Intake heater grids

[jimdunne]

Yes, I did that recently. Visiting a pal, and got up while it was still dark. Just above freezing, walked to the shed, turned the decompressor, turned the fuel on, cranked, released the decompressor, and off it was running. First hit, every time.

He is high and cold in the winter, high and ht in the summer.

Don't blame you for wanting to be out of that rat race. Visited there this spring, Pecos Bills BBQ in Glendale is a must, along with the LaBrea tar pits and the Hart Ranch, and many other neat places for an "older" male!

[phaedrus]

Mike, you may be solving a non-problem. There are no atmospheric or climatic conditions anywhere in the LA area other than underwater or maybe the top of mount Wilson where an ordinary lister type will not start on the first try. I'd bet money it'd start in the snow even if it sat all night up by those TV transmitter antennas. It just does not get that cold there.

The glow plug will reduce smoke on start and can't hurt. But I have started in the snow, on those rare days when we get any, at freezing temperatures with no glowplug. Engine at 1271 feet.

Given your urban site I think that your real problems will be the neighbors getting tired of the engine beat, smoke (ain't gunna take much smoke to get a visit from an intrusive "civil servant", not in LA), and possible vibration transmitted to adjacent structures and persons through the earth. My opinion is that you will need to engineer a conservative foundation that's isolated from the supporting earth - think maybe 4000 pounds of rebar and concrete resting on elastomeric iso pands, these supported by a 10 inch thick slab. You ought to consider a cataylic converter to keep the smog people at bay as well as the glow plug to keep starting smoke minimal, The machine should be in a blockhouse with sound-dampening roof. A very effective exhaust muffler is going to be vital for you to maintain congenial relations with the neighbors. The muffler might perhaps best be in the ground - as mounting one atop the house is an invite to the smog guys... Opinion, and perhaps excessive, but once "they" visit it's hell to make 'em forget about it.

(If the power's off for long in your area you may need your gun more than your engine.)

[mike90045]

Mike, you may be solving a non-problem. There are no atmospheric or climatic conditions anywhere in the LA area
  (If the power's off for long in your area you may need your gun more than your engine.)

I won't be moving out of LA for a couple years, but where we are going is off grid, and while I can put in enuogh PV cells for summer, winter will rely on generator to run large appliances and recharge battery bank.   I'll be at 1500' and about 20F at the coldest.     I won't be using the engine in LA, other than maybe tuneing it up, while I have access to all the hot rod shops here.

[t19]

I started mine last winter at -20C.  It had been in the garage sitting like that for over two weeks.  Started on the second attempt, and warmed up real nice

I would not worry about starting it.  Worry about the exhaust noise and the odd bit of smoke