Vehicle Report from the 2021 Freeze

[BuzzinSATX]

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

 

[Dougw1515]

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

I'm all for it! Hell get two of them Forresters!!! Best way to assure we'll never encounter these conditions again is to be fully prepared for them!!!!

 

[Axxe55]

I found out the mud tires on my golf cart ain't worth a damn on snow and ice!

 

[rotor]

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

If you plug a block heater in do you think you still need anti gel? Not a great diesel expert.

 

[SA_Steve]

can you hook a block heater to the fuel tank and lines ?

 

[Kar98]

If you know how to drive in ice and snow, you're making better progress through said ice and snow in your little blue front wheel drive coupe with two year old all-seasons than brosephs in their lifted four by trucks with mud tires.

 

[rotor]

can you hook a block heater to the fuel tank and lines ?

I guess that means the block heater won't work to prevent gel. Don't the fuel companies treat the fuel depending on season?

 

[SA_Steve]

yes, up north

What is Diesel Gelling and How to STOP it?

What is diesel gelling and how to avoid it. What temeperature does diesel gel at and what can you do if your vehicle does gel?

tap.fremontmotors.com

 

[Dougw1515]

yes, up north

Yeah and probably not so much as to help out the motorist but more so to make sure it can be pumped outta their tanks.

 

[kbaxter60]

If you know how to drive in ice and snow, you're making better progress through said ice and snow in your little blue front wheel drive coupe with two year old all-seasons than brosephs in their lifted four by trucks with mud tires.

True dat. And if you know how to drive on ice and snow, a Ford F150 4x4 (no lift) does pretty well in some pretty bad conditions. We have a driveway with a slope we measured at 22% grade (normally gravel; now ice). It got me up and down that several times over the last few days.

 

[Younggun]

Work truck (F-550) went down 4 miles after filling up at a TA. Anti-gel in the tank, suspect it was bad diesel from the pump.

Friday evening (I think) I had hell starting it. Eventually cycled the glow plugs about 10 times before trying to start and got it going on a few cylinders. After about 3 minutes it was firing on all 8. No plug for a block warmer, but turning it around to face south seemed to help a lot.


POVs have been fine. Took a while to get my ‘94 Chevy to crank but once I got it running and babied the throttle it was fine.

Wife’s Dodge Journey has no issues.

Didn’t drive the personal vehicles much because we didn’t have anywhere we needed to go.

Polaris Ranger did fine for everything.


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[Tex1961]

I found out my new to me Jeep Wrangler loves snow. I swear I could hear her purr.

 

[rotor]

yes, up north

What is Diesel Gelling and How to STOP it?

What is diesel gelling and how to avoid it. What temeperature does diesel gel at and what can you do if your vehicle does gel?

tap.fremontmotors.com

Thanks. From a diesel novice.

 

[Sam Colt]

2001 Excursion with 7.3 is an absolute beast. Did not flinch in the weather or on the ice and snow.

 

[Texas_Lone_Ranger]

2001 Excursion with 7.3 is an absolute beast. Did not flinch in the weather or on the ice and snow.

Because the dang weighs as much a .

 

[Dougw1515]

Because the dang weighs as much a .

Only thing it's missing is the tracks! And... as I understand it tracks were an available option!

 

[lightflyer1]

VW diesel Beetle. Forgot anti gel even though it was in the garage. Wouldn't start until today i tried and it fired up at 31 degrees out. Been driving the 1994 F150 6 cyl, 5 speed. Fires right up and heats up quick and has had no issues putting along on my short trips when needed. Just had to dig it out three times.

 

[Texas45]

I found out that both my Mustang and my F150 do great when it snows.

Great at sitting in the garage safe and sound.

Had no reason to go out.
Will go to work tomorrow for first and last day of the week.


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[pronstar]

My Silverado has MT tires...even though they’re new, they’re known for sucking in these conditions so I didn’t even attempt to move it.

Wife’s Suburban has Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season tires, less than 5k miles on them. They’re freaking amazing in these conditions.

I was really surprised especially since they aren’t even 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake rated (3PMS info here: https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=125)

They do have excellent snow reviews, however, no want looking for that when I bought them LOL


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[ZX9RCAM]

This is what the symbol means?

From the article....

"Testing measures a tire's acceleration traction on medium-packed snow only. Braking and turning on snow, along with ice traction are not components of the test."