Help cold engines stay warm during winter's freezes

  • Published
  • By 341st Civil Engineer Squadron personnel
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  With winter comes cold weather and the changes it brings for Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and their vehicles. For those who have headbolt heaters on their vehicles, plug-ins for vehicles are installed in certain parking lots on base, for occupants in the dormitories and for housing occupants.
Even though these plug-ins are available, it is strongly advised that owners keep their vehicles in good working order. There will be times when you are off base and do not have access to a plug-in and the vehicle must be able to start without any aid. Consider the following for your vehicle:

1. Use a multi-weight oil, such as 10W30. 30 weight or higher in wintertime is too stiff and does not allow the engine to easily turn over. Having a lighter weight oil will also save on engine wear.

2. Have the vehicle tuned up. It will start much easier.

3. If the battery is more than five years old, you may want to consider purchasing a new one. At least be cognizant of how well the engine turns over in the cold weather as to how trustworthy the battery will be.

4. Always keep the gas tank at least half full. This will help reduce the effect of condensation freezing in the gas lines. Adding an anti-freeze agent to gas, commonly called "HEET," also helps prevent this. There are two different types of additive. One is for vehicles with fuel injection and the other is for vehicles with the older convention carburetion system in them.

5. Assure the engine coolant has anti-freeze mixture of approximately 50-50. This usually ensures the coolant solution will not freeze down to 30 to 40 degrees F below zero.

When using parking lot headbolt heater plug-ins, please be aware they use a lot of energy. For people in base housing, there are controllers available from Self-Help that turn on and off at certain temperatures. They plug into the outside or garage outlet, and the cord plugs into that. This helps conserve energy by making headbolt heater use dependent on the outside temperature rather than human awareness.

For certain people working on base, use of headbolt heater plug-ins for POVs is authorized for those who post to the missile field for over 24 hours and who work the night shift. Plug-ins will only work when the temperature drops below zero degrees F.

This is a result of new executive orders and congressional mandates to reduce energy consumption. President Obama has recently put new mandates in effect calling for stronger efforts to conserve energy and making energy conservation the responsibility of all of Team Malmstrom members.

Needless use of energy is waste. Vehicle Maintenance states that any "cared-for" vehicle will start on its own at least down to zero degrees F. The rule of thumb should be: "Unless it's below zero, don't plug it in!"