Road Trip to Tuktoyaktuk, NT

[FredVenne]

Good morning everyone!

We made it to Dawson City, Yukon and it’s beautiful and very cold. Temp is around -38 and as long as the Yeti is plugged during the whole night, it will start on the first (long) crank!
Now we were told that it’s going to be -55 in Tuk... some folks suggested to use kerosene, 40 kerosene to 60 diesel to thin up the fuel so it wont freeze. I don’t know how many of you has experience such cold temperature with you Delicas but I think I’m going to ask a few more questions to the locals.

Internet here is very slow so I will not put photos for now. There are photos on our facebook page (Mighty Yeti Adventurers) from Alberta to Fort Nelson.

We found a coupe that needed someone to look after their cabin during the holidays. So we will live off the grid for two weeks on the other side of the river, no electricity, no running water and should be able at some points to put some photos.

Have a great christmas everyone!

Kim and Fred

[Dingus]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I haven';t been up that way in years, but I love Dawson City, you should be able to get some great pictures this time of year. I knew of some guys running kerosene in their heavy diesels during the cold snaps, but I have no idea as to the ratio.

[FalcoColumbarius]

Bare with me.I was watching a car race and at one point they interviewed Nigel Mansell and about his sponsors, &c., at the end of the interview Nigel put a plug in for Dust Buster (primary sponsor). Now this was on live TV and Nigel ended his plug with "so if you want a good hoover get a Dust Buster!" It was such a faux pas but what many people watching didn't understand is in Britain most people don't vacuum their floors.... they hoover them. This is the power of advertising. Another example would be "Aluminum Foil" a product by Alcan. The actual metal is called "Aluminium" and outside of North America (in the English speaking world) the product tends to be referred to as aluminium foil but because of the extensive advertising campaign, Alcan's "Aluminum Foil" has modified the English language to a point where the average punter refers to the metal now as "aluminum", much like the Brits and the word "hoover". It's called "Branding".

Kerosene: A registered trade mark of the North American Gas Light Company and the Downer Company. Originally registered by a Canadian geologist (whom discovered it) named Abraham Gesner in 1854. Kerosene; paraffin; stove fuel; jet fuel; lamp oil; is classified as "Diesel 1". "Diesel 2" is what we put into our Delicas. There used to be four diesels but D3 is no longer refined. D4 would typically be used in say a diesel locomotive. It's a graduation of viscosity: D1 is a lighter viscosity than D2 &c., but where D1 (kerosene) would be used for firing jet engines, D2 has added lubricity so not to dry out any seals and keep the injection pump lubricated. From what I understand you could put 75 litres of D1 in your Delica and she would run but this would not be good for the engine over that long term. Adding a little kerosene (D1) to your Diesel Max for sake of really cold weather is not a new thing. Ultimately you have to remember that the Mighty Yeti is your friend that you depend on ~ so you don't want to poison her.

Further reading: http://flashoffroad.com/Diesel/DieselFu ... l_fuel.htm (About Diesel Fuel
By Bill King 12/8/2000)

Falco.

[Firesong]

If a person is worried about the diesel gelling why not
simply use more of the additives available off the shelf? Shouldn't need
to use kerosene. If there were nothing else perhaps but
the stuff you need is readily available.

Firesong

[delicioso!]

^+1? although i know nothing off driving a diesel in THAT cold of a weather!

for what it's worth, i use this stuff in s.ontario winters, but nowhere near as cold as -38!!1
i'm told alaskan mine trucks/machinery use this stuff.

http://www.powerupusa.net/info_gen49d.htm

i've used howes, lynn corp, lucas.....and now gen49, it's got the lowest mix to diesel ratio of 8ml/10litres...

BUTTTT, i can't objectively tell if it's been better than the others, lol ...it's a lubricant and antigel at same time, both rigs run nice (knock on wood). i've heard great things about stanadyne as well but it's expensive and requires more mix to fuel ratio...and again, it's hard to objectify results...all i hear people say is that their rigs "run" better, and somtimes have slight mileage improvments...mostly anecdotal ;)

but for here, i know many diesel guys don't even use anything...not till it get's below -20.

looking forward to some pics when it's possible. !

[tonydca]

Quick internet search (can neither confirm nor deny these numbers, etc., etc.) but saw several comments relating to pour points:

100% #2 diesel "winterized": -20degF
50/50 mix #1/#2: -40 degF
100% #1 diesel: -55degF

Although the MSDS sheet for "Arctic Diesel" (100% #1) claims a *freezing point* of -47 degC (-55 degF):

http://www.hollistonoil.com/arcticdieselmsds.pdf

Some sites also recommend adding a dash of 2-cycle oil to add back some lubricity lost in the thinner #1 fuel.

Love to hear how your trip goes - my wife just snorted and rolled her eyes at the thought of braving such temps. Kudos to ya!

