Cold Temp. Starting

My previous truck, a Century Class (2000) started when temps were in the single digits (farenheit). I think it would have started even colder but a bad started taxed the batteries too much. I wound up using my beater car to jump it a couple times.

 

if it were me buying a truck today, i'd do the same thing i did years ago, when i "entertained" buying a new truck. and that is, BUY an APU.........!!!!

i thought (back then) that having all that chrome and stainless steel was a waste of money as it DOES NOT do anything for the truck going down the road. the old saying, "it makes it look nice going down the road" doesn't do anything for me however.

the "practical" side of me said,, buy that APU. back then they were all of about $4,000 fully installed.........no one was ever thinking about APU's back then, only how much chrome they could get for the same money.

i do believe some states are giving tax breaks for small business owners that buy and install APU's. this you should check out as this will cut down on the over all cost of the unit come tax time. then the savings on the main engine, and fuel running an APU. also, an APU "may" increase the re-sale or trade in value of the truck in a few years.

oh yeah, after doing my homework (back then) i saw where buying a truck wasn't such a good idea after all. so i remained a company driver.

 

I was once using coolant type Webasto for 10 hours at -25C and the 12 L Volvo FH barely started, after that I have been running the engine when temps go under -20C. US 12V systems might be weaker so I don't know about them.

 

I installed an APU on my truck but the only thing it shares with the truck is the batteries. Heating and cooling are independent. At least it will keep batteries charged. I could run a power cord from my inverter to my block heater if necessary.

 

i dont believe an apu works to well to keep an engine warm below 0 its not that the motor wont start but in my experiance you need to keep your fuel warm to keep it from jelling you can stay warm with a apu but you will probably have starting issues. im not dissing apu,s just seen what happens in sub zero weather with them.

 

wow, it sounds as if you need a 2nd APU just to keep your 1st APU running

 

nah just think a little apu motor trying to keep 300 gals. of fuel warm in 20 below weather. its like trying to haul 80000 lbs with a briggs and stratton motor.

 

no need to keep fuel warm in winter--unless you have a stash of summer fuel in your tanks---you will be running on winter fuel--and if that jells --you got more problems to worry about--in ontario--only a few days that you will need to plug truck in--you coould also put in a good recirculating heater--it will keep coolant warm as well--so when you start up--it will have heat right away--then just idle it up--grab a timmys and wait for it warm up a few minutes