I am moving from Florida to VA next week for school. I have never "lived" outside of florida. Many people are telling me I should do a few things to my truck before i go (04 hemi sport)

Such as: Replacing my engine coolant with 100% Anti Freeze. I believe mine is about a 50/50 water/antifreeze mix. Yay or Nay?

Oil. I run 5w-30 Mobile 1. Is that viscosity ok?

Battery: "your going to need a more powerful battery for the cold". ?

Any recommendations would rock my world!

 

i would also recamind and engin block heater, cause when u turn of your engin, if there is any water in your engin such as water mixed with anti freeze, then the water will freeze, then when u go to start your truck the block will crack.

 

It's not that cold in VA. I'm from MD origanally. Stick to the 50/50 mix. In the middle of winter it only get a few degrees below 0c.
5w-30 probably be fine. Check your owners manual. It might say to use 10w-30. A block heater shouldn't be required as long as you have the 50/50 anti-freeze mix. Your battery should be good too. If its old or weak the cold will kill it though. good luck in school..

 

You don't need an engine block heater, a mix of 60/40 will be just fine, but I have used 50/50 in everything without problem, the oil is fine its only when the temperature are very low, below freezeing, for extended periods that you need to worry. I've spent my entire 21 years here in Maryland, and never had a problem with my block cracking because the water in the anti freeze was frozen. As far as the battery goes, if its still the one that came with the truck new, yes replace it because the cold will sap the power out quickly, I'm not so sure that one with more cold cranking amps is needed. Its rare for it to go much below 20 around here for very long anymore, unless you're up in the mountains.

 

By the way jerritt, the only time your block will crack is when you throw cold water on a HOT block. If it's frozen when you start, it melts.

 

I live in wyoming where we experience -45* not counting the windchill. I run 50/50 coolant, 10w 30 in all my vehicles,block heaters and battery blankets. I have never had a problem. The extreme cold does kill batteries if they are not run every couple of days though. I think you will be fine in VA.

 

awesome! Thanks guys!

 

The change from Florida to VA is not that much......The 50/50 should be alright; 5W-30 oil should be alright....The battery might or might not be an issue depending on how long you've had it.

 

Va. is warm and toasty on it's coldest days compared to the upstate N.Y. winters I grew up with. Ihave not doneanything different with my trucks in the last 15 years living in Ga. & Fl. than I did in New York. Well, except I don't carry ice scrapers anymore...

 

yea virginia aint too bad i live in PA and i dont really do anything out of the ordinary... the 50-50 is the way antifreeze should always be!