m35 frozen

[o3blacksmoke]

Im new to the deuce club. I have a 1970 M35a2 bobbed. It seemed to run fine in warm wether and started right up. It has 2 12v 700 cca batterys that are fully charged. It has been around 20 degrees at night but warms to about 40 during the day. I went to start it ther other day and it just barly cranked a half turn. Then clicks. I looked at the motor and it had ice on the block. What can i do to pre heat the motor or do i need batterys with more cold cranking amps. Thanks Mike

 

[Kenny714]

Block heater. Search on here. There is plenty of posts on them.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6WtGSSigyY[/media]

 

[Billy Bobbed]

Sounds like your batteries to me.Mine will turn over and start below zero.

 

[flyxpl]

your batteries got to be hurt . In weather as your having my trucks turn over very well , but they still are hard starting .

 

[rlwm211]

I have started mine at -7 and had no real difficulties. I would check your batteries. I

RL

 

[DJones]

Sounds like your batteries to me.Mine will turn over and start below zero.

 

[wreckerman893]

Are you sure your alternater is charging? If the batteries are low that may be the cause.

Do you keep it outdoors? That can have a big effect on the batteries......the colder it is the less cranking power the batteries will have.

If you have a torpedo type heater you can blow hot air over the engine to warm it up prior to cranking.

 

[Medic5050]

Good job and great info on the heaters.

 

[papabear]

I would just move to Georgia

Seriously though...I think it has been covered already...batts...also check all connections.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Keep those batteries charged fully - that will help. When my truck is sitting during the cold months, I keep a couple cheap trickle chargers hooked up to them. Tractor Supply just had a sale on them - $20 each; they do a fine job to maintain a charge (but would take forever to charge a depleated battery).

If you don't keep the batteries fully charged, you'll not have a chance of starting it in the cold weather without a block heater here in New Hampshire. I read somewhere that if the starter can't maintain cranking the engine at 300 RPM or more, the engine will never develop sufficent heat internally to start. I tend to believe it, after having had a couple of these trucks in the cold climate of the Northeast, and having had them fail to start a time or two. Get them to spin fast enough and they will start every time; warm oil and/or engine coolant with heaters, and fully charged batteries and you're pretty much good to start every time.

 

[dittle]

Might have a battery drain as well. Disconnect the ground off the batteries after you get done driving it the next time. Then check to see if there is any difference when you go to start it (after hooking ground back up).

 

[OSO]

Welcome to Steel Soldiers! Great place to pick up info on these trucks . Sounds like low battries, unable to spin the motor over . Charge the battries up, then try again. Make sure the terminals are clean and tight. Again Welcome to Steel Soldiers. I used to work at a crane rental yard in Wisconsin ,and we had some cold weather there. All I know,that sounds like low battries . Like mentioned in other posts.

 

[XanRa]

Welcome to Steel Soldiers! Great place to pick up info on these trucks . Sounds like low battries, unable to spin the motor over . Charge the battries up, then try again. Make sure the terminals are clean and tight. Again Welcome to Steel Soldiers. I used to work at a crane rental yard in Wisconsin ,and we had some cold weather there. All I know,that sounds like low battries . Like mentioned in other posts.

not to get off topic but oso you are really sparaticly active....

 

[jwaller]

I just bought 2 solar battery chargers at oreilly, $25 each. 1.8amp, same as a trickle charger. simply alligator clip each one to each battery and it should keep you ready when you need it. very helpful if you park far away from an outlet.

 

[73m819]

I use 2 B/D float chargers from WM, $ 10 each

 

[rosco]

Check your batteries with a volt meter. A fully charged battery is 12.66 volts. 12.33 is half charged and 12 volts is considered dead.

 

[rosco]

Might have a battery drain as well. Disconnect the ground off the batteries after you get done driving it the next time. Then check to see if there is any difference when you go to start it (after hooking ground back up).

Disconnect the ground and put a voltmeter between it and the frame - if you have a volt reading, you have a drain/short. If you have a current clamp meter (DC), you would not have to disconnect the ground to tell if you have a drain. A reading will tell you, and how much......

 

[PaulbusMax]

That part about having "Ice on the block" gets my attention after seeing more than one block destroyed due to weak or no antifreeze.

 

[glcaines]

I purchased a block heater for my Deuce. It didn't seem to make much difference - it always starts easy, but I believe it is easier on the engine if the oil is warmer. The high compression makes starting Deuces easy when it's cold, if everything is correct. Although I'm in Georgia, I'm in the mountains and it gets very cold in the winter. Re-charge your batteries, check your terminals for a good connection and check your alternator output. I would make sure you have the proper size of batteries as well.

On a side note, when I was in the Army stationed in Germany we were always told to turn on the headlights for a few minutes prior to attempting a start. This warmed up the batteries slightly and made starting easier. This was standard procedure with all of our vehicles, tracked and wheeled.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

On a side note, when I was in the Army stationed in Germany we were always told to turn on the headlights for a few minutes prior to attempting a start. This warmed up the batteries slightly and made starting easier. This was standard procedure with all of our vehicles, tracked and wheeled.

+1 on that. I forget the exact term/what this does, by we were taught this in our electrical class at school, also helps when ur batt is too dead to turn over the motor, in that instance though, it's hope and pray.