This is from this morning. I'm going to run some tests on my heating system today :)
I live near Gumpy so I am experiencing the same type of cold. My TDI Golf wouldn't start yesterday morning. It cranked fine but wouldn't fire. I had only plugged in the coolant heater for 40 minutes. I plugged the heater back in and 30 minutes later it started.
I learned my lesson on starting diesels and left the heater plugged in all night last night. I wouldn't even try to start my bus right now.
Volkswagen doesn't supply a block heater, nor do they recommend one. I bought a third party coolant heater.
Brian Elfert
Hi Craig,
NOT BRRRRRRR.. But, F**KING BRRRRRRRRRR.........
Too cold for me man... it's +20 F here and I can't function in theese temps.
I put on the heavy Carthart this morning, I'm warm but, I can't move, hard to drive, can't go to the men's room, ect.
I'll tell ya.. Florida would be nice right now!
Nick-
its 80 degrees on my patio today...
In sunny Arizona around Sedona it is in the 70s. In fact it was so nice yesterday and today I fired up the old Harley and went for a ride. I know it is rough but some one has to do it.
ED
MCI 7
Cornville, AZ
It's cold here too. I managed to do some work on the bus last night by taking a heater out with me. Tonight I got all dressed up in multiple sweaters, then went outside and found it was just too cold to stand, so I'm ashamed to say I came back in to the house to do some work on the computer instead. (And of course, rather than working I'm on the board)
Jeremy
Craig,
Well it may be of little comfort but it was 54 F when I got home tonight and it is heading your way. So far in the last 14 days it has been down to -20F up to 55F with a ground blizzard in between. Depending on the day I am either working in my shirt sleeves or bundled up like a fuzzy round ball. By the end of the week down to single digits at night again. So the yoyo continues.
Skip
BURR, BURR, WISH I HAD FUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Hey Craig,
I got home at 5:30 and my daughter had said it was -3 an hour earlier. At 7:30 it was -19. This morning when i woke up it was -29.4.
Damn cold, and i am supposed to have my bus at the garage in the neighboring town tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning for some front end work before i leave.
Wonder what the odds are that all systems will work, and that i can get the brakes to release? Last Thur i started it and got it moving, it had been only -16 that night, and was almost zero when i started it up. I have a block heater of course, and can positively state they are worth every penny!!! Poor thing sits outside, so tomorrow morning will be quite a test for it.
Any cold weather tips would be very timely and much appreciated.
Craig,
Its 60 in my shop right now :D Of course if i had a real bus and not a 35 footer I wouldn't be able to fit it in there. >:(
Just tinkering around with wiring and location for those gauges.
Fred
Gumpy,
I feel your pain! But look at the bright side, NO MOSQUITOS
Its -12 with 30 MPH wind even down here in SE Wisconsin.
And for all you southern fair weather folk its not nice to rub it in!
I have to admit I would trade with you now, but come July I'd rather be here. I have to admit I can't wait for the time I can be with you for January and February and here the rest of the year. At least then the winter would be cut in half and almost tolerable.
JimCallaghan
Quote from: JimC on February 05, 2007, 08:07:26 PM
I feel your pain! But look at the bright side, NO MOSQUITOS
Not necessarily true.
Ever since we've lived in this house, I find at least one mosquito in my bathroom in January or February. I don't know. But every year, I find a mosquito flying around in my bathroom when it's freezing outside.
Quote from: John Z on February 05, 2007, 06:13:40 PM
Any cold weather tips would be very timely and much appreciated.
Make sure your antifreeze is full. It's not unusual to lose several gallons when it gets cold due to cold leaks around clamps. Since I bought a bus, I've had to buy more antifreeze than in my entire life previously.
Plug it in several hours ahead of starting. Let it idle till the temp starts coming up. This will help start to warm up the tranny.
I'd suggest cyclying the air a couple times as long as you don't have trouble with it. Pump your brakes to drop the pressure and cycle the compressor a few times. The air from the compressor will be warmer, and will help warm up all your valves, etc. It'll also help get all moisture out of the system by cycling the dryer.
Take it slow when you start driving. The thick fluids in the differential and tranny need some time to warm up. Give it all time to loosen up.
