Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cold Weather and Diesel...

[PurdellMGP]

Hey guys. this is my first winter with my CTD. Now that the cold weather is upon us again I have a question/concern. I would normally plug my truck in over night when or if it gets too cold. However, Jan. 2 I am headed to Vermont (spending the night at a hotel) and then closing on our new house that next morning. (Yep... leaving CT for the North Country).



What precautions should I take in making sure my truck does not freeze up... I am not sure If i can get access to plug it in over night. And the last thing I want is a truck that won't start in the morning? Assuming that the weather gets cold enough to affect it.



Thanks for the help!!!

 

[Wiredawg]

Buy #2 diesel (probably all that is avail) from quality dealers (limited water in fuel), add Power Service or other quality fuel additive, follow operator manual cold starting instructions (cycle heaters twice is extra cold).



Make sure your batteries are good and strong. nothing like cold weather to make a battery go bad.



Can't think of anything else.



Good luck and be safe, Wiredawg.

 

[patcarman]

i stayed in a hotel once,and i told them i wanted to be on ground floor, so i brought my own extension cord and slid it under the door to my truck and plugged it in in my room... .

 

[ntillm01]

I'll ditto the strong batteries. I just posted about mine not starting in 12 degree and below weather without being plugged in. Normally I do but I was doing an experiment on how it does starting in the cold. I discovered it doesn't do so well!



However, the popular vote is that my 4 year old batteries are getting weak. Most reported being able to start down to at least -10F. Your truck is newer than mine so the batteries should be stronger and be fine.



Regarding fuel, I'm sure anyone selling diesel in the North country has a #2 winter diesel with additive in it already. I checked my spare can of fuel with temps in the single digits and it was just as liquid as when warm. Don't forget you've got a fuel filter heater that comes on when it's cold enough too.

 

[rweis]

If one were to carry a little honda generator for the engine heater, how much current draw do you think? I think the plug is a 15 amp plug. 15 amp x 120 volts = 1800 watts. Would take a honda 2000 right? Maybe could also use it for battery charging if needed.



Bob Weis

 

[jtisdale]

Just remember, NOT all #2 is winter mix. If the pump doesnt say, you had better ask the attendant before pumping.



This happened to me several years ago. I stopped at the local Amoco to fill up, and that night when I went to work (-15F) the truck barely started and barely chugged me to work. The next morning it had to be jump started. Suspecting gelling, I limped it back down to the Amoco, went in and bought some Power Service 911. I asked the clerk "what the hell" is wrong with their fuel gelling at so warm a temp (somewhere warmer than -20). Then she asked me the $100 question... "what pump did you use, honey?"



Imagine the blank look on my face. Now, I am mentally standing outside and looking at the three diesel pumps. From left to right they are labeled... #2... #2 Premier... #1. (Under the #2 Premier pump I vaguely remember seeing something written in marker on a 3x5 card. )



But #2 is #2, right? Wrong. In this case the attendant explained to me the #2 pump isnt blended because most big rigs and other industrial outfits run tank or fuel system heaters and they dont want the blended fuel. (I didnt argue, she had me)She went on to say the #2 Premier is the pump I should have used, it is blended... thats what the card said. I should have paid closer attention to detail instead of assuming all #2 is blended in the winter time.



No big deal, lesson learned. I even got to do a field fuel filter swap at -15. Thats fun. Try it some time, and pumper beware.

 

[PaulG]

i stayed in a hotel once,and i told them i wanted to be on ground floor, so i brought my own extension cord and slid it under the door to my truck and plugged it in in my room... .

best suggestion ever!

 

[PurdellMGP]

Thanks for the reply guys!

I will have a 100' extension cord just incase i can get a plug... other then that it will be sitting outside. I will make sure I have some P. S. 911 with me.



The batteries are 2 - 2-1/2 years old.

 

[DMoon]

Wiredawg - Off the subject but just wanted to thank you for your service to your country.



Doug

MMCS (E-8) USN Retired

 

[ntillm01]

whooops, didn't know about the #2 Premium difference. I figured they all had to be blended in the winter. How does it come out of the pump then? Ground tanks always stay warm enough to pump unblended #2?

 

[master1578]

A few years ago I stayed at a motel in north central Pa. They actuall had plug ins along the back side of their parking lot. Maybe you'll get lucky



** on a side note, make sure the outlet works. my associate plugged the truck into a dead outlet It took about an hour and a half to get that Powerjoke runnin' :-laf (company's not mine)!!

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

Your 2002 should start fine, batteries are the key. Last year mine started at -22 without being plugged in and having set all night. Probably half of the gassers in the neighborhood wouldn't start. It's been down around and below zero the past two nights here and my truck has sat for at least 16 hours each day before I started it and it wasn't plugged in. Also I believe that block heaters are 750-800 watts so even the smallest Honda generator would power it. I happen to have a 1000 watt Honda and bring it with me when I know it's gonna be cold and I won't have anywhere to plug the truck in.