Cheers,

Tony.

[FredVenne]

Thanks to all of you guys for your responses! This is awesome!

We are still in Dawson City, YT and we are staying in a log house for the holidays! We found this couple that live in the Sunnydale area (on the other side of the river) and they needed someone to look after their house while they were going in the bush with other friends... by dog sled team... for their holiday!!! It’s an amazing log house build in 1902 and now owned by a german family that live off their art and hunting. So we are taking care of their house, chopping wood, gathering water from the river, feeding the cat and mostly... relaxing in a warm, cozy little house.

So we have postpone our trip to Tuk for a week or so. But temperature is not an issue anymore, it’s only -22 in Dawson. In Tuk it’s -27 right now and will get down to -42 in the next week.

We will ask the locals more questions and we will be prepared before taking off north but as all of you already know (otherwise you’ve never been outside your comfort zone), there is always something you did not think of and you have to deal and learn from it! Worst comes to worst, there is a few communities along the Dempster hwy, trucks driving up and down the same road and we have enough food and water (snow as well) and heat to last several days if we break down.

Unfortunately, internet in the Yukon sucks big time!!! Uploading a photo takes forever, so we will post photos later, maybe when we will be back in Whitehorse in a month or so.

Oh by the way, we bought an oil pan heater as well... so at -38 with the exhaust of the generator underneath the engine, the block heater and oil pan heater, the van started on the first short crank. So bring it on -60!!!!

Talk to you guys soon!!!

Kim and Fred

P.S. After this experience, we are going on the Island to visit friends and family, so if any of you are interested in a meeting somewhere for a drink (and showing off our Mighty Yeti ) that would be fun!

[FalcoColumbarius]

Wow... right on, man! In that picture you posted, you and Kim look like royalty from the ice palace with those glowing jewels on your heads. When you said you were going to the "Island"... had you been from BC I would assume you meant Vancouver Island but seeing as you originally started posting from Saskabush, no? So my question is: Which Island are you referring to? If it is Vancouver Island that you are eventually going to then that would bring you near the Vancouver area, in which case I would be up for a drink with you, as I'm sure a number of the Lower Mainland Tribe would. Keep us posted.

In the meantime keep warm and well; and keep the updates coming... smiles.

Falco.

[konadog]

The Island?! Cool! Keep us posted as to where and when - I'd love to share a drink with you two and hear first hand of your winter deli adventure! :)

[FredVenne]

Which Island are you referring to?

I’m referring to Van Island and yep we will spend some time in the Vancouver area as well, so plenty of time to meet you guys! Now I’m off to the village for a nice warm shower!!!

[BproofOG]

Way to Go!
I've been to Tuk but it was by boat in the summer - my wife has driven the ice road from Inuvik to Tuk and she says it is a great road.
I live just outside of Whitehorse and would love to meet, have coffee and discuss cold weather trip issues relating to delicas. I just bought one in the fall of this year and I really love it.

let me know if you are interested in meeting whe you come back through.

[FredVenne]

We have made it to Inuvik!!! Temperature is -20 only... the Yeti is still doing very well! We are going to go on the ice road to Tuktoyaktuk, about 2h30 drive on a river... can’t wait!

Here’s a few pictures, but we have some more on our Facebook page... I know I might sound annoying with our page but, it’s so much easier to post pictures and comments.

Anyway, hope you won’t get tired of trying to get you guys on our page : Mighty Yeti Adventurers

Hope you enjoy!

Kim an Fred

P.S. The Dempster Hwy was awesome by the way...

[William]

The van is sure getting around Fred! Looks like a really good time!

[- GT Style -]

When are you back through Dawson Creek next?

[ealanm]

The actual metal is called "Aluminium" and outside of North America (in the English speaking world) the product tends to be referred to as aluminium foil but because of the extensive advertising campaign, Alcan's "Aluminum Foil" has modified the English language to a point where the average punter refers to the metal now as "aluminum", much like the Brits and the word "hoover". It's called "Branding".

Not to contradict your overall point, which I think is correct, but the history of "aluminum" versus "aluminium" has nothing to do with Alcan, and was a done deal long before Alcan even existed. "Aluminum" was the original name given to the element, from "alumina," the latin name for aluminum oxide, which is how it is found in nature. In the early 19th century, objections were raised in Britain to this form of the name, as the "-ium" ending was considered to be more appropriate for an element. (Though "-um" endings for elements are also common, as in "molybdenum, platinum, or tantalum.) So "aluminium" began to be used in scientific literature in Britain. "Aluminum" remained in common usage in North American, whereas the more academic-sounding "aluminium" caught on in Britain and, from there, the rest of the English-speaking world outside of North America.

The Alcan company didn't come along until nearly a century later. When it was originally formed, in 1902, it was called "Northern Aluminum Company Limited," in keeping with the normal practice in Canada at that time of calling the element "aluminum."