Robert, I don’t know if you change your oil too often, But you do seem a tad obsessive. How cold is it where you are? I use 5W-30 Castrol or Valvoline conventional in the winter, and I started my cars in 0 to 10 below zero weather and driven (gently!) almost immediately with no problems. The reason the computer kicks runs it to around 1,500 RPM when you first start it is to get the oil moving around in there. Don’t worry about it. Just don’t red-line it up the street when it is still cold. If you take a metal part coated with motor oil, you would have to scrub it several times with Dawn detergent to get it clean. Those engine parts aren’t gonna drain dry if the thing is parked for a few days.
Placing a 120V flood light under the truck is just plain idiocy. It breaks (something spills on it like water on a hot bulb) shatters and shorts out and you have a real huge fire hazard. The risks of this action to provide the benefit of a slightly warmer motor is just too loop sided; huge risk, little benefit. So go ahead and if the garage is attached to the house perhaps the sirens and red lights will be fire trucks coming to put out the fire.
Our other EMS volunteers do not know much about vehicles.
And you do??? Please!!!
After reading all this cr*p…I have to conclude this is a complete joke. No company/organization is going to allow someone to blatantly break the law. They know where the blood is coming from! They know how long it should take by driving the speed limit! They know what their blood supply is! Now according to our blood transporter…he’s REQUIRED to drive at illegal speed limits to get the blood there on time…I have a very hard time believing this. In fact I don’t believe it one bit.
The outdoor flood light bulbs are made to withstand cold water or ice dripping on the hot bulbs.
Already have a 3-amp fused circuit receptacle which would open instantly if a short.
Yes, I know more about vehicles and systems than the others. I do all the maintenence.
(Very displeased thathExpedition has no transmission dipstick.)
Tell the hospitals that the authorized emergencyehicle is not safe to drive at 100 mph. (There is nothing wrong with that inefficient speed on clean, dry, level interstates when no traffic.)
Tell police departments which have Expeditions that they cannot be safely driven at 100 mph.
(Fordealer said one police department wanted the dealer to increase the 103 mph governed speed. The dealer refused.)
Fine Robert, you’ve got all the answers. Check with your local fire chief, see if he agrees with you. Oh, I’m sure you’ve already done that and the chief is in total agreement.
"Fine Robert, you've got all the answers. Check with your local fire chief, see if he agrees with you. Oh, I'm sure you've already done that and the chief is in total agreement."Fire Chief has driven his fire department Tahoe at 100 mph.
The reason the computer kicks runs it to around 1,500 RPM when you first start it is to get the oil moving around in there. Don't worry about it. Just don't red-line it up the street when it is still cold.Have never come close to red line, even when at operating temperature. But hate to be at 60 mph when temperaturte gauge is still at bottom. I accelerate gently so it does not downshift and spike the tachometer.
I was talking about the electric light bulb under the car, as in fire hazard.
"I was talking about the electric light bulb under the car, as in fire hazard."Understood. These outdoor lamps are made for that. Fused just above their amperage draw.
Don’t know of a cheaper way to heat the vehicle.
Would be much money to run a gas line, provide a vent (which cools the garage when appliance is not operating) and install a gas space heater. (I presume that building code requires it be at ceiling height to be above gasoline vapors.)
But I can insulate the garage doors inexpen$ively.
You do not need to heat the engine, just let it idle for around 15-30 seconds upon starting, and drive moderately for the first few minutes until the engine has come up to temperature. This talk of putting flood lights underneath the engine is asinine.
"... just let it idle for around 15-30 seconds upon starting, and drive moderately for the first few minutes until the engine has come up to temperature. This talk of putting flood lights underneath the engine is asinine."Normally, I place in Drive and let idle move the vehicle out of the garage, (minimizes uncatalyzed exhaust in the garage) and down the street to the stop sign. Then gently accelerate from the stop sign not exceeding 2,000 rpm.
But a 3 a.m. and need to hurry, better to have the vehicle warmer than 10° F.
Flood light lamps radiating heat up onto the engine and transmission may help.
@RobertGift, there’s a big difference in driving a car at 100mph and driving an SUV/truck at that speeds.
Have you guys taken those high speed driving courses?
