COLD! start-ability

[Greenleaf]

I have to vote for the International DT series. My digital thermo reads 12. 3°F and the engine isn't plugged in. No preheaters. None of that garbage. It simply cranks over one time and runs like a sewing machine.



There isn't a Cummins 5. 9 here among twenty some that will start like that WITH the preheaters. Gotta wonder if it's the combustion chamber design????????????????



GL

 

[DCaswell]

Mine has started many times in -10 to -20 f when I couldn't plug it in. IMO the Cummins is a good starter. However if you have a powerjoke at those temps better get on the ph for AAA

 

[steved]

There isn't a Cummins 5. 9 here among twenty some that will start like that WITH the preheaters. Gotta wonder if it's the combustion chamber design????????????????



GL

I started my 2004. 5 last weekend at 5*F, it started on the first try with only one cycle of the heating grids... it had not been plugged in (I was at a hotel). I had to start my 99 at -10*F about 4 years ago after being out of town for over a week... it had not been plugged in either. And while it wasn't the prettiest sight, it started just fine.



I don't understand what point you are trying to make?



Our DT466 wouldn't start without being plugged in under 15*F. So consider yourself lucky on your's. There was more than once I had to run a generator at the jobsite for a couple hours to get that POS to start... it was also a 95 and had low miles. It is the main reason I would never own anything with an international engine in it... heck, our 900CI cat compressor started more reliably than the DT466.



steved

 

[nickleinonen]

. it was also a 95 and had low miles. It is the main reason I would never own anything with an international engine in it... heck, our 900CI cat compressor started more reliably than the DT466.



steved

95 should be heui fuel system in that navistar. . earlier ones with the p-pumps probably started easier [i don't know what year the first post in this thread was about]

 

[EKlem]

I think that both the 5. 9 and dt466 engines start well. I can't plug my truck in at school in NH and it always fires right up as does my roomates truck. I often end up starting it at temperatures around -10 and lower. We have a bus with the 466 and it starts well too.



There is an advantage to having larger cylinders in cold starting. Because the surface area to volume ratio is lower, not as much heat is lost to the block. This assumes that the starter and batteries are adequately sized.

 

[Joe G.]

I have to vote for the International DT series. My digital thermo reads 12. 3°F and the engine isn't plugged in. No preheaters. None of that garbage. It simply cranks over one time and runs like a sewing machine.



There isn't a Cummins 5. 9 here among twenty some that will start like that WITH the preheaters. Gotta wonder if it's the combustion chamber design????????????????



GL

I think it's the VE pump. They really start quick anyway.

 

[Greenleaf]

P-Pump 5.9 vs P-Pump DT 360

There are five DT series engines. 1992 P-Pump. They all fire right up and run silk smooth when it's down around 20/10 degrees F



I have to constantly preach to the fleet of P-Pump 5. 9 drivers to PLUG the BUS in!! They have to take them home and will call w/info that the engine will not start. :{ P. I. T. A.



Our P-Pump 5. 9's are VERY difficult to start when it's cold. Period. It nearly takes a battery/starter melt-down to get one going. The IH engines are simply turn key. No smoke. No choke. Silk smooth. Both have the same fuel.



I'm asking why this is. Nearly the same pump. Same size engine etc. Must be the combustion chamber design?



The DT466's are the same way. Turn key @12°F Even the "E" models fire right up when it's cold.

 

[nickleinonen]

the pump plungers could also be cut differently. . they may have a relief cut in them for when the engine is turning at slow speeds [cranking speed] to delay injection timing, so there is more heat/pressure in the combustion chamber before it sprays. piston shape can also make a difference. diesel piston design has drastically changed i the last 10 years. they are going to a very conservative profile. . it makes for better emissions output and better scavanging under load. .

 

[JUeckert]

i have always had excellent sucess with 466 engines,hot or cold they simply give me no issues. i have friends who live in michigan,they claim as long as the fuel isnt gelled,there 466 trucks start.

 

[steved]

95 should be heui fuel system in that navistar. . earlier ones with the p-pumps probably started easier [i don't know what year the first post in this thread was about]

It was an all mechanical engine... no electronics.



steved

 

[JoeBioDiesel]

While I like to keep mine plugged in when it gets to single digits or lower, my truck started last winter when we were at camp. There's no place to plug in there so I was hoping for the best. My inside thermometer read -32F. I ran the grid heaters twice before trying to start it, and I run synthetic motor oil which definitely helps it crank faster when cold... but at least it started. It did plenty of complaining for about 3 minutes, but after that it idled well.

One thing I learned form starting diesels in the cold is that cranking speed is everything. Get them spinning over quicker and they start right up.

I bet the TDR members in Alaska will chime in before long. They've got more practice at this than any of us.

Joe

 

[WMonroe]

I have never had a problem getting my truck started when not plugged in. The coldest was about -10 and it had sat for two days, cycled the grids twice and it started. It idled rough for a minute of two but it did idle I didn't have to rev it up.

Will

 

[lmills]

I have fired my common rail without any problems in temps down to 17* without plugging it in and with no grid heater to assist on one battery. Would I recommend it? no! :-laf The temps dropped a lot lower that night than I expected otherwise I would have plugged in. The engine turned over and fired off quick, but the idle was very rough.

 

[Nate]

Sometimes we would forget to the plug the trucks in at work (Anchorage). The Dodges started up just fine -30 and colder even. The Fords... good luck. Suckers had trouble when it was 10*

 

[LSchulz]

As EKlem said before,

We can't plug our trucks in here at school. His 12v and my 24v both fire up no problem. Same deal with the buses, DT360 and DT466 (mechanical) with no preheaters. They both fired right up last week after sitting for almost a month. It was about 15* and neither one was plugged in.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I have to vote for the International DT series. My digital thermo reads 12. 3°F and the engine isn't plugged in. No preheaters. None of that garbage. It simply cranks over one time and runs like a sewing machine.



There isn't a Cummins 5. 9 here among twenty some that will start like that WITH the preheaters. Gotta wonder if it's the combustion chamber design????????????????



GL

Nevermind. I thought you said "COLD!"

 

[Mhannink]

i think its the higher compression of the dt that helps it start.



one i like to start in the winter here in cali is our old 4-71 detroit. the last few days where it has it the teens in the mornin when we tried to start it. it has always fired off right away. last few days its had a week battery so its cranks slow. a little starter fluid really fires it off though.

 

[Greenleaf]

Nevermind. I thought you said "COLD!"

Sorry. That was my bad. I knew somebody would write in that 12° isn't cold. I should have said "for Ohio it's cold out there"



There were some high school students that wore only a T shirt, so they agree that 12° isn't cold.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

My '96 did well to start at all on one battery at 0F last weekend in Spokane after sitting overnight down to -6F. I was concerned about having enough juice to crank over so I only gave the preheater about 3 seconds. It cranked real slow but lit off almost immediately then died. Did this again and the 3rd time it kept going, albeit a bit rough and smokey for 3-4 seconds. It did fine for 403k on the clock.



The '98 starts great in the cold, due to the low mileage and having Amsoil in the pan.



Vaughn

 

[amsoilman]

I think the newer CTD's with the electronic injection systems, the COLD starting is not going to be quite as fast as the Mechanical systems. Simply because ALL the parameters need to be seen by the computer before it will fire off, hence the longer time before start.



IF you want the engine to turn over easier on the COLD, install a good quality "Full" synthetic oil.



Wayne

amsoilman