Faster warm up in the cold

Canadian_digger · Jan 20, 2014

I have a 06 dodge with 5.9 cummins. They are known for not warming up in the cold when at an idle. I though of an idea that might help it warm up fastest.

I have a single axle dump with a C7 with an exhaust brake. When the brake is on it will warm the truck up in a few minutes.

I was thinking what if I made a plug that would fit in the end of my exhaust that would act like an exhaust brake to help my pickup warm up in the morning and just remove it before I drive off.

Let me know what you think. Am I crazy for thinking of doing this? Or do I have a good idea?

Scrub Puller · Jan 20, 2014

Yair . . . Dunno Canadian_digger.

If it was a good idea I reckon it would be a common trick.

I have never had to contend with cold like you blokes but, in winter, it was not uncommon to shroud at least part of the radiator with canvas . . . and of course the old Macks and Petes had shutters that controlled air flow through the radiator actuated by the thermostat.

Cheers.

willie59 · Jan 20, 2014

I agree with scrub, blocking the radiator would be more effective. A piece of cardboard is easy to insert in front of a radiator.

RZucker · Jan 20, 2014

Some people might scream, but I have a 94 Dodge Cummins that I warm up idling in "drive" with the park brake set FIRMLY. 5-10 minutes does it quite well. As a bonus the trans is ready to go to in cold weather too.

Mobiltech · Jan 20, 2014

You can get exhaust brakes for the cummins that will warm it up.You could block the exhaust but not completely it needs some exhaust flow. A spring loaded butterfly valve would work.
Cardboard over the rad helps a bit when its above 0 F but when its colder then that the cummins in a dodge will not warm up till you put a load on it.

ValleyFirewood · Jan 21, 2014

Do you have the high idle/3 cylinder idle enabled?

Canadian_digger · Jan 21, 2014

I do have the front of the rad covered but like moblietech said it does nothing for warm up.

I looked I to exhaust brakes but they cost around $1200. I don't do much heavy pulling so I don't really need one.

RZucker I have thought of doing the same thing but I have a remote starter and would have to go outside to put it in drive. I could see it helping I have a egt gauge and when you put the truck in drive the egt go up about 50-75 degrees.

Canadian_digger · Jan 21, 2014

So I decided to make a plug today. I started with a larg hole and kept making it smaller till I saw a rise in egt. I had to almost complety block the exhaust to get it to rise. Is there any chance of hurting or damaging anything if there is to much pressure?

With open exhaust and high idle (around 950rpm) egt is about 240* with plug I get 300*

Egt prob is before the turbo and it was around -25c (-13f) outside

Canadian_digger · Jan 21, 2014

ValleyFirewood said:
Do you have the high idle/3 cylinder idle enabled?

This feature is only available on 98-02 trucks

powerjoke · Jan 21, 2014

how about a grapefruit? ...... rev it up and out she blows lol.could point it at a piece of tin so when it blows out it wakes the neighbors up.... sort of an alarm clock

mine has keyless start on it and automatically revs (Factory) and is also changable through the H&S tuner, not sure if a tuner would do the same for your truck or not...... guess you could always put a brick on the peddle everynight when you got home lol

i had a new ford a couple years ago that had a electric heating grid in the defroster, was nice and warm and defrosted within no time and had instant cab heat, also had a tailgate step and door unlock buttons..... wonder why they are the only ones with the neat stuff. you would think at $60k a truck would come with every damn thing that the other mfg's offer.

pj

ValleyFirewood · Jan 22, 2014

Canadian_digger said:
This feature is only available on 98-02 trucks

I could have sworn the 03s and up had a PTO setting that allowed them to high idle. Ran through the cruise buttons?
Maybe I'm thinking of something else.

pumba · Jan 22, 2014

aside from plugging the exhaust and radiater get a tank heater they draw water in through the bottom of the block perculate the coolant into the heatercore in the cab. I had put one on an old ford had heat before it started they go up in price in the winter but they are worth it if cold is the problem. it bought one for my 7.3 superduty wouldn't work as there were no threaded bosses on the waterjackets above the oilpan rails so make sure you find a boss like that before you lay out 75 hard earned buck for one.

Mobiltech · Jan 22, 2014

ValleyFirewood said:
I could have sworn the 03s and up had a PTO setting that allowed them to high idle. Ran through the cruise buttons?
Maybe I'm thinking of something else.

It could have the high idle feature but not 3 cylinder cutout.
My 04 5.9 has the high idle but at -30 it still wont warm up idling even with a good thermostat. These engines burn very little fuel at idle and just don't warm up much.

Catpower · Jan 26, 2014

I used baler belting with holes punched in it, with the 500 lb cord run between the hood rubbers dropped down between the rad and the cross member it worked well. I put an exhaust brake on mine it also worked very well. You will want to keep your coolant temp above 150 F this is where a diesel slobbers 170 F is a good temp.

Sirthor1881 · Jan 26, 2014

ValleyFirewood said:
I could have sworn the 03s and up had a PTO setting that allowed them to high idle. Ran through the cruise buttons?
Maybe I'm thinking of something else.

Yes it does. My 08 out front here has it. I use it to help warm it up some before taking off.
It seems to work okay.

95zIV · Jan 26, 2014

I used to run a '07 with the 6.7 in it with an exhaust brake, when the temps were cold and you turned on the exhaust brake the truck would go into high idle and the brake would close to assist in warmup. I found this out when I was trying to identify the exhaust brake button and was looking through the manual. Have you checked to see if there is a warmup/high idle by flipping through the manual?

Dozerboy · Feb 6, 2014

Is this for at home? Why not plug it in or if that doen't cut it add heating pads to plug into?

Webasto make heaters for pickups too, but there not cheap. If I lived up north I would get one it might take a few years it would pay off. And you can take it off and put it on your next truck.

Faster warm up in the cold

Canadian_digger

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Scrub Puller

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willie59

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RZucker

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Mobiltech

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ValleyFirewood

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Canadian_digger

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Canadian_digger

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Canadian_digger

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powerjoke

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ValleyFirewood

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pumba

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Mobiltech

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Catpower

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Sirthor1881

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95zIV

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Dozerboy

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