Cold weather obsevations

[Z77Z77Z]

Since this is my first winter with my truck I just wanted to post a few things I've noticed.

Warm up time, seems to take an excessive amount of time to warm the truck, 5-10 mins longer then anything else I've owned.

Transmission temp, my 8 speed barely gets above 100F on my 25 min commute, almost all highway.

Frost on the inside of windshield, covered in another post.

After it snows unless you brush off above the door snow falls in on your seat, maybe could be causing above said problem,.

Otherwise traction control and 4wd has worked well, maybe too good, traction control sucks for whipping ****ties.

 

[14hemiexpress]

My 6 speed sits under a 100 degrees sense it's been about 30 out. I was towing about 4-4500lbs in 40 degree weather and some hard accleration getting up on the highway couple times and never went over 120 seem like it runs cool to me but if I understand right the cooler the better extends fluid life and with out heat your not burning up clutches.

 

[cc rider]

Thats why its lifetime fluid

 

[Andy578]

usually takes about 5 min for my engine temp to hit 60C which is when it actually starts blowing heat into the cab and by then the transmission is usually around 30C. my transmission usually gets up to around around 80C with our current weather(-10C) and reaches around 100C only after driving for a few hours

i know i have a transmission cooler and i believe the 8 speed also has a heater to try and keep it in it's optimal range

 

[Revo]

Hate it when I forget to clear the snow off the top of the door/roof and the snow falls in...errrgh.

 

[DiabeticKripple]

Thats why its lifetime fluid

i will correct you

"lifetime" fluid

 

[cc rider]

Lol exactly. That's y I had the smiley face

i will correct you

"lifetime" fluid

 

[Z77Z77Z]

One other thing my outside temp gauge is never close to right, said it was always 10 degrees or more to cold, and in the summer reads too hot, wondering if the dealer can recalibrate that.

 

[htwo]

My 2011 HEMI takes a few minutes before you can feel heat, and a few minutes after that it's at operating temp. I don't let it idle long, just 15 seconds for the idle to settle down after starting and I drive it.

 

[MyOhFive]

One other thing my outside temp gauge is never close to right, said it was always 10 degrees or more to cold, and in the summer reads too hot, wondering if the dealer can recalibrate that.

You have weird problems with ur truck. My temp is always bang on, and I've never had frost on the inside of the windshield.. stop breathing so hard lol

 

[KarL45]

warm up time

As for slow warm up's, the coolant capacities have increased from years past, They should and do take longer to warm. Used to be, that about 3 gallon was the max capacity unless you got into the 1.5 ton range vehicle and up. Looking at the specs, the newer 5.7's have a 4 gal capacity and the 6.4 almost 5 gal. I too have noticed the extended warm up time. Live in the western Rockies and morning temps are somewhere around low to mid teens. Making matters worse, I have a 9 mile hill to descend immediately out of my driveway. What I do, (can't do this with remote start) start the truck, make sure park brake is applied, and briskly shift the trans into neutral. This will also allow the trans to warm as well as the engine. The last thing I did was to purchase a "winter front cover from my Ram dealer. Normally used for the diesel but does also help with the gas. It was about 130 $ and it helps with the warm up time which will help the engine performance and oil life. It also has numerous flaps which can be opened for the warmer winter days. Only took about 10 minutes to install out of the box and only 4 or 5 to remove or re install.

 

[Casper]

I give my hemi about two minutes to warm while I'm fussing with my seat belt or getting my passengers settled. By then its smooth idling and obviously has oil throughout. Within two miles of driving its got nice warm heat blowing.

You can do what you want for warm-up, its your truck, but it isn't necessary to warm the engine to 120 degrees before driving, just get the lubricants flowing.

If you hear ticking and banging, then I wouldn't drive off, but if your oil gauge shows pressure and your temps are coming up, why wait--your engine wont last years longer just cause you sat at idle for 5-10 mins.

 

[14hemiexpress]

You have weird problems with ur truck. My temp is always bang on, and I've never had frost on the inside of the windshield.. stop breathing so hard lol

Mine is damn near 5 degrees off all the time. It really wigs you out when it's 34 out the truck reads 28 and it's raining... Riding in the truck it seems like the bridges and stuff should start freezeing but they don't... It doesn't bother me unless it's sitting at the freezeing/not freezeing mark.

 

[Z77Z77Z]

I only let it warm up when it's real cold out, like lately most days it's below 0F when start it up. Otherwise it's just for a min to let everything get lubricated.

I know engine oil should be brought up to temp each run cycle to help with condensation issues, but what about the transmission is the same concern there? I remember my 78 with a four speed manual, was hard to shift on those -20 mornings.

 

[MyOhFive]

Mine is damn near 5 degrees off all the time. It really wigs you out when it's 34 out the truck reads 28 and it's raining... Riding in the truck it seems like the bridges and stuff should start freezeing but they don't... It doesn't bother me unless it's sitting at the freezeing/not freezeing mark.

I shouldn't say it's always bang on.. I dunno where the probe is, but if the truck is parked somewhere in the sun for a while, when I get in yes it will read quite a bit warmer than actual temp. Once rolling though I find it's pretty accurate compared to like TWN app on my phone.

 

[ExpressRules]

I shouldn't say it's always bang on.. I dunno where the probe is, but if the truck is parked somewhere in the sun for a while, when I get in yes it will read quite a bit warmer than actual temp. Once rolling though I find it's pretty accurate compared to like TWN app on my phone.

The sensor is in the drivers side mirror. My readings are also off, more so at lower temps but always at least 4 degrees. There was a service bulletin regarding it that it just needed to be flashed. Someone on this forum I think found a copy of it and I had a copy of it but over the months cant remember what I did with it.

It doesn't bother me enough to fix I just know the real temp is actually higher.

 

[Andy578]

1 thing i've noticed is my coolant and oil temps are always 40C when i start it yet the transmission is a lot closer to outside temperature. the coolant temp starts going up pretty quick but the oil stays 40C for a good 5 min or so after driving off. wondering if the oil really just takes that much longer to start heating up or if maybe 40C is the lowest the sensor goes?

 

[MyOhFive]

I had a stupid cold weather issue this morning... the condensation from my exhaust frosted up my back-up sensors... put it in reverse to leave and the truck screamed at me at 6am. **** I hate those sensors.