Cold start temp??

[S.Morris]

What temp should a 3rd gen truck start down too unaided??



I have a friend who says his truck will not start below -20C without being plugged in. It has new batteries and only 60K miles on an 03.



I have never started mine in the cold without being tied up!



Steve

 

[p-Bar]

The grid heater is really for subzero temps . I am amazed that it won't fire. I have never been able to test it in sunny So. Cal. temp today 85 f .

 

[cerberusiam]

The grid heater is really for subzero temps

The grid heater is also for emissions to keep the startup smoke to a minimum. It turns on any time the temp is under 60-65 degrees, don't remember the exact number offhand.



I have started my 1st gen with no preheat cycles in -20 degree weather and it fired, wasn't very happy about it but it fired and ran. My 05 the coldest was -5 or so and it started fine. Given the fuel is good it should start down to about -20 C.



We always figured -20 was the cutoff below which the block heater for an hour was needed. Just about always preheated them when it was below 0 because we could and its a lot easier on them. I have had 1st and 2nd gens refuse to start at -30 C, absolutely needed the block heater.

 

[KMyrick]

I live in Butte, MT and have had no issues starting in sub zero temps.

 

[jelag]

I have several trucks that sit out in the winter... we've had no problem starting them down to 0* F. however its the job of the first guy in, in the morning to plug them in when the outside temperature is down to 20*F or below... it makes good sense to help it along with an hour of being plugged in, based on the ware and tear on the starter and grid system...

We keep these trucks a long time... . I've never had to replace a starter, or for that matter an engine heater... but we do replace the alternator brushes at around 200K miles...

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

09 started at -11*f pretty easy a couple weeks ago and last year my 01 started at -35*f which is about -37*C without being plugged in. The 01 had to be cranked for about 20 sec or so and I didn't let off the key until I was sure it was gonna keep going.
All of the 3rd gens will disengage the starter automatically, so keep the key in the start position until the computer kicks the starter off. May need to cycle the heater a couple times before hand and good batteries are a must this time of year.

edit: And plugging the truck in is ALWAYS a good idea when you know it's going to be near or below the freezing mark!

 

[rbattelle]

My problem is I plug in at home overnight, but at work there is no way to plug the truck in.

When it gets down below 20°F it really sounds awful starting up. Ugh, kills me every time. This is the main reason I don't drive the truck much in winter.

-Ryan

 

[p-Bar]

My problem is I plug in at home overnight, but at work there is no way to plug the truck in.



When it gets down below 20°F it really sounds awful starting up. Ugh, kills me every time. This is the main reason I don't drive the truck much in winter.



-Ryan

Well tell the boss it's a hybrid and you need to plug it in. This would probably work in California make the company pay thousands to put receptacles in the parking lot.

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

When it gets down below 20°F it really sounds awful starting up. Ugh, kills me every time. -Ryan

I feel your pain in knowing that the oil has about the same viscosity as Elmer's Glue and that it can't be good.

 

[CToney]

I always plug my truck in unless absolutely a necessity to start it cold. Being plugged in helps lower start up emissions. I even use an oil pan heater on my '03 with 0w40. These cummins will start but they don't warm up very quickly. I wish I had fast idle and a exhaust brake. That makes a huge difference. Heck just being out of the prairie wind makes a big difference. My '93 started at -20C with cycling the grids twice. It shuddered a bit and smoothed out quickly. The '92 in my sig won't I don't think its ate too much dirt in the previous owners hands and the compression must suffer a bit. Still starts better than a rattletrap ford or chevy. Heck my dad's '99 powerstroke wouldn't start above freezing with bad glow plugs. Needless to say that's part of the reason he got a dodge next time.

 

[cerberusiam]

The OP is Canadian, so -20C works to -4 F. It'll start without the block heater with decent batteries. That said, best to let it warm for awhile before going anywhere. (for you, the truck only needs a few minutes or so)

He is, but he did say -20 C in the post.

 

[TimothyLong]

I plug mine and the wife's in overnight when the temps get down to around 20* - 25* F or below. It starts easier, doesn't take as long to warm up, and it helps to save the batteries (especially the POS batts I have now). Since I have a 28 mile commute one way to work (and I can't plug mine in at work either), that warms the batts and the engine up enough that it doesn't groan too bad when I start it up after work.

 

[VanOverbeke]

I've started mine at -23F without being plugged in. It was a little louder than normal, but fired just the same. Let it run for a minute before kicking up the idle to 1500 for five minutes before leaving. Was not a planned event as I was leaving for the airport in the wifes car when the voltage regulator went bad and we had to switch to the truck.



A friend has a ford 7. 3 that will not start at anything below 15F without being plugged in. He thought all diesels were that way???!!! Nope

 

[DonFitzwater]

3rd of Decemeber started my 06 up at -29. Been cold soaked for three days and no plug in. Delo 400 0w30 synthetic and two new interstate batteries and it started. The intake heater light was on for almost a minute but it fired right up. If you are having any kind of injector issues it most likely wouldn't be happy about starting.

 

[WDaniels]

My 2 gen 1996 one time started at -42 when the plug in c/b blew. Cycled the ign 3 times then cranked it off. Rattled, rocked and rolled and blew white smoke like crazy but it started. But my 1997 will not even start at -20 without being plugged in. Heck, it struggles hard at 0 if it isn't plugged in or the wabesto isn't running. Each truck is different.

WD

 

[steved]

I've started the 04. 5 down to -20*F unaided... as someone else said, it wasn't happy but it fired and ran nonetheless. Pretty sure this was a updated reflash at some point (it didn't do this when I first bought it) but mine starts in high idle at any temps below 20*F... it did it this AM and it was only 13*F.



One thing that I've noticed, and I saw lots of others saying the same thing, is that the truck starts a lot easier with 5w40 (synthetic), and I get oil pressure a lot quicker. You can tell the starter doesn't strain as badly with 5w40 in the sump.

 

[rbattelle]

the truck starts a lot easier with 5w40 (synthetic), and I get oil pressure a lot quicker.

Certainly! I mean, as far as I'm concerned, that's the whole reason synthetics were developed in the first place - cold starting performance.



I believe, although I don't know any automotive engineers who could verify, that battery size is determined primarily by the recommended oil viscosity.



Modern Honda engines require 5w-20 oil. I swear, they start on 4 D-cell batteries.



-Ryan

 

[06SLTcs]

I plug mine in when its below freezing, mainly because I had being cold halfway to work Last week here I was getting fuel and it kicked into high idle. Thats when you know its cold.

I think 0ºF was the coldest i've done mine on the grid heater.