Plugging during winter

[TJT]

Could I plug in my 1964 C10 during winter to keep it warm-ish?
Last winter it took 5-7 minutes every morning to get the truck warm enough to not hiccup on me.
Im not sure if older cars can do it.
230 I6 if that matters.

[brokenspoke]

Plug it to?

[donthekawguy]

You can get a block heater or an oil dipstick that heats up and keeps the oil warm.

[Indian113]

In Iowa we use a lower radiator heater hose heater. It will keep the water in your block and heater circulate and actually keep windshield from frosting over. You just cut the lower hose and insert heater then plug into 110 volts.

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by TJT

Could I plug in my 1964 C10 during winter to keep it warm-ish?
Last winter it took 5-7 minutes every morning to get the truck warm enough to not hiccup on me.
Im not sure if older cars can do it.
230 I6 if that matters.

If your storage environment is like a semi-heated garage, I'd prefer to store it with fluids still in tact; then the 1st Sat. in EACH month--NO LONGER--hook up a good battery, start it, let it run & reach operating temp; then drive it at least a short distance to warm up trans, diff'l, brakes, etc. Next best to driving is to have rear wheels jacked up and run it thru all the gears to warm up/exercise the movable parts & systems. May get differing opinions, but do not let others' ideas confuse you, as there are many good ways to "store" it.

BTW: I'm afraid of electrical things left plugged in--for unattended periods of time--whether it be battery-maintainers (I've had 2 of these for several years, both still unused as of tonight.), engine block heaters, and the like. Just my opinions, mind you! Luck with your decision(s).
Sam

[Indian113]

I use battery tenders on my Harley's, lawn mower, boat, and my 64. I can tell you that a lower radiator heater has saved my butt when I didn't have a garage or the money to keep newer cars in my driveway. I wouldn't use a block heater or a oil tube heater but the lower hose works great.

[TJT]

Originally Posted by luvbowties

If your storage environment is like a semi-heated garage, I'd prefer to store it with fluids still in tact; then the 1st Sat. in EACH month--NO LONGER--hook up a good battery, start it, let it run & reach operating temp; then drive it at least a short distance to warm up trans, diff'l, brakes, etc. Next best to driving is to have rear wheels jacked up and run it thru all the gears to warm up/exercise the movable parts & systems. May get differing opinions, but do not let others' ideas confuse you, as there are many good ways to "store" it.

BTW: I'm afraid of electrical things left plugged in--for unattended periods of time--whether it be battery-maintainers (I've had 2 of these for several years, both still unused as of tonight.), engine block heaters, and the like. Just my opinions, mind you! Luck with your decision(s).
Sam

I would still be driving it everyday, and plugging it in a few hours before I need to drive it.

Plug it to?

Sorry - a block heater. Im uneducated on the subject because they aren't widely used here in TX. I assumed cars either came with one or not, not that you buy it separately.

[66 C10 383]

You can usually buy a small heater that goes into a freeze plug in the block. Drain anti-freeze, remove an easily accessible freeze plug in the engine block, install heater. Refill with anti-freeze and plug it in. It keeps the af in the block warmer making it easier to start and faster to warm up in colder climates.

[geezer#99]

Block heater won't help your situation. Your heat riser under your intake is likely stuck or non-existant. It takes awhile to warm up the intake so the fuel vapour in the intake stays a vapour. A cold intake causes the fuel vapour to revert to a liquid. Once you build enough heat in the intake it runs better.
My 230 in my old 65 did the same. Had headers and no heat to the intake. Took a few minutes to warm up and then after driving the first 1/2 mile it would start to run like crap again cause my air cleaner had no warm air supply to it. It would warm up again in the next half mile and be good from then on.
Check the heat riser.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Block heater won't help your situation. Your heat riser under your intake is likely stuck or non-existant. It takes awhile to warm up the intake so the fuel vapour in the intake stays a vapour. A cold intake causes the fuel vapour to revert to a liquid. Once you build enough heat in the intake it runs better.
My 230 in my old 65 did the same. Had headers and no heat to the intake. Took a few minutes to warm up and then after driving the first 1/2 mile it would start to run like crap again cause my air cleaner had no warm air supply to it. It would warm up again in the next half mile and be good from then on.
Check the heat riser.

+1 on manifold heat riser and I'd add choke adjustments/tune as well. I was thinkin, TX is winter warmer than even NC and I have no issues with mine warming up here.

[K98AL]

Are you running headers? I ran a manifold adapter from Langdons to route engine coolant under carb. Made a huge difference.

[cortcomp]

Just because it's old doesn't mean it can't run like it's supposed to, without heaters, etc. (of course i'm sure it's better for wear n tear to have a nice warm engine to startup.)

These guys are on the right track with crossovers working, carb setup right, choke setup right, and also make sure timing is working with vac advance working, etc.

I did those things on my 66 catalina. Previous owner would need to let it sit and warm up for 10 minutes before driving. That doesn't cut it as i was using it to take my daughter to daycare in the morning in NEOhio lake effect weather.

Once i had the carb rebuilt, fixed the vac adv, set the timing, and adjusted the choke (crossover flapper in exhaust was working still), i could go out and pump the gas once (any more than once and it could flood) and turn the key and it'd fire up...better than the 4.3 chevy v6 van i was using for a work van! Crank right over and fire up.

I hate leaving things plugged in for long periods too, but with GOOD jet ski and lawnmower and car batteries being over $100/ea, i just live with it. That's what insurance is for right?

[luvbowties]

[QUOTE=TJT;6232834]I would still be driving it everyday, and plugging it in a few hours before I need to drive it.



Thanks for enlightening me on what you were aiming for. I agree 100% with others' suggestions about curing your problem without plugging anything in. With your carb adjusted properly, & assuming an automatic choke, you should be able to pump the accelerator to floor once, take your foot completely off the accelerator, turn the key, and start engine; it should then continue running by itself at a fast idle while you wait just a few seconds (like 15 +/-) before you 'bump' the accel once to let the fast-idle cam on the carb release the choke cam to a slower-idling detent position. At that point you should be able to drive off without hiccups, as it slowly warms up and rotates the choke butterfly to full-off position.

As others have said, you need to have the heat riser functioning properly:IMPORTANT. With proper tuning (plugs, wires, vac. advance, mech. advance, heat riser, carb settings, etc) and adjustments, you should be able to enjoy the above-described start-ups without additional block-heating. We can achieve this scenario here in SC, where our winters produce some 20-degree mornings. Hopefully, you can do the same in your geog. area. *BTW: I lived in Flint, Mi. right out of high school, where I bought a $75-rusty '55 Chevy with 6 cyl. and 3 on tree--mainly to garage my '57 rust-free Chevy from SC. By tuning just as described above, it would perform just as above. But I will admit that on some of the near-zero mornings, I'd sometimes pump the accel to floor 2-3 times before turning the key. [The '57 v-8 'power pack' I took with me from SC would perform the same AFTER I rotated the choke 1 or 2 'marks' richer than where I had it set in SC.]

Luck with good tuning! Should be all you need to enjoy your ride as was intended from GM!
Sam