Prepping Car for Cold Weather (Northern Ontario) - Comments/Suggestions

[dmccarty]

I recall sitting in my hunting blind in the daytime with a 5000btu marine propane (vented) heater going. The blind has a 4x8' floor plan, 6 ft to the eves insulated with 1.5" EPS 1/2" external and 1/4" internal ply 2" EPS in the roof, and that sucker could barely keep the frost off the single pane blind windows (on the inside)...

So you need to understand what we think when it is suggested that 200 or 400W is going to do the job in MI, let alone Canada, where the only thing between you and the north pole is a bit of barb wire... I know, SC is a different world. My uncle in VA has a winter that seems to be 6-8 weeks long...

Yeah, the cold down here is not usually as bad as up Nawth. Usually. :laughing::laughing::laughing: We have had the temp drop below 10 but that does not happen often or for very long thank goodness!

I am hoping the 200 watt unit will work most of the time for me, given what I want it to do. If it does not, I will try the higher wattage units. Though, before I buy I will go back and look at the specs, reviews and cost a bit closer. If the price and reviews are similar, I just might by more wattage since in this case the extra wattage will just warm up things
quicker.

Later,
Dan

 

[buickanddeere]

When driving during a snow storm and in particular parking outside during a snowstorm. Don't get the vehicle interior or windshield any warmer than absolutely necessary. That warm vehicle interior will melt that snowfall into a thick layer of ice to greet you at going home time.
There is also a narrow balance on windshield temp. Too cool and the glass will fog. Too warm and everything hitting the glass will melt and smear instead of bouncing off. You will use a lot of windshield fluid if the glass stays wet from melting.

 

[3930dave]

One thing some people get wrong is the Recirculate setting on the heat control.

The only time I use Recirc. in Winter is if it really cold, and I'm trying to get that little bit of extra heat, while parked just after start up. Once moving, I always put it back to Fresh air.

The problem for most of the Winter is the interior of the vehicle has much higher humidity than outside - add cold glass and you condense the water on the inside. Best to keep it on Fresh only to avoid this problem.

I've seen late model expensive cars going down the 401 in Toronto in Winter with so much interior condensation on all the windows that it looked like a rainforest in there. Scary to see, and you don't really need super cold to get into this problem being on Recirc.

Even with the Heat on Fresh air, I usually always drive with one rear window cracked a 1/4" or so. Helps draw out humid air, and keeps the driver alert - we need more 'lerts !

Ok, I'm allowed one very stale joke per day, eh !

Rgds, D.

 

[wawajake]

Wow if I didn’t know any better it was like the original poster was taking a trip to north Alaska ! My daughter lives in North Bay (Callender actually) and I visit there often summer and winter. (I am more north than her actually). In January or February you may see a few days in a row where the nights hit -20 or -30 Fahrenheit, but most of the winter will be between -10 and 0 degrees. Most of the winter the main roads and highways will be black pavement. We use lots of salt up here to get it that way as soon as possible after a snowfall. Yes you should get snow tires , don’t worry about fancy rims the car will look like a white dirty salt block for most of winter. Skip the TPMS pain in the butt things , just walk around your car before you leave and look for low tires as anyone did pre 2005.
Get a block heater but you won’t have to plug in unless Weathernetwork tells you it will be a cold night ! As long as you have a battery less than three years old and not abused……you will be fine without warmer. Get yourself a good map of area , because the odd time highways get closed due to bad weather and you might need to find a back road alternative. Have fun enjoy the winter , Tim Hortons Coffee shops are all over the north and Northbay has a half dozen too. So enjoy their coffees to warm you up, it’s a Canadian tradition now ! Make mine a double double with a apple fritter on side.

 

[buickanddeere]

The block heater isn't about starting or not starting. The block heater is about much less wear on the electrical system, less cold start engine wear, better mileage and faster heat to the defroster.

 

[buickanddeere]

One thing some people get wrong is the Recirculate setting on the heat control.

The only time I use Recirc. in Winter is if it really cold, and I'm trying to get that little bit of extra heat, while parked just after start up. Once moving, I always put it back to Fresh air.

The problem for most of the Winter is the interior of the vehicle has much higher humidity than outside - add cold glass and you condense the water on the inside. Best to keep it on Fresh only to avoid this problem.

I've seen late model expensive cars going down the 401 in Toronto in Winter with so much interior condensation on all the windows that it looked like a rainforest in there. Scary to see, and you don't really need super cold to get into this problem being on Recirc.

Even with the Heat on Fresh air, I usually always drive with one rear window cracked a 1/4" or so. Helps draw out humid air, and keeps the driver alert - we need more 'lerts !

Ok, I'm allowed one very stale joke per day, eh !

Rgds, D.

Problem is most folk and drivers in "Tronta" grew up in warm weather countries without ever seeing snow until obtaining some sort of family or compassionate refugee status. Then landing in Canada.
The fogged windows and peephole drivers are a real menace to themselves and others.

 

[wawajake]

Well BuickandDeere I agree somewhat , but the blockheater keeps the oil from becoming so thick the engine cannot turn it over. (That is why I prefer synthetic oils for winter) I had my truck parked in the remote bush in minus 40 degrees near Wawa Ontario for three days while I was at my cottage (no electricity) and only way I got it started was by putting hot barbeque coals under the oil pan and taking the battery out and warming it by the woodstove, I started using synthetic oil after that too.

 

[Egon]

Was a time hot coals from the stove were used.

And if that didn't work the barn horses were hitched up.:thumbsup:

 

[buickanddeere]

Well BuickandDeere I agree somewhat , but the blockheater keeps the oil from becoming so thick the engine cannot turn it over. (That is why I prefer synthetic oils for winter) I had my truck parked in the remote bush in minus 40 degrees near Wawa Ontario for three days while I was at my cottage (no electricity) and only way I got it started was by putting hot barbeque coals under the oil pan and taking the battery out and warming it by the woodstove, I started using synthetic oil after that too.

Latest in the season I venture through Wawa, White River, Geraldton, Nakina etc is September.

 

[Pilot]

I don't know how cold it got, but one morning in Illinois in December, I started my VW Rabbit pickup--or tried to. Turned the key against a fair amount of resistance. Would barely crank with trans in neutral. Key wouldn't turn back, I had to do it manually. Pushed on the clutch, turned the key again & it started, but for about 5 minutes if I let the clutch out with the trans still in neutral it would kill the engine. Had to sit there with foot on clutch while it warmed up enough to keep going. Door didn't latch at first. Started down the road, used the turn signal, it wouldn't cancel, I had to flip it back by hand.

After driving awhile, & the cab wouldn't heat up so I stopped at a 7-11 and grabbed some cardboard to put in front of the radiator. While there I went for a Pepsi, but when I got back to the VW, I didn't need the Pepsi, so left it in the back of the rig under the canopy (and out of the wind) for about 20 minutes. When I picked it up again, the bottom was all bulged out; when I popped the top it fizzed and ran all over--at least what wasn't frozen. Took about 45 minutes to defrost.

Don't have to be in Canada for it to get really cold.