Cold weather Question (car)

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

My son is out in Sasketewan just north of North Dakota I believe. They are somewhere near minus 40 out there. He says the truck he is driving ( 1993 Dodge Dakota oddly) is making a lot of creaks and growls when moving. I assume the suspention and maybe the tires, from what he has told me. We, and the truck, are used to wonderful west coast weather not freezing cold like they have out there.... that being said it is about 20 degrees F with a foot of snow on the ground here, the coldest we have seen in a decade or so.

 

You guys out there think it is just the grease and joints on the old beast freezing up on her? Was there something I should have been doing to the beast before the kid took her out there? Lighter gear oils? Differant greases? Differental oils? It is a 4X4. I usualy have a good idea when it comes to automotive questions but the cold experiance is new to me.

Thoughts? Will it eas up as it warms up?

 

Thanks guys

[Flyinfool]

Cars and trucks make all kinds of weird noises when that cold.

Most of the noises will get less as things warm up.

Other than a little lighter engine oil, Just be sure that the Anti-freeze and battery are good.

The lighter engine oil is more to help the starter motor.

[OrlinEngh]

I know when it gets that cold my pickup makes alot of noises that you dont hear when its warm out,

[Marcarl]

Hey, it's a '93,,, that's old for any truck,,, it's going to creak and groan,,,,, now because it's cold, and 20F isn't all that cold, there will be ice here and there that will make weird sounds for a bit when first starting out, but that should disappear very shortly. The boots on this machine might not like the cold so well either, but they will get used to it. If you have the coolant in good shape, and the use 10w30 or 5w30, you should be just fine at those temp.

[scotty]

Yup, they do that.

The power steering pump can kick up quite a ruckus (cavitation), sway bars can creak, everything rattles, Etc...

I never let the fuel get under half a tank and have a blanket in the vehicle. It can be over 7 hours wait for a tow truck in those temps.

[1 Canuck]

I gave my daughter our old 94 Dakota last year and where did she venture off to first, none other than Winterpeg and Regina, in December. Before she left, I changed the both the engine oil and differential with Syn oil. Both the power steering, and serpentine belt can make a lot of noise when it's very cold as well. If you have the 3.9 engine; it is fairly robust engine but then again, gutless too. The pump in the auto trans are fairly noisy in the cold as well, but her truck made it and is still running at 390K.

 

Good luck!

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

around our area a 1993 truck with just 210,000 Km on it just broke - in.

 

Ok thank you everyone I will set his mind at ease some knowing that.

[eagleeye]

A little late maybe, but yes you can always tell how cold it is by the creeks and groans, and by how hard the seat is when you get in, and of course the cure is warmer weather. It'll by fine. A good battery is critical.

Steve

[MLCRIDER]

I have driven pickups 20 years old and pickups that are a couple years old they all make noises when it is that cold that they don't make in warmer weather do what a few others have set lighter weight oil good battery and I would let it warm up a while longer before heading out

 

I don't think you could have done anything more except maybe sending him south

[friesman]

Yup, my 2007 4x4 Escape sounded like everything was creaking on Tuesday morning and it takes the engine a lot more work to get a truck moving when its cold like it is right now so it sounds like its running fast and you will find that he wont have any suspension for a mile or2 either.

Ive got OEM Continental tires on my Escape and they were frozen square on the bottom on Tues morning at -32c Most other tires Ive had in the past dont get frozen like that until closer to -40c (-40f also) but those Contis are awful.

He will need a new battery to crank it over (i only get 4 years outta most of mine) and he should have a block heater installed so he can plug the heater in to make it start easily and not be too hard on the engine on a cold start. (He should try to use a timer if he can as the block heaters suck up a bunch of power, I find 2 or 3 hours on power before you need the car to start really helps it start more easily. Also he should check his antifreeze to make sure its good to at least -50c if its only good to -40c and the temp actually gets there the antifreeze will gel causing the truck to overheat probably needing a tow into a heated garage to thaw out overnight. Something that the old truckers use to generate more heat in the truck is to block off the grill (buy a winterfront at Canadian tire or use cardboard) so all the frigid air doesnt go thru the radiator, but you gotta remember to pull it off once the temps heat up outside.

 

Call me or message me if you need something, I have a couple of friends in Estevan where your son is that drive tanker trucks for the oil companies, that can give him some help if needed.

