Does Wind Chill Affect the Morning Cold Start?

duramaxdiesel

Dmax Nut
Oct 23, 2008
1,378
0
36
47
Montreal, Canada
Tomorrow is going to be kinda cold. Where I park there is no provision to plug my truck. Anyways I never plug it in anyway. But with the wind tonight and into the morning it's suppose to be -40C. No wind it'll be -28C. My question is does the wind chill affect our trucks? I would think no seeing as steel can't get colder with wind. Can it? Thoughts?

Nick
 

Janimal444

Member
Jun 25, 2012
354
0
16
Salem, NH
Wind chill will not affect our trucks. Will chill affects body temperature by increasing the rate of heat loss by convection. The faster wind is blowing over your body (or any surface), the greater rate of heat loss. Since your truck will be sitting overnight anyways, there will be no heat for it to lose! Getting cold around here too, supposed to get down to 3F tonight
 

dmax711

New member
Mar 4, 2011
1,057
0
0
concord, north carolina
When i lived in massachusetts i never plugged truck in if the temp was above freezing, It always fired rite up. Below freezing i would try to plug it in. Will it fire up at those cold temps? maybe, but i would try to plug it in..
 

Ne-max

I like turtles
Nov 15, 2011
3,361
64
48
Lincoln, Ne
Make sure you got plenty of winter fuel treatment in there. Also park the truck where tailgate is facing the wind.
 

blk smoke lb7

<-----Lots of green $
Nov 8, 2010
5,694
0
36
57
belvidere,ill
Plug it in no matter what 68% of all engine wear comes from cold weather starts (so i have been told anyways).if you truck is plugged in atleast the block and coolant are at 90 to 100%. You will have heat fast and the truck will start a hole lot easier.
 

Janimal444

Member
Jun 25, 2012
354
0
16
Salem, NH
I've been snowmobiling in Maine when it was -20F and my truck fired right up, not plugged in. But, like said above, it will save some wear on the engine if you plug it in, cold starts do some damage.
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,892
470
83
TX of course
The only thing wind will do is pull the heat out of your truck faster once you shut it off. The only time I plug in a diesel is if I know it won't hardly start other wise. Since he never has plugged it in I don't really see the point now. I hope you at least use SYN oils.



Also park the truck where tailgate is facing the wind.

Why if wind doesn't affect it?
 
Last edited:

battlegraduate09

Gearhead
Mar 18, 2010
610
0
16
Mine was happy this morning when i started it. I had it plugged in. After about 10 hours leaving work without plugging it in, she was not happy at all. Doesnt help that my GPCM took a shit either
 

Matt2212

New member
May 1, 2012
17
0
1
outer banks nc
Lots of good info here,

Do I even need to worry about pluging in my truck in my aria where a 20 degree night is as cold as it gets?

Access to a power is easy and if it will make cold starts easier on my truck I have no problem doing it
 

ecc_33

Junior Member
Aug 10, 2006
1,925
0
0
39
Amanda, Ohio
my service truck (5500 lly) smoked and chugged like crazy this morning. It was about 7*F Tonight is supposed to be 5 :mad: If it was mine I would plug it in but its not.
 

duramaxdiesel

Dmax Nut
Oct 23, 2008
1,378
0
36
47
Montreal, Canada
Hey nick chain a generator to your truck and plug it in:roflmao:


Seroiusly if you guys can plug em in i sure would

:rofl: Haha funny guy! I LOL'd when I read that. But seriously, I never did think of that. What kind of power does the block heater draw?

I'll try to remember getting video of it starting tomorrow. It's going to sound nasty I'm sure!

Nick
 

AubleAK

New member
Aug 5, 2011
781
0
0
30
Glennallen, AK
Good to know guys. I really wish I could plug her in for the night but it's just not possible:(

We'll see just how much she bitches tomorrow morning lol!

Nick

You should be fine. Might sound a little rough at first tho. I was always paranoid of my truck sounding like shit after a cold night (because i knew the sound was no good) so i would start it every 4-5 hours.
 

Burn Down

Hotrodder
Sep 14, 2008
7,092
28
48
Boise Idaho
Your good:thumb: I have cold started my truck at -28F (-33c) a couple times. It will sound bad but it will start. My truck will trip a cel light if plugged in at anything above 0* for more than 12 hours. I forget what it is again though... It will go out in a day or two on its own.
 

05smoker

I'm officially done!
Mar 30, 2007
2,379
0
36
Lebanon, OH
I plug mine in anytime below 30. Just warms up quicker and sounds so much happier. I'm driving it tomorrow in single digit weather because of a chance of snow and the G8 becomes a hockey puck in it. :D