After -10, you just die faster

Post by **BlackBart** » 13 Jan 2024, 09:45

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Post by **erikv11** » 13 Jan 2024, 13:31

Downright tropical as that gets to Iowa

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Post by **BlackBart** » 13 Jan 2024, 15:02

This thing is just huge. It’s in the below zeros (F) in Colorado now, the plains, the Midwest. That is a huge chunk of cold air!

We’re on the far west edge of it, supposed to be back into the 20s and 30s Tues-Wed.

Post by **BlackBart** » 13 Jan 2024, 17:33

A friend can’t start his new diesel VW wagon. Killed a battery trying. Fuel gelled up? Last diesel anything I’ve touched was a Peugeot 504 wagon with glow plugs.

I have an old magnetic block heater that grabs anything steel, took that over. It’s heating against a fuel distribution cylinder and seems really hot. He’s got a charger on the battery. Blanket in the hood. He’ll let it all run for an hour and see.

Our Betty started up reluctantly in -15F, although the doors wouldn’t unlock so I almost didn’t try. Then the transmission is so cold it doesn’t want to go, didn’t shift for 2 or 3 blocks. You get all bundled up fine but the slightest breeze on your face is painful.

I’ve decided when it’s this cold and dry, don’t heat up the windshield, rear window, mirrors. Scrape if you need to. DO NOT turn on the wipers.

You’re all bundled up, two coats, two hats, big gloves - if you’re inside out of the wind, you don’t need heat for a while. Turn off the blower fan to keep more heat in the block.

Drive slow and don’t stress anything. Don’t touch any plastic switches knobs handles (except turn signals!) - they’re brittle cold and will snap.

Keep a candle in a tin can in the back, it will keep your fingers warm if you’re stuck. A cardboard in front of the radiator is an old trick, but watch your temp once it warms up.

Post by **BlackBart** » 14 Jan 2024, 11:11

I must withdraw my know it all lecturing -

Last night in -15, I proceeded to do a bonehead move. I drove my M-I-L and other seniors to a college basketball game so they wouldn’t have to walk in the wind and start a cold car. I got them up close to the door but had to go through the parking lot fee guy.

I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW instead of just cracking the door to talk. I think one of those plastic sliders broke or cracked and slipped, and the window nearly fell out of the door. In -15.

It didn’t break like it did in 2018 when I went through this same failure (did I learn?). I managed to carefully wrestle it back up the tracks to about 3” from the top, where it remains until I can fix it. I have spare blue clips, but taking apart all that cold plastic might not be wise.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 14 Jan 2024, 11:31

Muscle memory to push the down button.
volvolugnut

SOURDOUGHJIM · Post by **SOURDOUGHJIM** » 14 Jan 2024, 11:42

BlackBart, sorry to hear of all the troubles. Power Service 9-1-1 is a good treatment for gelled diesel fuel. I'm going to try not to drive the V70 in the low temps. However, we're not as cold here in the Ohio Valley. People are all up in arms about the Buffalo game being postponed. Heavy snow plus high winds is something that is hard to deal with. And fairly low temps. If they have medical emergencies at the stadium, are helicopters or ambulances going to be able to operate? Right now the wind chill is 1 degree in Buffalo. Winds gusting to 46 mph. Visibility must be near zero.

SOURDOUGHJIM · Post by **SOURDOUGHJIM** » 14 Jan 2024, 11:54

Weasel, watching the human chaos....

Post by **erikv11** » 14 Jan 2024, 12:51

Sunny and all the way up to -8 now so I shoveled a path from the side door out to the firewood storage. Going to be burning for a couple more days, nice to have easy access to the reserve pile.

Post by **BlackBart** » 15 Jan 2024, 08:10

SOURDOUGHJIM wrote: ↑14 Jan 2024, 11:54 Weasel, watching the human chaos....

Smart weasel, staying warm underground..