Keeping the bird warm? Stupid cold!

**Firebird Phoenix** · 12-04-2008, 07:08 AM

I hate the cold...and it's not even full blown winter here yet. No garage...and no option to buy a remote car starter because of being a manual. I hate how long it takes to get warm enough to kick on the heat (10 minutes about...screw that). Options? I've sadly contemplated getting a engine block warmer or something haha Anyone else hate the cold?

**onyx_rock** · 12-04-2008, 07:11 AM

I have seen some places advertising they can now install starters on manual tranny vehicles. May want to take a look around

**egod** · 12-04-2008, 07:30 AM

+1 for the manual starters now. Yeah i'm parked about a five minute walk from my apt and i have to park in some crappy crater-filled gravel pit that just gets worse in winter. So i know what you're saying about it taking forever to warm up. My guess would be to switch to a higher temp thermostat, you'll sacrifice some performance but where you gonna run to in the snow?

**hutch1999** · 12-04-2008, 08:01 AM

Im about 100miles east of you OP and the cold sucks. still low 20s right now. I go out turn my car on and then go back inside the house

**TransAm11973** · 12-04-2008, 10:20 AM

yeah i was thinking about getting a block heater to lessen the piston slap,...any thoughts on where to get?

**Firebird Phoenix** · 12-04-2008, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by egod

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Any catches? I've asked the question here before but wonder if the technology improved. Last I recalled you either had to leave the car in neutral (no way i'd do that) or it somehow bypassed the clutch(not sure how..safe/reliable that is). Let me know..

Originally Posted by hutch1999

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Yeah I hear ya...its about high 20's here.

Originally Posted by TransAm11973

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Whats piston slap? I assume that is something to do with a cold start...and if you find anything about block warmers post it up!

**BIG GUNS** · 12-04-2008, 02:35 PM

Here is what happened to me during the Thanksgiving Day break in Minnesota:

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102638

**0verkill** · 12-04-2008, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by BIG GUNS

Here is what happened to me during the Thanksgiving Day break in Minnesota:

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102638

that just sucks. i hate the cold i dont drive my ta in winter and it stays in the garage but my dd is a 93 full size blazer and it takes forever to worm up. it has to idel for over 30 min. or i can just get in and drive it for 10 + miles.

**WonFastWS6** · 12-04-2008, 05:41 PM

I really hope they aren't jumping or messing with the neutral start switch when they put those remote starter kits on the car, that could be very dangerous.

Also i use a office lamp in the winter time. Put on the ground Facing the oil pan kind of redneck but it gets the job done.

P.S Its about 25 degrees in Idaho to night

**TransAm11973** · 12-04-2008, 06:05 PM

an office lamp????? that will do absolutly nothing except waste electricity

**egod** · 12-04-2008, 08:28 PM

not if its halogen, those suckers but out some btu's i tell you. Thats why they are ban from most college dorms

**WonFastWS6** · 12-04-2008, 08:54 PM

It creates some heat. A lot of people do its pretty common thing here, i'm not saying its the only way just one of many. And yes it dose work.

**BIG GUNS** · 12-05-2008, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by 01 T/A

that just sucks. i hate the cold i dont drive my ta in winter and it stays in the garage but my dd is a 93 full size blazer and it takes forever to worm up. it has to idel for over 30 min. or i can just get in and drive it for 10 + miles.

Yeah, I'm definitely looking for a beater for the winter. Thought just a short jaunt to Minnesota for Thanksgiving would be cool since it was clear and dry out. Boy, was I ever mistaken......lol.

**herculesrider1** · 12-05-2008, 07:01 AM

The wife has a '98 V-6 Camaro, and we take it sometimes, but to me, as long as the roads aren't wet and snowy, My baby runs so sweet in the cold weather!!! I usually sit there for about 3 to 4 minutes letting her warm up and before we get out to the main street, which is about 2 minutes, she's at operating temp, heater is blowing super hot, even the wife commented on how fast it heats up. Toasty on the inside, freezing on the outside...good thing is, that freezing, contracted oxygen dense air is being sucked into those RamAir nostrils and she likes it!!

**Smkn_TA** · 12-05-2008, 08:35 AM

On tuesday this week after this week I started my car, turned front and rear defrosters on. Scraped scraped and scraped. I got in, all hot, went 100 feet, all the snow blew onto windshield, melted 1 second, froze the next. My god that pissed me off. I used the wipers, and it was like 8 out, it froze on the wipers and they would not work. Had to snap them a couple time. GRRR!!

I've seen oil pan warmers that are just magnets that clamp on, but on my bros car, we throw a drop cloth over the hood of it, and set a trouble light under it for a while before starting it. Worked wonders.

On a side note....F-Body doors....FREEZE WORSE THAN ANY OTHER FUCKING CAR. Seriously. And the windows, every fucking time to. Little tip, when unfreezing your doors, a hard STEADY pull is what you use. Constant pull. Never try to jerk it loose. Just keep hanging on and it will break loose. Fucking weather strip on bottom of door froze to car and pulled off a foot today. Just reattatched that.

Oh, and a fucking cop pulls me over for fishtailing. No ticket, just ran my liscense. I was fucking pissed. Granted I was taking up two lanes, but ffs, 275 width tires in snow.

**herculesrider1** · 12-05-2008, 08:52 AM

Yeah, the wife had to heat up some water and pour it on the window and door to get hers open this morning. Fortunately it didn't refreeze on her, then she would have been stuck inside!! hahahha. Bummer man, nothing worse than getting crap due to the weather from law enforcement.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 12-05-2008, 12:22 PM

i dont like winter, its been freezing out here in minn-e-sooo-ta, plus I really miss my car wont get to take it back out till april

**herculesrider1** · 12-05-2008, 12:35 PM

Fortunately it only gets down into the teens here in Tennessee, and it usually warms up to at least freezing!!! Not much snow, so, taking her out is still a possibility....don't know if I could go for months without driving her...feel for ya man!

**0verkill** · 12-05-2008, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by herculesrider1

Yeah, the wife had to heat up some water and pour it on the window and door to get hers open this morning. Fortunately it didn't refreeze on her, then she would have been stuck inside!! hahahha. Bummer man, nothing worse than getting crap due to the weather from law enforcement.

tell her not to heat the water it is the worse thing to do if you have to put water on it to open it use cool water. if its hot you and have the windo brake and thats not good. a trick to geting the look to work is to blow in it. you look a bit dum but it works the best and is fast.