 

[CTA]

Hey guys. this is my first winter with my CTD. Now that the cold weather is upon us again I have a question/concern. I would normally plug my truck in over night when or if it gets too cold. However, Jan. 2 I am headed to Vermont (spending the night at a hotel) and then closing on our new house that next morning. (Yep... leaving CT for the North Country).



What precautions should I take in making sure my truck does not freeze up... I am not sure If i can get access to plug it in over night. And the last thing I want is a truck that won't start in the morning? Assuming that the weather gets cold enough to affect it.



Thanks for the help!!!

Hey Flatlander ... Welcome to Vermont!



Everyone so far has provided good advice. I can tell you that if you pick up some Power Service additive and mix it in with your current tank and top off and add some more before you make the trip up, you should be just fine keeping in mind you have some half-way decent batteries. My truck is almost two years old and although I do plug it in most of the time when it gets real cold (below zero) I have started it without having plugged it in the night before with temperatures as low as -26 and although it sounds "horrible", it started.



I buy 300 gallons of fuel at a whack, I know it is mixed for the Winter but I also add the Power Service product for added protection and to add a little lubricity to the ever so declining low-sulfer fuel.



I have Monday, January 3rd off ... if your truck doesn't start, you call me, I'll come and bring you whatever you need to get going if this doesn't work! Oo. I'm five miles south of Burlington, VT. Send me a email (see profile) and I'll send you my phone number(s).



Once again, welcome to Vermont and enjoy a safe and pleasant Holiday Season!

 

[JGK]

If one were to carry a little honda generator for the engine heater, how much current draw do you think? I think the plug is a 15 amp plug. 15 amp x 120 volts = 1800 watts. Would take a honda 2000 right? Maybe could also use it for battery charging if needed.



Bob Weis

I've heard the block heater draws about 750 watts. So your Honda generator should do 2 trucks easily!

 

[BDMiller]

To be honest you probably don't need to do anything. Modern diesels are a lot better at starting in cold weather than many folks seem to think. If you do a search you will find many of us have started ours without using the block heater even at 20 below zero. Be warned it will make a racket though. Power service is decent stuff & it is cheap peace of mind. But if you have any problems, I'm right across the river in NH...

 

[boydo]

Just use a good fuel conditioner with anti-gel additive ( even if you can get winter fuel there), if you can plug it in thats great. My truck sarted this morning @ -30 °C without a problem( I forgort to plug it in).

 

[PCarbonaro]

I've heard the block heater draws about 750 watts. So your Honda generator should do 2 trucks easily!

This thread gave me a great idea for times I'm away from home (and an electrical outlet): I have a 2000 watt power inverter in my truck that I power with an Optima blue top deep-cycle battery; I suppose I could run my extension cord out the window, and plug myself in!

 

[claykelly]

I wouldn't be too concerned really, I plug mine in when I'm at home and it starts just as nice as summer. When travelling or long stays at work, etc, she sits outside cold in the parking lot, cycle the "wait to start" twice if really cold, starts right up, clatters a lot, but wouldn't you at -10? If you're confident on your batteries go ahead and cycle twice, but it's a huge load and really unnecessary. These trucks are made to start cold, the heaters are a convenience item and is easier on the engine, but not a requirement. Buy good blended fuel, let her warm up a while after starting, and enjoy.

 

[ChrisOlson]

cold start

funny this thread should come up on 12/22/04 I was in billings MT the driving temp that day was 0 I parked the truck at the boot hill inn a great hotel by the way I always stay there any ways I was not expecting the temp to drop as low as it did I had A trailer I could not remove so i had to park away from a outlet I went to start on the 23rd morning the temp was -20 would not start imagine how embarresed I was when AAA sent not 1 but 2 fords PSD to jump start me took 20 mins of charge time these batteries are less than 1 yr old and kept on a trickle charger at home in the garage as I leave the truck in the garage for 2 weeks at a time while i go to work each battery is 1120 cca spiral wound gel cell I was not happy and is it my imagination or do the CTD run louder when driving at -5 degrees?????



I will post the picture of the 2 fords jumping one ctd :-laf



see ya on the road

 

[claykelly]

Unless you're running a very strong winter mix, straight No. 1, or a lot of additive, I can see why. You're well below the gel point of No. 2 (+15F), and approaching cloud point of No. 1. If the truck wouldn't crank, or crank fast enough w/enough voltage to run the injection pump, which I'm assuming IS the problem, then regardless of how good you say your batteries are, you've got a battery problem. At the temperature you've stated your batteries are less than 40% efficient. Also, unless you've modified the charging system to accomodate the gel cell batteries, which must be charged at a lower voltage (2/10th's less) than wet or AGM batteries, they're more than likely damaged and not near the original rated CCA. When overcharged using a standard charging system, voids can develop in the gel, causing a loss in battery capacity. For very cold climates, look for batteries that use higher strength acid, and go with wet or AGM batteries for best results.



As long as you've the got the fuel taken care of, you should have no problem starting in cold weather with A GOOD battery, two GOOD batteries makes it a piece of cake.



Just my . 02 worth, and yes our trucks clatter A LOT in that kind of cold... kind of spooky sometimes.