 

Brian

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

Yup, my 2007 4x4 Escape sounded like everything was creaking on Tuesday morning and it takes the engine a lot more work to get a truck moving when its cold like it is right now so it sounds like its running fast and you will find that he wont have any suspension for a mile or2 either.

Ive got OEM Continental tires on my Escape and they were frozen square on the bottom on Tues morning at -32c Most other tires Ive had in the past dont get frozen like that until closer to -40c (-40f also) but those Contis are awful.

He will need a new battery to crank it over (i only get 4 years outta most of mine) and he should have a block heater installed so he can plug the heater in to make it start easily and not be too hard on the engine on a cold start. (He should try to use a timer if he can as the block heaters suck up a bunch of power, I find 2 or 3 hours on power before you need the car to start really helps it start more easily. Also he should check his antifreeze to make sure its good to at least -50c if its only good to -40c and the temp actually gets there the antifreeze will gel causing the truck to overheat probably needing a tow into a heated garage to thaw out overnight. Something that the old truckers use to generate more heat in the truck is to block off the grill (buy a winterfront at Canadian tire or use cardboard) so all the frigid air doesnt go thru the radiator, but you gotta remember to pull it off once the temps heat up outside.

 

Call me or message me if you need something, I have a couple of friends in Estevan where your son is that drive tanker trucks for the oil companies, that can give him some help if needed.

 

Brian

 

Yes Brian I put a brand new set of something expensive tires on it before he left Victoria in the fall... the correct snow rated $1,000 types . He has a Block heater I checked that before he left also. He left it plugged in at the Regina Airport for the last week as he ended up at home here last week. I have given Alex a link to this Thread so he can check in on it. Now he has the hassel of getting it tested out there so he can get a set of plates as his BC plates have or are going to expire. We do not have any inspections on passenger cars/ trucks out here, just commercial, so we are going to hope that all goes well.

 

Kids, they told us they would grow up and become easier, now we are glad they don't, it fills a lot of gaps in life.

[Marcarl]

Is it -20F or is your original post correct at 20F

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

Is it -20F or is your original post correct at 20F

Right now in Victoria it is 23 F. For us that is very cold. with wind "chill" it is 16 F.

Estevan Sk where my son is it is -20 F with wind chill at -44 F

[BlueVenture87]

Zero here this morning and I'm warming up the truck when all of a sudden it sounds like someone shaking a coffee can full of gravel outside. Ran out to find the neighbor had a diesel delivery truck in his driveway! Now that sounded truly awful, I thought mine threw a rod. Everything makes new noises at those temps, even the snow squeaks when you walk on it.

 

Best!

 

-JK

[muaymendez1]

My jetta makes noises oin thst cold.Sounds like a small diesel.All the rubber is not pliable in thst cold. Ball joints, bushings, suspension fluid, belts are stiff, and oil takes longer to reach top of motor.

For the 1st 30 minutes driving I try not to go up and down grades rapidly to avoid writing the suspension harshly.Same goes with steering or driving everytging is smooth and slow until she warms up.

[Pam]

- 41 here right now God I love that distinct crunch of the snow and that fog that rolls in when you open a door. Just do what the other guys have said and he will be OK and keep the fuel level up and that extra blanket in the truck

[Black Owl]

- 41 here right now God I love that distinct crunch of the snow and that fog that rolls in when you open a door. Just do what the other guys have said and he will be OK and keep the fuel level up and that extra blanket in the truck

 

Now this brings back many not so fond memories. At those temps my teeth would be chattering too loud to worry about any noise the truck was making.

Sorta makes me glad I retired in the south....

[Venturous Randy]

If there is any consolation, I also have a lot of creaks and groans when I get out in that cold weather.

RandyA

[friesman]

one more thing, fuel- Keep the tank full to prevent condensation, ESPECIALLY if you park in a heated garage, the part of the tank with no gas in it gets really covered in ice with the temperature changes. I keep a can of seafoam and gasline antifreeze in the truck at all times, although its been a few years since ive needed it with the alcohol being added to our gas now

 

Well, ok another thing---Also if its really cold (-25c), dont add air to your tires unless you really need to, as most compressors are inside the garages and the warm moist air raises all kinds of condensation and freezing issues with the Schrader valves in the valvestem, usually sticking them open. In the warm winter weather my tires are probably a couple of pounds overinflated so when the temps get real cold I dont have an issue with low air pressure as a low tire (not flat) thats frozen with the flatspot on the bottom and will keep you from moving anywhere.

 

Brian

 

Brian