Since Monday, it has been at least -40*F (~ -40*C). On Tuesday and Wednesday, it was -50*F, if not colder. When I go to back up out of my parking spot, I get this immense amount of drag causing me to almost stall. It also does it when I first start going. I have to rev it to about 1800 in order to get going without stalling. Once moving forward, it sounds like if you were to take some water, freeze it, put some snow on top of it, let the water melt about half way, then try to stir it with an electric mixer, minus the whir of the electric mixer. So basically it sounds like a Slushy from 7/11. The drag is deff not from the engine because I can rev it just fine. Its got to be in the drive train. I'm pretty sure the freezing point for tranny and diff fluid is much colder than -50,-60. I could be wrong. Its also POSSIBLE, but not likely, that I have some water in the diff. I did go through water deep enough to drown the diffs this summer, but I since have changed the fluids. I think I can count out the tranny because I have a tranny heating pad and it does work. Could the U-joints be frozen? It doesn't seem like the U-joints would cause drag. Wheel bearings? I had them repacked in the summer of '06 when I got the CV joints/axles replaced.
It didn't do this earlier this year when we had -30*F.....
Once I drove around for about 30 minutes, it almost felt back to normal, but it still seemed to lag a little. I know, metal contracts when its cold so things will be a little tighter, but it shouldn't be after 30 minutes of driving.
I was thinking maybe attaching a tranny heating pad to both the diffs. That'd be difficult though, since the cords barely reached from the battery to the opposite corner in the engine bay.
Any ideas? Thoughts?
Thanks.

 

If you suspect frozen diff oil, it's likely due to moisture in the diffs, as the water will freeze below 32F.

If you're concerned with the oil itself, maybe it's time to try a synthetic gear oil, which will have much better flow at lower temps due to lower pour point.

Around here, it doesn't really drop below -4C (around 25F) so I guess we're pretty lucky.

 

Synthetic diff fluids are your best freinds at that temp. They will still flow and not be silly putty.

 

Found this info on diff oils (synthetic and dino)

http://www.sinwal.com/data/The%20Stu...ar%20Lubes.pdf

The pour point of -50 to -45 for synthetics. (page 10)

Also the channeling test was interesting

Some synthetics failled tests

 

Whoa! Thanks Yoda! That was some good information!
Redline, Royal Purple and Lucas 75w-90 synthetic oils failed.
Good thing my '88 already has Synthetic in it

 

Yeah, Thats the same tests that is on my website. It has some good info. I have posted it on other sites and they still think Redline is god. It was some good testing results tho, even tho alot of folks think it was rigged.
BTW, Damn that is cold up there. You should be on Ice Road Truckers

 

lol. I hate reality shows. Except Cops and Speeders . And yes! It is cold. I refuse to drive, or even try to start my truck if it gets any colder. Its not supposed to be colder than -45 for the next few days. around 1:30pm today it was cloudy, and snowing...but still -25 to -30. haha.
Then in the summer it gets around 70 to 80 F.

 

Poke around a little on the web with Google (I may have the links somewhere), and you'll find at least two, separate, test that were run on several oils (comparing them), over the course of a year, and AmSpam (errr, Amsoil) thickened over time (over the course of the test) in both of the separate test (two completely different people testing).




Fred

 

Holy poop, I sure hope that you're using a 0wxx synthetic and giving the engine plenty of time to warm up (10 minutes if not longer) before you go "revving" like that. You'll really killing your engine if not.

Even a 0w synthetic can't flow good enough at those temps.



Fred

 

are your drum brakes 'freezing' in place ? if you put the parking brake on, the cable can freeze and not relieve the shoes in the drums. I imagine the hardware could freeze up to some degree as well.

When I had the stock parking setup i had mine freeze many times, I had to get out and get under the truck and kick the arms (on each drum) so they'd snap back.

 

wow, will im so glad i dont live there.... it was like 45 today here in alabama

 

Well its not letting my multi-quote, so Drew303:
Its not the drum brakes. I was always taught to not use the parking break in the winter for that exact reason, unless necessary. I park in first.



meh...ya...it gets chilleh

 

Drain and fill with synthetic.