Make sure you test your brakes a few times after you start driving, just to make sure all of them are working and releasing properly.
When it gets this cold, big heavy metal objects sometimes complain, and the results can be very expensive and time consuming.
Careful with that Bussicle.
You may be below the Ductile-to-Brittle Transition Temperature.
Wouldn't want you to turn it into 2 20 footers!
Maybe now would be a good time to practice your
streaking! :o ;D :o
Thanks for the tips. I will throw a few gallons of premixed antifreeze into the basement. I am sort of lucky that i only have to go about 5 miles to get to the coach repair place. I doubt i will ever see 3rd gear on the trip over there! They had to cancel my appointment i had last Thur, so it has to get there tomorrow. I don't want to drive it any great distance until i get the new front ends pieces put in there. I went out and plugged it in about an hour ago, so it will be a big pot of coffee in the morning and just taking things slow and easy.
craig,
thanks for sending all your weather here. NOT!!! it is and has been freaking brrrr all week.
an update for you. that plate is still leaking, but the bus is in the garage for another 2 months until the temp gets up to 50 at least. in the heated garage, maybe i can get some work done, like replacing the gasket on the block heater, both of them.
i ended up losing about a pint of fluid per day on the way back. prior, i don't think i lost that much for the last 1000 miles.
Quote from: manasst on February 07, 2007, 07:38:03 PM
an update for you. that plate is still leaking, but the bus is in the garage for another 2 months until the temp gets up to 50 at least. in the heated garage, maybe i can get some work done, like replacing the gasket on the block heater, both of them.
i ended up losing about a pint of fluid per day on the way back. prior, i don't think i lost that much for the last 1000 miles.
Hey Tom,
Glad you could use some of this cold. We certainly have plenty.
Shoot, a pint a day is nothing. I lose that from cold leaks just sitting in the driveway ;)
You should be able to buy new gaskets for it. I think those were old and dried out. Get some good gasket adhesive, and do a very liberal application to both the block and gasket before installation. Check the torque specs on those bolts, too. Maybe we got them too tight and warped the plate. I don't think so, but it's possible.
BTW, remind Fran to keep an eye on here laundry basket :D
craig
Just an update on getting the coach into the shop for the work to be done before i leave on Fri. The overnight low Monday night was -24. I had plugged in the block heater Monday night at 9:30. At 6:45 am it was -18. I went out and turned on the furnace,,, my gawd what an awful sound the poor frozen fan motor on my Atwood made for the first 20 seconds it was running. The digital thermometer on the dash of the bus was too cold to display anything. Back to the house to drink coffee for almost an hour. When i tried to start it at 7:45 it had not really warmed up any. It turned over good enough, but would not fire. I did not make a big deal out of it, as i still had coffee in the house. Another hour goes by and it is about -11. Went out and sprayed just a wisp of starting fluid into one of the intake grills.Did the crank 3 rest 5, and on the 3rd time it started!!! Unreal, quite a testimony to those old Detroits! Slow to pump up air, but brakes released almost right away (on second try). Very little power the first few blocks but it took off pretty well. So if the shop gets all the mechanical work done on time, we will be south bound Fri night, looking for some warm weather to do some bicycling in.
Maybe you can convince the shop to leave it inside overnight tonight and have a nice warm coach to start out in tomorrow.
You might want to put some conditioner in the fuel tank today, also, since you may not have had a chance to put #1 in there. Or, swing by and get some Arctic blend in the tank after you pick it up from the shop.
Craig, i am out this morning to have my battery cable made up. I am going to bite the bullet and get it made of 4/0 thanks to your advice. Do it once and do it right. It doesn't look like i will have time to get anything done with the disconnest or fuse before i hit the road, but i should be able to keep the house batteries up and functioning. I had added Power Service to the tank back in Jan while it was still warm (jeez i miss those temps) so the fuel should be good to go. I called Luke yesterday, and he is overnighting me a front end part i needed. (Luke comes through again!) It will arrive today, so maybe, just maybe, along with the rest of the work i had asked my local shop to take a look at, it will have to spend the night in the shop. That would be perfect if i could pick it up, swing by home and throw in the huge heap of stuff that is ready to do,, and the bicycles, and head out. Thanks for all your help.