Block heater as preventive measure in extreme cold

[luvrbus]

I know I'm a youngin, but can I chime in here? We've fulltimed in both a 6v92 and now currently an 8v92 in extreme cold. Down to -28°F. I just made sure the coolant was strong enough to handle it and never used a block heater while parked for the winter. No issues in either bus. If you're sure your coolant is ok, don't fret. Many people in Alaska see temps like this all the time and not all of them leave their block heaters on all night.

Have you ever had a oil sample taken after a hard winter on a 92 series ?

[eagle19952]

in 1968, the AK pipeline was put on hold. there were hundreds, maybe 1000's of diesels mothballed in place for 5 years..
they all survived.
there was equipment (cat train/exploration drilling) mothballed in Peard Bay for years waiting on permits...all survived..
check your antifreeze and get a glass of bourbon....

[Scott & Heather]

No cliff...I never did. I honestly just drove the buses. My old bus is still being driven around and lived in to this day by a young family out of Missouri. I don't suspect cold would ruin my motor oil. But maybe I missed something along the way. I'm just sharing my experiences with my coaches in cold weather.

[richard5933]

Guess he should have plugged in the block heater on this one the night before...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qswm5gFL9EY

Brrrr!

[luvrbus]

No cliff...I never did. I honestly just drove the buses. My old bus is still being driven around and lived in to this day by a young family out of Missouri. I don't suspect cold would ruin my motor oil. But maybe I missed something along the way. I'm just sharing my experiences with my coaches in cold weather.

Some 92 series seal back up after extreme cold some don't,DD changed the design and material several times over the years to prevent that problem with liner seals leaking in freezing temps it has always been a problem and the only thing I don't like a a 92 series are those tiny seal rings on the liners in the block they are going to leak 

[neoneddy]

Well, my bus is from northern, MN, I'm in Central MN now, I'm sure it sat out in -20 or -30 for weeks at a time yearly.

This is my second winter with it, last winter I didn't do anything.   As most of you regulars know I'm a worrier on this thing and I value everyone's opinion here.  It's a great wealth of knowledge.

I'll let it be for now.   I can't wait for the warm days in March to get fresh oil in her and start putting some miles on again.

[oltrunt]

I'm looking forward to the pics--Gary will probably end up looking like he is wearing chain mail!

[richard5933]

Just checking my math and suppositions here...

Last spring the shop did some work on my cooling system. They tested the antifreeze and found it good to -60 degrees (extended life coolant).

Later in the spring I discovered that there had been an air pocket and added about 8 gallons. I just checked to premix I added and found that it is good to -34 degrees.

My system holds 23 gallons total (engine + OTR heater/defroster). According to my calculations I have one third of the total at -34 and two thirds at -60. My assumption is that this mix means my freeze protection is going to move one third of the way from -60 towards -34, with the ending protection at around -50 degrees.

I know that the simple solution is to pull a sample and test the antifreeze to confirm. Problem is that I'm parked with the nose uphill right now and if I open the cap on the coolant I'll have coolant pour out - not something I want to do with temps -15 right now. Happens when I open surge tank on a hill like this.

Why the sudden concern? Temps are predicted to be near -30 Tuesday/Wednesday nights. That's cold enough to get my OCD head spinning.

I thought about plugging in the block heater like was mentioned earlier, but that wouldn't protect my OTR heating/defrosting system.

Any thoughts? Am I worried about nothing?

[buswarrior]

The rules of dilution... no engineers left here?

You didn't put anything in that wasn't laced in sufficient anti-freeze.

hmmm.... freeze and burst something in the bus, or open the lid, with a catch can in place, and test the coolant...

You can put it back in later, after you put bus on the level...

Take a sample? A little elaborate concept for jamming a hose in and taking a squeeze bulb load of coolant into the tester?

You do have your own anti-freeze tester?

If not, there's today's crisis management chore.

Me? I'd ask: What strength is your windshield washer fluid at?

Cuz, I'm a devil...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[chessie4905]

The level in the overflow tank shouldn't be so high that coolant rushes out. Crack the flap and see. Or you could push the button on the level check valve and pull a sample. I'm assuming the added coolant was thoroughly circulated. Or.. just worry about it and do nothing.lol

[richard5933]

Took my chances and opened the cap slowly - guess the fluid level reduced a bit through contraction in the cold. Pulled a sample using my bulb-type tester, and got very chaotic readings ranging from -20 to -45, mostly centered over the -34 range. I think my tester is having problems.

I'm heading to NAPA to get a new tester and some fresh test strips if they have them.

If needed, the temps on Monday are predicted to be in the 20s. Might be a good idea to pull out a gallon of what's in there, add a gallon of straight antifreeze. If I plug in Sunday night, I could then start the engine on Monday midday to circulate the antifreeze before the next wave of sub zero temps hit on Tuesday night.

I'll report back once I have the new tester in hand.

[Jim Blackwood]

You could do the calculations but theory is only good until it impacts the real world and that's where your coolant is. So an actual accurate test is going to always be the best. However, your assumptions should be right. That must be some pretty good antifreeze though that is good to 60 below.

Jim

[buswarrior]

Rules of dilution....

One gallon of straight anti-freeze in a 23 gallon system....

Has what effect?

If you're going to be OCD... purchase a ticket and really go for a ride?

My advice? Go in house, pour a beverage, repeat until you forget about the bus?

You're bus is fine.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[richard5933]

...That must be some pretty good antifreeze though that is good to 60 below.
Jim

It's all in the ratio.

Most of the antifreeze used in diesel engine can be mixed to protect down to -60, at least according to the back of the jugs I've got on hand. Maybe even more. I'm sure that the more protection one gets on the low end will affect the protection on the upper end though, so there will be a point of diminishing returns.

I did go to Napa. They had a nice antifreeze tester with the float thingies, but the most it could read was -34. Instead of wasting $20 on that, I bought a fresh bottle of test strips. Looks like we're somewhere between -34 and -60 from what I can see, probably closer to the -60 side.

I've attached a photo of the test strip, mainly so that newer bus guys/gals can see what we're talking about. The colors didn't reproduce well from the test strip and bottle in the photo, but I think you can get the idea.

Now it's on to that adult beverage someone mentioned earlier.

[buswarrior]

Excellent report!

Yes, a heavier dose of anti-freeze protection takes a little heat transfer ability out of the mixture, but...

If that small change in chemistry triggers an overheat, the coach cooling system is raggedly marginal and needs hardware work, not an anti-freeze mixture adjustment...

There's charts out there that show the relationship, for those interested.

We need a proper mixture in there for internal corrosion control, more than anything else, in the warm weather. Rusty insides don't transfer heat very well... liner pitting... etc...

Set your mixture once, for the worst conditions likely to encounter, and job is done 365 days of the year.

Test strips for the coolant SCA, replenish as necessary.

Now, where's my glass?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior