The last thing you're thinking about
 

Now is a really good time to get your car ready for winter. Before it gets too cold, make sure that you have enough antifreeze, install that block heater, and make sure your glow plugs are all working correctly. Just wanted to put up a reminder, since I always find myself waiting until it is too late. Last night I flushed the cooling system and replaced the antifreeze with enough for my climate. The result was dramatically better cooling performance - it has yet to push it over 90* in my commute, and I was rough on it today.

I'm also wondering...how many of you have driven off with your block heater still plugged in :D

thats why I love FLA....... I used to be a buckeye, and I have backed my Excursion out of the drive with the cord plugged in, but I used to use a heavy cord with ground fault and I strain relieved it around a wooden post, so it just came unplugged

Also add to check the belts and hoses (ALL hoses including the rubber brake lines). Change filters, check flex disks. Check the t-stat. monovalve and aux water pump.

I actually wait until October to do that stuff. That way it's not too hot or too cold to do some wrenching.

The $25 lower radiator hose heater will be your best friend when it's -20F outside and your engine is 50*F

Don't forget the purple wire mod for afterglow!

I drove our tractor away while it was still plugged in when I was 12. Whole lotta sparks, I haven't forgotten to unplug one since :)

Reminds me, on our old Allis-Chalmers D15 you have to manually hold the key counter-clockwise to run the glowplugs. Because the key is so hard to turn, and it's usually freezing out, you never had to worry about over-glowing because your hand got tired before the 30second limit :D

New windshield wipers should be replace just before the bad weather hits.buy a set now before the rush and supplies are depleted.

RainX is great stuff to get the water to bead off the glass. I use it on the side windows too.

Last week I was replacing the alternator because of a noisy bearing. upgraded to the AL128X.
I flipped the block heater cord out of the way. the next day I saw something hanging under the car. it was the cord:(, got dragged a little, wore off the ground pin some, but the plastic cober to protect the plug, got hung up on the tie rod bolt as it was bouncing along and saved it.


Charlie