Does anyone use a winter front

[HAM_RADIO_MAN]

Does anyone use a winter front, on their truck or a little cardboard in front of the radiator.
This is my first winter with a diesel, Will the heater work OK down to –10f with out the
front being blocked off?

[smokersteve]

I have used card board from time to time. It works great as long as it does not rain/snow. But I switch to plastic this year.
It also holds the heat in longer.

You have gagues, BUT, I do not suggest this if you can not monitor the engine temps with gauges.

[dee004]

Up here in the Great White North It often gets down to -26F and I haven't had any problems yet with my heater. Takes a h..l of a long time to heat up and you don't want to idle long because it cools down awefull fast but that's it. Sure as heck would'nt want to be without heated seats though. Can't wait to see what happens after I put in the new Bulletproof oil cooler kit with the cold weather package to see if things change at all. Brrrr

[tonto]

Dee, start a thread when you do! Us Canadians really need to see this thing in action when it gets to -30...I'm sure Ontario is a week or so overdue for it's monthly blizzard

I myself haven't used a front, but this is my first winter with a diesel as well. Sure does cool off fast, but I'd like to hear more opinions

[dee004]

Originally Posted by tonto

Dee, start a thread when you do! Us Canadians really need to see this thing in action when it gets to -30...I'm sure Ontario is a week or so overdue for it's monthly blizzard

I myself haven't used a front, but this is my first winter with a diesel as well. Sure does cool off fast, but I'd like to hear more opinions

Sure will. Hail to El Nino! It was just beautiful yesterday barely needed a sweatshirt. The only front I've used in five years is a screen in summer because of buds in my rad.

I will qualify though. One of the service techs at the dealer told me right out of the gate not to use a rad cover when I bought the truck. He said by the time the gauge reads an overtemp it'll be too late, these 6.0's are finicky. He also pointed out that it's not like the big rigs where the slats are thermostatically controlled. Guess I was a little gun shy after hearing that.

[jesilvas]

Out in west texas I did and down here a little too. Mainly cause I took a lot of short trips. I didn't have a ECT gauge so idk exactly how well it worked. It wasn't too noticeable. But it's all at 20*F or above.

[700xxmaniac]

It's goten to 10*f and heat that blows of it is still way to warm for me! I keep the temp knob in the middle and it's just perfect.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[BigDogOil]

I use cardboard in front of mine once the outside temperature goes to -30*, I only get about 3/4 of the rad covered with all the brackets and braces in front of the rad and haven't had no problems with overheating to date. I've done this to all the diesels I've owned as well as a couple of gas pods.

[cyclonestroker]

I use the FIA one. I don't put it on till it gets to 30* and below, and I leave the vents on it open until it's below 15*. Seems to help in town keepin the truck at a steady temp.

[Fishermedic]

I have the BPD cooler and cold weather package and I've been watching my temps this fall to see exactly what effect a front has on the truck. The details are here.

Blocking off the air flow with a piece of cardboard behind the grill brought up my oil temp up 20* to 190* at highway speed and 32* outside air temp. My coolant temp stayed at 190* with or without the cardboard in place. The oil temp also stayed at 190* down to 20* outside temp.

I still haven't had a full day of what I would call cold (not that I'm complaining) so I'm not sure how much it will help at -40*, we'll see soon enough, the last week of Dec and first week of Jan are typically -20*C to -30*C.