have a cell phone). Never have I actually been afraid for my life being stranded somewhere, I think I’ll go at least get some water and put it in the trunk.
Really, it’s about getting used to it. Being prepared is always a good idea. Water is important, but so is a good first aid kit.
My Pathfinder actually comes equipped with a good starter first aid kit, and plenty of room to expand on it. It has some good storage areas, but I include a small gym bag with the rest of the stuff.
A multi-tool should be included. I keep a blanket spread out in the back of my SUV. Heavy rubberized orange gloves and some road flares too. Heavy cord and a lighter as well. I think there are two flashlights in my SUV as well. And an extra knife.
I also keep road flares, a tow strap and tow chain and clevises. I can hook up to pretty much anything. Basic tools as well. Simple stuff like a roll of paper towels and some plastic bags can be helpful.
If you travel in cold weather keep a hat in the car as well. And never let your fuel get below a half tank and your good to go. Or stay as the case may be.
I’ve never been stranded, and don’t intend to be. But ya never know.
Good idea re the book. I am reading off my BB Storm now. They are downloaded. I have the book ‘The Road’ in the car but have not beenable to get into it.
The LED type flashlight is a good idea. Not sure what I have. Probably a MAG light or two.
It’s funny, there is no real reason to be afraid of snow and blizzards. In the county that I live, 2 years ago 100’s of people where snowed in for days. I think some folks where snow bound for a week.
I was the opposite - I bought a car that didn’t have a block heater in it, and it never occurred to me to check - all cars I’d ever seen had block heaters. I just assumed cars came with them - I didn’t realize you had to add them to cars.
There are several different heaters that can be used.
A Block heater is a very good one. This heater is mounted in the engine block where there would have been a Core Plug (Frost Plug) or some have a threaded hole for the heater. It is submersed in the engine coolant.
Lower radiator hose heater, This one is like its name, it is easy to install but not as effisent as a block heater.
Tank heater, This one is plumbed into heater hoses on older models where there is room for them to be positioned just right. Good heaters.
4, magnetic heater that might stick to an oil pan. Not the best but are popular for those that are in a pintch.
dip stick heater, a small heater at the end of a rod to be, ya that is for people that are called, … …
My pickup is running right now and its 10 deg. F Very Balmy IMHO
I will be going fishing and we will be driving between 6 & 10 miles out on Upper Red Lake.
Have a nice day, & Praise the Lord!
There’s also the battery blanket - an electric heating pad that wraps around the battery and keeps it warm. Most of the problems with starting in cold weather are that the cold reduces the chemical activity in the battery so it doesn’t have as good a charge. The battery blanket keeps it warm enough that it has a better charge.
If the oil is too thick, it doesn’t flow well - until warmed up. Quickest way to ruin an engine is to run it - under load - with minimal lubrication. Run your car for at least a minute, probably up to 5 in minus weather (-20C, 0F) to be sure it’s lubricated.
In some areas, when the manual says “use 5W30 for winter” that’s a good idea. Also, your engine operates at optimum when it’s at operating temperature. At low temperatures, the metal parts may not fight as well, if different parts expand at different rates due to temperature. This is less of a worry for water-cooled than aircooled so we don’t worry about that since the original Beetle stopped being produced.
A local business once had some giant trucks that were idled for a month in December due to strike. When they went to statr them up, they blew 2 engines due to improper lubrication.
The block heater is a 600W or so immersion heater for the engine coolant. It keeps the block moderately warm, and once the oil is pumped into the main block it heats up too. Some cars used to have oil pan heaters, but you hear a lot less about those nowadays.
Really cold areas some people also used to have battery blankets - about 60W blanket that heated the battery. A really cold battery can lose a significant amount of its power. This too is less necessary nowadays. Modern fuel-injected electronic ignition cars start a lot easier than the old carburetor-points-ignition vehicles. I remember with my early Honda Civic, it had a manual choke (!!). Pull that all the way out, and pump the pedal while cranking, and the thing would start in any weather without being plugged in. Once it started, keep pumping for about 5 or 10 seconds until it was going on its own.
