Hey Guys - It was 20 degrees outside yesterday and I noticed that my heater blower will stop blowing everytime I press the brake pedal. I had the system set for Auto and temp = 84. Nothing else was acting out of the norm. Once the inside warmed up, it would keep blowing when I press the brake pedal. I'm assuming that this is not normal. Where do I begin looking?!?

Also in this type of weather, How long can I expect the truck to sit outside without starting and not have an issue with starting. The battery is 900cca. The longest it has sat so far is 8 days. When I do start it, I drive it for at least 50 miles before i let it sit again.

 

Lets deal with your last issue first. How old is the battery. I hadnt started my truck in about 7 days with a 3year old battery and she took maybe a second longer than usual to start. Batteries are like human beings. They tend to like warmer weather, just like us. when it gets cold, they'll react a little slow. and the older they are, the slower they get.

With your second issue, take it off autol and try to replicate the error.

 

Your truck should beable to sit for a month in 0 degree weather and still start.

 

yea, with a brand new battery in constant 70 degree weather. Add cold to that mix and that time drops drastically.

 

[quote=dgi 07;299383]Lets deal with your last issue first. How old is the battery. I hadnt started my truck in about 7 days with a 3year old battery and she took maybe a second longer than usual to start. Batteries are like human beings. They tend to like warmer weather, just like us. when it gets cold, they'll react a little slow. and the older they are, the slower they get.

The battery is less than a month old. I recently replace the water pump, thottle body heater, theromstat, upper raditor hose. This cure the majority of the coolant leaks. I think the remaining leak is the valley pan gasket. I'm saving that repair for the spring. I was hoping that I could let it sit for three / four weeks without needed to pull the battery and charge it. Didn't want to remove the battery incase I need to move it and maybe it's overkill but when I do start it - I feel like I need to drive it for a while before I let it sit some more.

Sometimes this truck makes me wonder... Do I own it or do it Own me...LOL

 

It owns you. There are also solar charger panels.... and the weekly ritual of checking fluids and letting it run for a while.

 

I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Of course, it could also be a good time to measure battery volts just after startup on the very cold day. If everything possible is running (heater blower, electric seat heaters, electric wind screen defroster, etc.), the alternator may not be putting out enough. If an alternator has a blown diode, it may put out say 80 amps instead of 130. On a high current day that could eb the difference. If you have a volt meter, put all the loads on, and battery still needs to be above 13.2 volts. Or have tested at parts store.