Well winter is just around the corner which makes me start to wonder just what I'm going to get into on those real cold days when the truck has been setting outside all day at work.
What temps can these Diesels be started at when there is no where to plug in?

Do I need to carry a can of Ether (just kidding :-)

 

I Live in Wyoming and it can get cold here. Last winter it was below zero and I didn't have the truck pluged in. The wife went and jump in it and started it It fired up , although it smoked real bad for a little while. What I'm saying if your batteries a strong and you can cycle the grids a couple of times you shouldn't have any problems.

 

I've started mine at -30 without being plugged in. Sat outside all night in a SD blizzard. After about 25 seconds the grids kicked off and she fired right up. Ran kinda funny for a few seconds, but came out of it just fine. It takes a bit for the batteries to come back at those low temps, though.

 

It should fire fine on the first shot, I always cycle the the grid heaters twice if it's real cold...




Tony

 

I had mine start after sitting a week in 0 to negitive numbers

KC

 

Same here....truck sat outside many nites....Good batterys and cycle the grid heater a few times before tryin to start...these CTD's are some of the best cold start diesels Ive seen ;D

 

[quote author=pappyman link=board=5;threadid=18925;start=0#msg177668 date=1062078313]
....Good batterys and cycle the grid heater a few times before tryin to start... [/quote]

...Good batterys...I always do a good load test on my batterys in the fall. If they are starting to get weak the cold will kill them. With good batterys I've never had a problem starting. My truck has never been plugged in, has never been garaged and has never been even hard starting after cycling the grid heaters twice in under 0[sup]o[/sup]F weather.

Stan

 

Good to know I shouldn't have any probs getter fired up....anyone ever experience fuel jelling? Do you add any fuel additive for winter operation?

Thanks a bunch guys!

 

I have never had a problem when running #2 or 50/50. I do carry a jug of power service with me just in case I can't find the fuel I'm looking for.

 

Ether will give you some results you may not like. Avoid it at all costs.

 

Last winter here in Toronto it got below -35C a bunch of times, on those days I set up the cold start feature on my remote starter. What that feature does is start my truck every 2 hours for 15mins...........I bet when it did start up it scared people walking by ..........but it did work it was easier to start when I crancked it to go home. ;D

 

dcwm,
I put Power Service in my tank each time I fill up, therefore no gel problem. Also, all the good fuel stops in cold climates mix their fuel for "winter fuel" and it would have to be extremely cold for it to gel - doesn't get that cold in Ohio. My brother lives in Mason, OH just north of Cincin and drives a Ferd. Never has a prob (except with glow plugs) and if a Ferd will do it you won't have a prob with a CTD. ;D ;D

Stan

 

i have a farm and ive had more than one tractor jell up on winter blend its somthing you wont forget .somtimes you can let it set for a few min and the engine heat will thaw the lines but i jelled a 4 wheel drive deere with a 14 foot blade on it 4 miles from home in a blizzard once and it was a long walk to get tarps and heaters to warm the tanks and motor, wind chill helps to jell the fuel too

 

It got so cold here one year that the fuel in my heating oil tank gelled. Went to the local furnace dealer and he gave me something to dump in there that liquified it again in about 20 minutes. Don't know what it was but it was bad to the bone for sure.

 

Thanks again for easing my fears of being stranded or worse wifey and kiddies being stranded somewhere because the old oil burner failed to start or wouldn't run due to temperature. I kinda think along the same lines as Buckmaster, being around farm and industrial diesel equipment most my years makes me somewhat leery

A guy down the road had his Ford tractor jell one cold day a few winters ago and he about lost a couple fingers from frost bite while bleeding injs. etc. He said it only happened to him once in several years...go figure.

PS, although it's true we here in Ohio don't typically see severe cold it does happen! I've seen -30 and that wasn't wind chill Talk about shrinkage!

Sned.