i didnt' see anyone post about this yet but cardboard gets wet... not fun to deal with. watch out for rain.

 

i just found an engine block heater. yeah it may be only good for over night but you should be able to figure something out for when you are running it.

i found it at www.ramtrucktoys.com search under electrical.

 

yea Steve... Sabres are my team... i was gonna get tickets for the Sharks game but im saposed to go out for a hunt and wont get back in enough time...

Dodgeramman, i live in LeRoy,, right out side of Batavia,, just west of rochester.. RT5 runs right through here.. how odd is that.. hey if you ever need helpd doing a project .. an extra set of hands... im sure you dont live tooo far from me... PM me ..

i did some looking around and the easiest and cheepest way to preheat the oil in the winter would be an electric heating pad made to mount on the oil pan.. advanced auto sels one thatll heat up 6 litres for about 50 bux... just something to help out when it starts to get REALLY cold out... Steve,,, i think im going with an electric fan this summer... i planned on taking out the mechanical one anyway... but thats a start... having a regulator to kick when needed..not running all the time like mine now... the cardboard does the trick... heated up quicker than usual and stayed at a good temp the whole time with no overheating... the stealership wont get me in for a flush till next week so hopefully im gonna be alright till then.. i think ill get that oilpan heater and put it on this weekend maybe or next weeek... should help out during really cold starts.. im gonna see what the flush does and if it still happens then im gonna check the t-stat .. or just live with it untill the top end comes off for the head and plenum swap (hopefully this summer ) thanks guys!!!!! ill post on that heater pad thing when its in... its on order right now should be in on sat.

 

Change your t-stat. Mine was acting the same way, didnt have any problems till it got cold, so I emailed the guy I bought the truck from and he told me he never changed it(still the original from 1997). I went ahead and got everything and when I pulled the housing off the t-stat came out in 3 pieces, it had totally rotted apart. And the antifreeze was like mud. Talk about someone not servicing their car. Put a new 180 in it, and freash antifreeze(Im good to -40 degrees), now warms up just liek it should and no problems.

So if your is still the original change it.

And yes when it gets to cold out, I use card board also, helps protect the radiator from the direct cold air.

 

thanks dude.. i might change the t-stat out anyway... it aint hard is it? something about a small tab that makes it a PINA?

 

yeah, cut that tab off... it's a PITA to remove when it's on...





[IMG]local://upfiles/1508/3CD94365F3C84299868D9DD5C2A00114.jpg[/IMG]

 

update on the rad. issue..finally got to the shop today to get a flush done... the tech said the coolant was the original stuff from mopar.. hadnt been changed in 90 thou some miles... he should be the gunk that got sucked out of there... it was pretty nasty... a few winters i expect to be replaceing the rad. .. anyway.. after the flush the motor is still running and normal op. temp. but the heater is working a bit better.. this summer ill be doing a head swap and the plenum mod and timeing chain too...while i do that work ill swap the t-stat .. maybe to a 180 deg one.. either way .. it was maitnence that needed to be done.. glad that is outa the way.. thanks for the help fellas!

 

what plenum mod are you refering too?

are you planning any intake mods while your in there?
is your truck a std cab?

 

the plenum gasket mod from arp.. the plenum plate... mines leaking bad... and yea its a short cab...and im been considering the M1.. not sure yet... its a 4X4 offroad and i dont really wanna sink a butload of money to make a heavy truck try to go fast. i heard the M1 is mainly for upper rpm range hp increase...

 

congrats on the tech cert steve!!!!! ive seen that before on other mods. numes...what does that consist of?