Are those flood lights incandescent?
If they are, you guys are INSANE, even if they’re supposedly outdoor rated.
Since you feel so indestructible, why don’t you just literally light a fire under the engine block to keep it warm?
"... Are those flood lights incandescent? ... why don't you just literally light a fire under the engine block to keep it warm?"Incandescent lamps - most energy is heat and small % light.
Wish that I could use natural gas. Much cheaper than electric heat.
Alcohol burners - if they go out, no explosion hazard!
Yes, the SUV has a much higher center of gravity and more surface area catching crosswinds.
So in such situations you limit peak speed.
Last summer I headed east on an interstate with a strong tail wind.
At 100 mph thExpedition was amazingly smooth, quiet and stable.
Then the hospital called asking where their blood was.
Why do you ask questions, and then come up with bizarre answers yourself, and refuse to listen to anything that advises against the bizarre answers?
You asked the question. You proposed a light under the car. We told you that’s a bad idea. You just keep repeating your theory about the light while ignoring everything we say. And you do that in every thread you start.
Frankly, I’m starting to suspect you’re a long-game troll.
@RobertGift lighting the fire under the engine was a joke!
If you flip that SUV at 100mph, you might be the one needing blood.
And that’s no joke.
"You proposed a light under the car. We told you that's a bad idea."I am seeking better ideas. Floodlights a bad idea? How? Worst case: They shatter and go out. Even low fused. They are not going to ignite anything or fuel vapors.
Gas space heater is far too expensive - and its vent cools the space when not operating.
Radiater hose heater is expensive and was told it may leak.
Dipstick heaters are too little heat.
I mentioned earlier that I started my 1971 Maverick and my 1978 Oldsmobile when the temperature was below -20 F. I had 10W-40 oil in the crankcase of both cars. Keith mentioned that he had a 1971 Maverick that he started at -6 F. (@Keith–Mavericks started well in cold weather but they certainly rode like wheelbarrows. I spent more on Preparation H than I did on upkeep on the Maverick). With synthetic 0W-20 oil the Expedition should start right up especially at 10 F temperature you mentioned. Most of the heat from the flood lamps will dissipate before it does much to warm up the engine. I think block heaters are 750-1000 watts that directly heat the coolant. The 300 watts from the flood lamps won’t do much.
I have an attached garage and the furnace for the house is located in the garage. The original gas furnace was state of the art when the house was built in 1989. It vented through a pcv pipe, but did take the combustion air from the garage. I replaced the furnace two years ago with one that is even higher in efficiency and draws the combustion air from outside the garage. With the new furnace, the garage is at least ten degrees cooler than with the original furnace with more of the heat going into the house. I am installing an electric heater so that I can work comfortably in the garage–it’s for my sake and not the sake of the cars.
"lighting the fire under the engine was a joke!"Yes. But the fire would be efficient!
If conditions were such that one could flip the SUV, then you slow to a safe speed.
At 100 mph I am worrying about a blowout and what damage is occurring to the 4WD drive train.
I have said they would not be able to tell my blood from that in the ruptured boxes.
(The farmers said they do 100 mph all the time and their vehicles are fine.
But they repalce their vehicles regularly.)
Robert you said: “Floodlights a bad idea? How? Worst case: They shatter and go out. Even low fused. They are not going to ignite anything or fuel vapors.”
Not, the worst case is your garage, truck, and attached house burn to the ground. When the bulb shatters there are sparks - even if the circuit breaker cuts power, there are still sparks before the power is cut. It is a garage so there can be vapors. Most garages have paint cans, lawn mowers, and other flammables, not to mention residue and fumes from the car and oil on the underside of the car.
Perhaps the bulb would shatter, spark, and nothing ignite. But, perhaps it would. It just isn’t safe. There are no “better ideas” other than heat the garage which you reject. Just run the truck do your thing and don’t worry about the cold motor. The motor was made to handle this stuff. It is a truck, it is sturdy, no reason to do anything.
"block heaters are 750-1000 watts that directly heat the coolant. The 300 watts from the flood lamps won't do much."Yes, 300-Watts is not very much, but in still air and covered hood and grill, may slowly heat enough.