Slant 6 to survive canadian winter ???

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ValerianMagnum

ValerianMagnum

the little car that could
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hi guys ! i want to built a slant 6 for my future project car , its a nice dart sport 76 , and it has already a 225 in it with a 904 tranny , i already have a 360 , 400 hp duster and i want to do a daily driver out of this dart .. but is a slant 6 a good engine for winter ? what do i need if i want to make it run propely on winter times ... -20 temperatures .. should i run it in stock form or 2 or 4bbl intake etc etc ...

thx a lot guys !
 
While I can't really give you a cut and dry answer, and our comparatively mild North Carolina winters are nowhere near yours, I can tell you that it's 18 degrees here right now and my stock 1bbl 225 will fire right up, ice cold.
 
Back in the 1960's my mom had a 65 Barracuda with a stock 225 & a 3 speed manual transmission. It was never a problem starting in the winter. This was in Kansas & we had milder winters than yours but we still had some pretty cold spells. It was a dependable car for a number of years. My sister inherited it when she went off to college & kept it until she traded it in on a new car in 1978. I would think a Valiant/Dart/Duster etc with a 6 would be a great "beater" & wish I had one. I'd put an electronic ignition on it & keep the valves adjusted if it had solid lifters. Redjust the choke if necessary in the winter.
 
well the first thing is to determine if you have a 225 and not a 170 or 198 , while all good engines...the 225 makes the most power/torque. That being said I have owned all three versions and live in Michigan where winters can be mild, moderate and MONSTEROUS....I have actually plowed snow knurling it over the hood with my 225 as long as you have decent snow tires, and a decent amount of weight in the trunk I really do not think you will have a single issue that any other wouldn't experience....mine started in 22 below weather and only got stuck in very deep snow with lots of ice present and had to stop in a weird place....beyond that not a problem....decent gas mileage, excellent pull for freeways...good all around vehicle...hope that helps
66
 
Do chickens lay eggs? :toothy10:

Of course it will, I ran a 69 Dart 225 thru winter and it never let me down. I had some weight in the trunk and it had a engine block heater whick was nice, car heated well and had plenty of power to smash thru the big snow drifts :toothy10:

BTW, keep it stock and simple, make sure the carb choke works too.
 
My beater is a 77 Aspen. I have a block heater, studded mud and snows, and 180 lbs. of sand in the trunk. I went over two snow packed icy mountain passes last days off with out any problems. A working choke is a must. The block heater is a luxury item. It is a Super Six and I started it last year at -20 when it had been sitting for months just to see if it would start. This was without the block heater. I plan on driving it when when I get home next month. The main thing is to keep the salt washed off of it.
Mike
 
When I had my 62 valiant-- it started better than my wifes 2005 vehicle-- temps were 0 to -15 plus wind chill, granted it was only a few weeks-- but no problems here. Lawrence
 
165339_1638277410073_1630908429_1471681_5825999_n.jpg

70 Dart winter beater: so far so good, but I have a short commute and I'm a heads up driver. outside of Boston- 12" of snow last night
 
From my days in Wisconsin, the /6 is a great winter ride. You don't need to make any major component changes.

Suggestions:
  1. Tune ignition and valves to factory specs. Electronic ignition is better, but not essential.
  2. Insure proper choke function.
  3. Insure proper function of heat riser flap in exhaust manifold.
  4. Insure good battery and electrical connections.
  5. Fresh change of oil. I used 10w-30 in WI with no problems (-20 experienced). A light synthetic would be even better IMO.
  6. Don't know how much ethanol is in fuel up there. Use dry-gas supplement to conteract hydrophillic tendencies of ethanol.
  7. Extra weight in trunk. Suggest kitty litter as it can also be used as a traction aid.
  8. As said earlier, a block heater is a luxury. But, it's nice not to have to wait as long for the interior to get toasty.
  9. Avoid using e-brake. Water in cables freezes making release difficult.
 
ValerianMagnum said:
is a slant 6 a good engine for winter?
Click to expand...

A thoughtfully-configured and properly-operated one is as good as any carbureted engine can be in winter. I've driven many slant-6 cars through many winters in Denver and Toronto—plenty of cold and snow and ice. Do not be tempted to put too big a carburetor or camshaft in the engine; this will make your life miserable when all you want is for the damn car to start and stay running so you can get to the damn grocery (doctor, dentist, work, whatever). A stock or near-stock 1bbl or 2bbl is "yes", a big 2bbl or 4bbl is "no". Stock exhaust manifold or Dutra Duals are "yes", headers are "no". Pay due time and attention to making sure the choke, the manifold heat, and the thermostatic air cleaner are intact and working correctly. If any of these has been disabled, put it back together and into working order—they all make a large difference for the better. See to it that the ignition system is in top shape. I like the HEI upgrade , myself. Folow the tune-up parts and technique suggestions in this thread.

And use an appropriate grade of engine oil. I ran 0w30 synthetic in my slant-6 last winter. Car was stored outside and never failed to start and stay running on the first try.
 
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgV-ZWX7HZY"]YouTube - 1968 Dodge Dart Hemi clone slant six 22.49 degrees December 14, 2010 U.S.A.[/ame]
 
We had a slant 6 Dodge pick up in Northern Manitoba ( close to Churchill )that was used all winter. I was started and stopped every hour all day and then would sit out in -40 over night for 10 years. It never give any problems...until the doors fell off.
 
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