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Starting while in storage
Question,I put my HC Challenger in storage for the winter.I did all the prep: full tank of fuel with sta-bil,inflated the tires and put it up on ramps(race ready)etc.should I start it and let it run periodically or leave it sit and wait till I get it out in the spring?
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And therein lies my problem. It takes a 70-100 mile drive to get to a town, to get the oil up to temp.As for driving, even a prolonged drive (~10+ miles) did not have my Scat Pack or my Hellcat up to temperature. But what I quickly found with these cars -- courtesy of Performance Pages -- was that both would get up to temperature, and then some, rather quickly just driving in town conditions. And from a dead cold start, too.
Luckily there are nice roads much closer that climb about 2,500 feet in somewhat short distances. To me. that's a far more enjoyable way to get the oil up to temp than sitting in traffic.
Leave it on battery tender. Do not start until spring.Question,I put my HC Challenger in storage for the winter.I did all the prep: full tank of fuel with sta-bil,inflated the tires and put it up on ramps(race ready)etc.should I start it and let it run periodically or leave it sit and wait till I get it out in the spring?
I knew a guy who lived up in the hills (mountains) above Sunol CA. If he backed his car into his driveway in the morning when he wanted to leave he could start the engine, release the handbrake and his car would coast the mile or so to Sunol.And therein lies my problem. It takes a 70-100 mile drive to get to a town, to get the oil up to temp.
Luckily there are nice roads much closer that climb about 2,500 feet in somewhat short distances. To me. that's a far more enjoyable way to get the oil up to temp than sitting in traffic.
At any rate yeah highway use of the legal kind doesn't get the engine/oil up to a good operating temperature.
Even climbing a mountain grade on I580 -- from Dublin/Pleasanton CA over to Castro Valley CA and the east bay -- my Hellcat didn't get that much hotter than it got from my house 10 miles distant to the freeway started going up. I don't remember the elevation involved but I don't think it was 2500 feet.
When I drove my Hellcat from CA to AR the route had me driving up passes at higher elevations, 4000 feet to outside of Flagstaff, 7700 feet. But I wasn't really paying attention to the coolant/oil temperatures.
In my experience, it isn't the elevation itself, or the amount of change, but how rapid that change is.
A typical interstate usually doesn't have more than 6% grades, if that. Definitely noticeable in a fully loaded tractor trailer, but not so much in a Challenger.
Thankfully the hills around here are often 10% or better, and even a Hellcat notices gaining altitude at that rate. It makes the engine actually work, resulting in warm(er) oil.
A typical interstate usually doesn't have more than 6% grades, if that. Definitely noticeable in a fully loaded tractor trailer, but not so much in a Challenger.
Thankfully the hills around here are often 10% or better, and even a Hellcat notices gaining altitude at that rate. It makes the engine actually work, resulting in warm(er) oil.
What about cars equipped with engine block heater? Does that bring engine oil up to temperature for a safe start and drive?
It'd help warm the fluids up faster, to a point, but if I'm driving when it's cool out they'll reach terminal temp and stay there.What about cars equipped with engine block heater? Does that bring engine oil up to temperature for a safe start and drive?
Still, it would be a bit nicer to the engine to use the block heater since it would start at maybe 100 degrees instead of whatever it is in the garage.
I just learned that our Durangos have a battery storage program setting that can prolong the battery life.
That feature seems to be standard on at least anything with a 6.2, possibly with other engines, too.
I live on a very flat island and take the car out often even a temps below freezing so I have been experimenting on how to get to temp.
Cruising at low rpm and high speeds will never work.
I take roads that have traffic lights with some open road (like service roads). I will paddle shift engine to rev it to 3000-4000 rpms in the lower gears at about 1/4 throttle.
I found that brisk acceleration, slightly higher RPMs and low speed cruising will get my oil to 176°F in less than 10 minutes even at temps in the 20's.
Power on!
Cruising at low rpm and high speeds will never work.
I take roads that have traffic lights with some open road (like service roads). I will paddle shift engine to rev it to 3000-4000 rpms in the lower gears at about 1/4 throttle.
I found that brisk acceleration, slightly higher RPMs and low speed cruising will get my oil to 176°F in less than 10 minutes even at temps in the 20's.
Power on!
That's a long warm up time.
75-100 miles, what??
I assume the Hellcat oil cooler is thermostatically controlled so what is the issue with warming up?
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75-100 miles, what??
I assume the Hellcat oil cooler is thermostatically controlled so what is the issue with warming up?
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It sure doesn't seem to have a thermostat. I have yet to try blocking at least part of it, but one of these days I will.I assume the Hellcat oil cooler is thermostatically controlled so what is the issue with warming up?
I like to see at least about 180 degrees before stepping on it, or use higher rpms, and that just doesn't happen when driving normally if it's a cool day. Unless I go uphill.
Does the fully depressed throttle trick actually work on the normal Hellcat's or do you need to unplug the injectors? I've never heard of doing this before.Here’s the article from dodge on priming the motor. I do this because my car sits for up to 4 months.
10 minutes is less than 10 miles. And that's if its below freezing. It can be warmed up faster.That's a long warm up time.
75-100 miles, what??
It seems to be all about the load on the engine. It gets to 100° very quickly - even idling ad moving slowly in light traffic/side streets. Once it gets past 100° I will get into a bit more.
As it was pointed out to me in the thread about how warm should engine be before doing full throttle redline pulls - I wait to 176° before that.
I will say that it's awesome driving to nowhere and experimenting! Best destination yet.
And those of you who don't drive these cars in the cold weather are missing out. Maybe because I am approaching 4K miles and the engine is breaking in but this thing is super responsive and almost jittery with that cold air blasting into it.
The air oil cooler on the Hellcat definitely works better for heat but works against you in winter. I'd block it off completely if possible as you want your engine and oil warming up quickly, it's bad for the engine to need a prolonged warmup.
The 392 engine uses a water to oil cooler and while it may not be quite as efficient on a racetrack like the Hellcat, in winter the coolant which warms up much faster actually helps warm up the oil and this is a better setup for winter driving no doubt.
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The 392 engine uses a water to oil cooler and while it may not be quite as efficient on a racetrack like the Hellcat, in winter the coolant which warms up much faster actually helps warm up the oil and this is a better setup for winter driving no doubt.
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Haven't checked, but maybe that's how the TRX's oil cooler works.
Either way, I've certainly noticed that the TRX warms the oil up much faster. Of course, in that case the engine has to deal with a fair amount of extra weight and somewhat dismal aerodynamics. As far as the engine is concerned, it must be like the Challenger always going uphill.
If/when the Durango shows up, I suspect it'll be about halfway between the 'Cat and the TRX. Better at heating the oil than the Trackhawk was, but not by much.
Either way, I've certainly noticed that the TRX warms the oil up much faster. Of course, in that case the engine has to deal with a fair amount of extra weight and somewhat dismal aerodynamics. As far as the engine is concerned, it must be like the Challenger always going uphill.
If/when the Durango shows up, I suspect it'll be about halfway between the 'Cat and the TRX. Better at heating the oil than the Trackhawk was, but not by much.
One key question ive not seen answered maybe i missed it. Is it heated storage?Question,I put my HC Challenger in storage for the winter.I did all the prep: full tank of fuel with sta-bil,inflated the tires and put it up on ramps(race ready)etc.should I start it and let it run periodically or leave it sit and wait till I get it out in the spring?
Run it periodically, hello.
NoOne key question ive not seen answered maybe i missed it. Is it heated storage?
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