Suggest a heater???
 

I went and dug through my mpg log and cross referenced it with my daily planner and noticed a good drop on tanks when I had to let the truck warm up for an extended period because I had to take the kiddos multiple times on a given tank, there was even a drop that I could see on days I just took them once. If its just me I throw a gallon of cold water on the windshield to get the frost off and just go, but I cant just stick a 4 year old in a 35 degree truck cab, so I let it warm up for 15 mins or so, maybe too long, before I load them all up.

I have been looking at getting one of the block heaters that goes in the freeze plug holes, but I don't want to get stranded out in the woods somewhere because a cheap rubber stopper went to crap and I lost all my coolant! Guess I could carry a rubber freeze plug as backup incase it failed. Any exp. on what is a good quality brand would be helpful. Also would it be beneficial to pair it with one of the silicone mats to go on the oil pan?

Don't take it the wrong way but if you are driveing an older vehicle, isn't it good insurance to have everyone dressed for the worst case scenario, like if your vehicle breaks down. You can always remove clothing when you don't need it but when you desperately need it and you don't have it then you're in trouble.

regards
Mech

If the coolant valve to the heater core will remain open with the engine off (i.e. cable operated rather than vacuum operated), NAPA has a nice inline heater with a pump to circulate the heated coolant, which splices into one of the heater hoses. IMO easier than removing a freeze plug and hoping the aftermarket piece holds up. Usually easier access in my experience.

Also, I like to keep a blanket or two in my vehicles during the winter, just in case. Could slide off the road, or the road could just get snow-drifted shut, etc.

Not taken the wrong way at all, but yeah we bundle em up good. Still just too dog gone cold to be tote'n em around until the engine is up to temp. Its not al old truck its a 95 lol got tha new fangled fuel injection and everything!

mallrat- Slide of the road? Like as in its covered in ice? Snow drift? what are those things? I'm in LA, its 60 degrees by lunch time, only real cold in the a.m. except for about 2 weeks a year.

Guess what: hats, coats, gloves, boots, and blankets come in 4 year old sizes too.

When it gets down to -35, I'll hear what you're saying. Sheesh, 35 is still above freezing. There ain't gonna be any frostbite, windburn, or anything. Bring 'em up to MN for the winter and they'll climb into your "cold" 35 deg. truck in t-shirts and shorts.

Otherwise, get in there and go, the cab will start warming up within 5 minutes or so AS YOU DRIVE.

But yeah, a block pre-heat is a good thing anyway. The core plug heaters are the best, but the coolant line spliced heaters are OK too.

When our daughter was a baby, we would just bundle her up, put her in the child seat, load kid and seat in car, and THEN start the engine and go. Even at 30 below.

It's different for a baby in child seat. The baby never has to sit on a cold car seat because the child seat is prewarmed from being indoors.

This is pretty much what we do with a 2yo and 4mo. Wool blankets in the back of the car, and winter gear for being out in it either on the kids or quick to grab as sitting in a warm car in full gear sucks.

Still a good idea to preheat an engine though. My preference for heating is a pad on the oil pan (with the warning not to burn your oil), and an inline/tank heater that has good thermo-siphon, or a pump. Bigger is better. 500 watts for one hour will get the engine warmer than 250 for 2 hours.

Have the mom (assuming there is one present) dress the kid. Most mothers overdress the kid so much, he/she will look like the Michelin man. :D

If mom isn't around, you apply the same bundling to the kid. I did it when my kid was a toddler when mom was at work. I'll never forget the snowy day when I got the kid all ready to go out to the car all bundled up, and she looked up at me quizzically when we got to the door. I looked down. Oh, s---! I forgot the SHOES!

You may have a cold butt, but the kid won't because he/she is wearing more than you are. Just pretend you are the mommy, and be a good daddy. ;)

I would say get a block heater if you can plug it in at home. It take some fore-thought, but definitely better than letting the car sit.

You can also get a seat heater. Heated Seat Cushion Bring it inside for the night, so it doesn't get cold outside overnight, then plug it in, put the kiddo in and they'll be toasty warm along with the pre-heated engine pumping out heat through the vents.

Any part of this would help you a lot:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...mer-23893.html

The standard block heaters can just be plugged in and left, but something like my multi thousand watt 220v coolant wamer can be plugged in after the vehicle is started to greatly reduce "warm up" time (coolant has to circulate over the 220v element).