No plug-in for the car in winter @ school... Suggestions?

[Duckinator]

So here i am planning on goin to college in Laramie, Wyoming. I want to bring my mercedes ('81 300SD) with me, but my parents, along with myself, have a cause for concern. It gets reallllly cold here... Like -40F cold.. And the school campus doesnt allow vehicles to be plugged in at anytime (fire hazard.. yea, okay). We're kinda worried about it not starting. I have additives to prevent gelling, so i'll be okay there, but its the cold + compression ignition engine thats a cause for concern.

My parents are saying I may need to part with my car, but there is no way i can do that. I suggested mothballing it here in WI or taking it with me and having a storage unit for it and driving a gas job in the winter. They also suggested gettin a 4X4 but i have concerns that it wont be great on my pocket book (even though it prolly will still be a diesel, but then we're gettin back into the cold problems)

What are you guy's thoughts???

[Harrison W]

I have the same concern.... I'm taking my 87 300 SDL (When fixed) up to Cedar City, Utah for college and it gets very cold there as well.

[Codifex Maximus]

Brand new glow plugs.

[jt20]

Not sure how safe you feel with electricity, or your moral agenda, but.....


They usually have tall lamps that illuminate the parking lots at night for safety. Most often there is an access cover somewhere on the base. An industrious neophyte could certainly find a way to tap that power, or get electrocuted. But I would never suggest doing any of that.

[mike-81-240d]

Have a oxy torch on hand and warm the engine block.

[andrewjtx]

There has to be somewhere you can park that has a exterior power outlet within reach of an extension cord... Take it with you. Spend the next 2-3 warm months scouting it out and maybe making friends with a maintenance man that will let you park it behind a building somewhere.

This is not a decision you have to make today. Especially one that hasn't been fully explored...

[PaulC]

Fresh battery, synthetic oil for winter...

[JB3]

usually in places that get that cold, block heaters even for gas applications are extremely common. Stayed in a bunch of motels crossing the northern states that had external plugs for block heaters, i 2nd the idea of scouting around earlier in the year for places you could plug the car in. There will definitely be some place, maybe a local motel or something else close with external plugs will cut you a deal for the winter in a monthly space.

I would not try and start it without the block heater in -40F though, I doubt it will start reliably considering how old the car is, but who knows. You will really be taxing it no matter what.

My 340,000 mile 300D I used to own would start reliably down to about -5F using 5W-40 and 10 cycles of the glow plugs, but thats the coldest ive ever tried to start it without the block heater.

I definitely second switching over to 5W-40 synthetic, made a huge difference on that car, and revamping the glow plug system with new parts in the warmer months, but the idea of not using the car in the winter is I think your best.

Get a winter beater that will also be good for the winter rust problem. Do they salt or sand out there?

[Junkman]

A car in good shape will start at least down to the low teens with glows. I haven't tried cooler temps because the Chicago winters moved me south longer ago than I've had my SD. We used to take the battery inside for the night when I lived up north.

You can bring it here if you want to store it free. The only problem would be that storage is on a gravel drive and long term storage tends to result in rust (think of cars pulled out of fields). Of course, you have salt. We don't.

[boneheaddoctor]

Here is an idea....but at -40F you are in the range you want a heater on the battery too.

Small gasolene generator you've seen these tiny ones that are about a 1,000 watts looks like a big lunchbox with a pull start...(with synthetic oil in it) pull it out of your trunk plug the car in to it....or feed the power lines to your trunk inside. strap it down in the trunk....open the trunk lid. Fire it up and let it run for a half hour, fire the car up, shut the generator down. Close the trunk and be on your way. Not the best way because CO might find its way in through the back of the car from inside the trunk. Setting it on the ground outside the trunk is best, if you have the power cord routed into the trunk....with everything hooked up...you don't need to open the hood.

Salt doesn't work below +11F so they actually use less salt than the warmer places do.

[GregMN]

Prepare your car for cold:
All glow plugs good
Adjust your valves every Oct.
Strong battery
Winter fuel
Synthetic winter weight oil

Prepare your mindset for the cold:
It is only occasionally too cold to start your car. When it is, don't even try.
You're on a college campus. You don't NEED to drive anywhere.

Never use starting fluid, it's not worth the risk.

A set of good snow tires (NOT all season tires) is a lot cheaper than a 4 x 4 and will get you around just fine.

[compu_85]

Time for a Webasto parking heater!

-J

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by compu_85

Time for a Webasto parking heater!

-J

An even better choice if you can locate one.

[compu_85]

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

An even better choice if you can locate one.

You can buy them new. The only problem is they're expensive

-J

[300sdToronto]

Down to about 0F is OK with an engine in decent condition with all the attributes mentioned above - good battery, correct valve clearances, good glow plugs and synthetic oil. Plus winter fuel and conditioner added.

When I lived in Ontario I didn't fancy going outside much below -10 or -15F, let alone starting any poor vehicle, be it gas or diesel.