Extreme cold

[rontaki]

You win

View attachment 4824458

Ambient Weather screenshots. I have one.

 

[ultrarunner]

It’s beyond my comprehension… I experienced single digits and the dry heat of Death Valley in the 120+

Below zero just isn’t in the realm in my part of California…

Hoping for the best for you guys…

 

[CalG]

It’s beyond my comprehension… I experienced single digits and the dry heat of Death Valley in the 120+

Below zero just isn’t in the realm in my part of California…

Hoping for the best for you guys…

I grew up in the Dakotas.

Zero degrees, no wind, and sunshine is a Perfect day!

 

[outdoorsman123]

I live North of North Dakota which has similar cold experiences. It will be reaching -40 here this weekend, around -50C with wind-chill. Wind-chill does not affect engines except to make them lose heat faster. But -40 is -40 and wind won't matter to metal.
As noted, 60% is what we do up here. A simple coolant test will show that. Last thing you want is it to freeze and expand and crack the block or something. If you're lucky it will turn to slush and not freeze solid, but it might freeze solid and at minimum bust the rad.
Plugging in the block heater will help the engine but not the rest of the areas that the coolant is in.

 

[Rockbadchild]

You win

View attachment 4824458

well if its a competition -27.4F ''feels'' like -50.8F
below in Celsius

 

[D'oh]

Fair
-33°F
-36°C

Humidity	NA
Wind Speed	W 6 mph
Barometer	30.50 in (1038.7 mb)
Dewpoint	N/A
Visibility	10.00 mi
Wind Chill	-51°F (-46°C)
Last update	23 Jan 4:54 am CST

Yep, it did get worse.

Wife's truck started not plugged in, Original battery 2019 F150 5.0L. Running 5W30.

 

[SmallChange]

Cold is when the coolant in your ancient VW freezes!

You are joking, I'm sure. But the coldest temperatures at the "Pole of Cold" in Antarctica have actually gone a little below the freezing point of carbon dioxide, a minor component of VW coolant.

 

[rontaki]

You are joking, I'm sure. But the coldest temperatures at the "Pole of Cold" in Antarctica have actually gone a little below the freezing point of carbon dioxide, a minor component of VW coolant.

I was joking. Also when I say that every morning, there was a big puddle of coolant beneath the VW. Air, of course.

 

[Looking4new]

Hello. Many of you, we are settling into extreme cold here in the far north. I don’t usually worry about things like this, but when the temperatures go down well below zero and stay there, I’m a bit worried about a couple of my tractors. I have a farmall 656 gas And a Farmall 856 diesel that are in an open front unheated shed. They of course have antifreeze in the cooling system, but I have not tested it. The gas has a circulating coolant heater and the diesel has a freeze plug heater. I have them both plugged in and just sitting there; I don’t plan on using them. My thought was to keep the heaters on during the worst of the cold. Is this a good idea? Do you guys ever do that? any other tips for extreme cold? Thanks.

If you have lots of money for the electricity you are wasting, go for it. I do agree with the number 2 post on this thread, get yourself a cheap anti-freeze tester and check them both. I only turn my block heater on 4 or so hours before I am going to use mine. It takes one cycle of the glow plugs and fires right up.

 

[Looking4new]

I don't advise it with the red long life anti-freeze, but with the green stuff, dip your finger into the coolant and taste it with the tip of your tongue. It should taste sweet. Now you guys before you flame me for that routine I KNOW anti-freeze is poison but I have been doing that for 60 years and I am still here. It is not like cyanide. You don't need to drink it, ONLY taste it. Rinse your mouth out with wateer or whatever your favourite beverage is, spit that out and check the other one. Use a different finger for the other tractor. Another way is to put some in a clear glass container, then look at, it the greener it is the better concentration of A-freeze to water. The concentrated green anti-freeze (Prestone) looks like neon green right from the jug.