just want to know (Anchorage, Fairbanks: home, buy, movies)

[babydoll2952]

do you have to leave your car running when you shop

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by babydoll2952

do you have to leave your car running when you shop

Not in Anchorage,

Normally not in Fairbanks either, Some do at -40.

There is a real cool invention every husband should buy their wife. It is called an Auto Start. this device remotely starts your car for you. To warm it up in the winter or cool it off in the hot places. It integrates with your door locks and has other features that make it nice for cold places. Like automatically keeping the engine warm every two hours while your at the movies. Comes with a remote like your door fob.

[Alaska Deb]

Originally Posted by Arcticthaw

Not in Anchorage,

Normally not in Fairbanks either, Some do at -40.

There is a real cool invention every husband should buy their wife. It is called an Auto Start. this device remotely starts your car for you. To warm it up in the winter or cool it off in the hot places. It integrates with your door locks and has other features that make it nice for cold places. Like automatically keeping the engine warm every two hours while your at the movies. Comes with a remote like your door fob.

Ok...dumb 'girl' question: would the automatic start thing work with a diesel truck?

Thanks,
Deb

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by Magoon

Ok...dumb 'girl' question: would the automatic start thing work with a diesel truck?

Thanks,
Deb

I believe they do, must be automatics though. I am not sure if you can still get the one for a manual transmission. You had to do a special procedure before you left the vehicle to ensure the brake and such was set. The computer checked these steps.

If your serious DM me and I will give you a source to talk with.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by babydoll2952

do you have to leave your car running when you shop

Only when the temperature drops below -50°F. On the northslope in December and January it is not uncommon to leave vehicles plugged in and running 24 hours when parked outside.

[GoddessofRandomThoughts]

Originally Posted by Arcticthaw

There is a real cool invention every husband should buy their wife. It is called an Auto Start. this device remotely starts your car for you. To warm it up in the winter or cool it off in the hot places. It integrates with your door locks and has other features that make it nice for cold places. Like automatically keeping the engine warm every two hours while your at the movies. Comes with a remote like your door fob.

Those things are great! I don't have one but I know someone whose husband put one in her car she loves it and I have been with her a few times and it definitely is nice to have the car warmed up a bit when you get to it.

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Only when the temperature drops below -50°F. On the northslope in December and January it is not uncommon to leave vehicles plugged in and running 24 hours when parked outside.

Those are diesels!

Nothing enjoys starting at -50, but a gasoline rig is easier to get running. Best to just stay home and inside.

[AKPOS]

If you don't have a garage, put a nice little electric heater on a timer (one that can't fall over or shuts off if it does), on passenger floor, and car will be warm in morning, windows clear, and you won't use fuel and pollute the air like remote start. Also it will heat the engine to a degree by heating the water in the heater.

[Rance]

When I lived in Wrangell the locals always had a red heat lamp inside the vehicle. It worked great for windows and what not. Depending on the temps I will occasionally leave my vehicle running when I go in the store. In Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai areas. I'm not to worried about car theft in these areas as of yet.

[Arcticthaw]

As you can see depending on what part of Alaska you live in, what measures are required to keep your vehicle operating safely in this enviroment.

In Fairbanks we do the following:

Timer to plug in the following.

Engine block heater
Battery heater or blanket.
oil pan heater.
Manual transmission heater
auto trans heater.

all heaters except the engine heater are silicone pad heaters, normally in the 50 to 200 watt range depending on what your heating. They silicone right to the metal like on an oilpan.

Optional items:
Interior warmer. Saves the upolstry and keeps the seat from being a brick at -40.
Auto start, as mentioned in previous post.
Winter front cover. Blocks road wind from the radiator and engine, keeping things warmer, but still letting cool air be pulled in by the fan.

For those off grid, an old item has resurfaced.
Gas or diesel powered engine circulating heater. Serves the same function as the block heater, but uses fuel instead of electricity.

Most important is to read the owners manual and use the fluids recommended for the tempeature you expect. This is all fluids, and grease, not just oil.

If your driving up the highway and where you live no one knows what we are talking about. They should be able to find the block heater (some times called a frost plug heater). This is the bear minimum, along with antifreeze in your coolant to -50 or so. When you get close to the cold weather change your oil, after 3000 miles it wouldn't hurt to change it anyway.