Cold Weather Blues

[my1tonrat]

Anyone have any suggestions on how I can make my truck (85 K-35, 454) happier this winter?  It is supposed to be below -10C tomorrow for the first time this year (about 10F) and every year it is the same story.  Truck starts well, but has NO power until it warms up a lot.  Even if I give it 3 or 4 mins I still have to baby it terribly in every gear.  Once warm it runs like a champ, but by then, my 15 min drive to work is  over.  My thermostatic air cleaner is not connected, so I figure that could be part of the problem, even though a mechanic friend told me that doesn't help even a little. 

I realize good old carbureted vehicles need a little time to warm up, but it honestly is ridiculous.  Any ideas on what I could to to improve the situation at all?  Thanks

[zieg85]

Welcome to the site from NW Indiana where it is 10 F as I type this.  Warm air to the carb really helps as does a properly adjusted choke and choke pull off.  When right the truck should run great from start up to it being completely warmed up.  My 85 454 needs a choke pull off but runs great other than that.

[TexasRed]

Is your exhaust heat cross over working? You might try blocking off part of your radiator.

[blast]

I'm putting a Kat's circulating coolant heater in mine, just have to drain the coolant and plumb it up.  Had -10F the other day, the big block did not like that, and it can hit -20 to -40F on occasion here.

[Lt.Del]

If your truck is still stock, you have a plunger thing over your left side exhaust manifold.  This plunger thing when the TVS tells it to, opens the valve in your exhaust manifold.   Ensure your exhaust manifold valve and rod going to the plunger moves freely.  Watch it move after about three minutes of running, you should see it move.  The TVS attaches right on the Thermostadt housing. When it warms up, when Tstadt opens, the vacuum pulls the plunger thing. 
see the 7th pic on this site.....you see the TVS vacuum lines going to the circular plunger thing over the left exhaust manifold.  What this is for is it directs hot air through the intake manifold to warm it up prior to tstadt opeing up.  If the exhaust valve is stuck open and wont close when very cold, no hot air goes to intake.   

www.delbridge.net/vacuum.html

[donf]

I have been driving my 1980 GMC Sierra to work for the last 15 winters in New Brunswick, Canada.  It's cold up here!  Let's face it...these old trucks are cold-blooded.  I have a 2 minute drive to work.  On a cold morning, I let my old girl idle for 10 minutes for a 2 minute ride...not evironmentally friendy, but a necessity where I live.  My idle can get really high.. I think I need a new electric choke.  Any thoughts on this?

[78 Chevyrado]

If you still have the stock clutch type fan on the engine that will affect it a lot.  Basically after sitting the fan mostly locks up until the oil inside works its way back to wherever it goes when it frees up.  Mine doesn't have any power until it frees up, which takes a lot longer in the winter.   I usually have to wait for the fan to free up before leaving my driveway since if I can't take off fast I might get hit by somebody doing 70mph around a blind corner.

[my1tonrat]

Thanks for the input.  My thermostatic air cleaner does work.  The vacuum motor is new, the door in the snorkel pivots freely, and the temp sensor in the air cleaner is new, too.  But the line to the vacuum motor is disconnected (by my old mechanic at some point).  The pipe from the heatstove around the manifold is intact, too.   I just have to find a vacuum source and plumb it up to the vac motor on the snorkel.  Will any vac source from the carb work for this?

Problem with this is that I never bother until it is cold enough to affect drivability...but at that point I don't feel like spending (snowy) time outside under the hood. Lazy

[choptop]

Im with blast, if I were in an area that gets as cold and maintains it like some of you do, I would put in a block heater.