Need Winter Advice

[KMSCD]

Yes, I know its only August but I think we're going to have an early winter and I need a little help.



At work, there are no plug-ins anywhere around my building. Is my only option to run out and start it every 2-3 hours when she's too cold and won't start normally?



I've heard its not a bad idea to run 5W40 in the winter. Just want to confirm that.



Anything else I should know? This is my first winter with an older diesel (prev. was an '05, not too many worries with it!). I'm going to start using additive in my fuel as they have switched over to the low-sulfur fuel on base and at the service station, they sell Amsoil and Royal Purple.

 

[btoscano]

How cold does it get up your way? I run 5w-40 year round down here in Tennessee. Chevron, Mobil, Shell, and others all sell it. In your Arctic climate there are also 0w-30 and 0w-40 oils available from Chevron, Petro Canada, Esso, etc... .



-brian

 

[PToombs]

Sounds like he needs one of those Espar Heater doflickys!

 

[dpuckett]

My 92. 5 started at -3. I know that's par for the course up north, but here is is freezing. Keep in mind, the truck had been sitting for a year before I brought it up here, had 200k on the original fuel system, stock timing, dead lift pump. No joke, I'm not exaggerating. I have had others that started in the teens below zero without being plugged in (good fuel systems) It ran rough for a few minutes, and spit white smoke to fog the neighborhood, but it ran.



-Keep a good battery and charging system.

-Make sure your grid heaters AND KSB function properly.

-Keep your fuel flowing freely- anti-gel in every tank.

-Let it idle a few minutes before driving.

-Winter front to help speed warm up. I have used a piece(s) of cardboard in front of the radiator to perform this function. No snaps or buttons on the grille and it's FREE if you aint afeared of diggin in the trash.



Daniel

 

[PToombs]

Ya gotta remember Daniel, his last truck was an '05, he doesn't know about real trucks! :-laf Don't worry KMSCD, we'll learn ya! :-laf

 

[Philip]

I have started mine as low as -20 with out the block heater pluged in. That is after setting all weekend.



Cycle the grid heater at least twice. It should crank up if the rest of your system is up to par.

 

[rperker]

I live in North Dakota drive a 96 12 valve. It starts fine at -15 over night without plugging in. I run 10w-40, and add 10% #1 fuel when I expect below -10. A friend of mine pulls his snowmobiles to Yellowstone and tells me he starts at -25 after setting for 2 days.

Good bateries

Good heater grid

Good fuel

 

[cerberusiam]

Well, a second battery like the 2nd and 3rd gen truck is a good start. When it hits -40 F nothing wants to start. Lighter oil and dose the fuel system good with additives will help to a point.

 

[KMSCD]

Female, not male.



I do know about cardboard and anti-gel in every tank, just forgot to put those in there and of course I start every vehicle and let them run for at least 30 minutes in the morning (during the winters).



Learn me about grid heaters, what is a KSB, and I have considered a second battery but what does the charging system consist of?



Really, we got the truck in March of this year and before that, it had been sitting for at least a year. At that point in the year, it wasn't that cold so I'm not really sure how well it will start when it does get cold but this is my only transportation (I don't think I could get away with riding my horse to work because we aren't allowed to ride in housing!) and my bosses are not forgiving when it comes to being late (which I haven't been late so far).



Off the winter subject, what about the transmission fluid? I don't know when it was changed last. Anything I should I know before undertaking that sometime in the future? She shifts good, no problems. I've done all the maintenance work on my past trucks (oil, transmission and differential fluid, etc). We have the auto hobby shop on base so I have access to good tools and lifts.

 

[Moab4x4]

Auto Start

Back on the starting thread, I was perusing ye old internet looking at keyless entry / remote start units. There was a fairly cheap security / keyless entry/ remote start option ($80 I think) that had two cool features. One was the ability to have the truck start itself every 3-4 hours and run for a preset # of minutes. The idea was to keep the vehicle from getting too cold away from the plug in. Hmmm. The other feature was to push a button and the truck would stay running for a set time after you turned off the key and locked the vehicle. It was marketed as a way to keep the truck cool while running in the store for a minute or 20, but I am thinking cool down timer...

The ones I looked at were at www.slickcar.com but I bet there are lots out there. I just googled keyless entry. I think the system was a Commando something or other.



On the other hand, I have a rancher friend who drives his cushy newer F>>> in the summer because of his bad back, but the 1st Gen Dodge in the winter because it always starts right up.

 

[BMote]

Cold Start

Best advice I could give you is to run full synthetic oil and for that matter run synthetic fluids in differentials, transfer case and transmission. I run Amsoil fluids throughout, and have no problems starting in cold weather. If you have good batteries and lots of cranking power, it will start.

 

[cerberusiam]

One was the ability to have the truck start itself every 3-4 hours and run for a preset # of minutes

Great idea in theory, but, unless there are some additional things added it doesn't work too well in a practical sense. You cannotjust start and idle a truck in cold weather and expect any heat out of it. All you are doing without high idle is washing the cylinders walls down and causing more problems than it solves. You must maintain at least 1500 rpm's to do any good and even on the 12V's that did not get you as warm as it could.



If these systems also containd a solenoid to kick up the idle it would be great. Match that with an EB and you would have a system that was worth while to invest in.





My . 02

 

[MGunville]

All good advice on the subject, just adding my two cents worth. I had a D250 5spd, should have kept it.



- A good winter front. Preferrably one that can cover below the truck too. I made one out of heavy canvas that hooked onto the frame rails and extended from just behind the bumper to near the back of the oil pan. Was easy to detach and made quite a difference in winter driving. Being as your truck is a 4wd this may not be as easy (mine was a D250).



- I ran 0w40 synthetic in the Winter and back to 15w40 in the summer. 0w40 is widely available in our climate, usually as a synthetic only though.



- Good battery, I had a single 1150cca battery. Was good enough to start the truck on the coldest days without being plugged in. Average Winter days here in Jan/Feb are approx -25C to -40C. Any good battery dealer should be able to hook you up with what you need.



- Grid Heaters are the heaters inside the intake manifold that heat the incoming air, making the engine easier to start. The grid heaters will cycle when they need to, I would cycle them a few times when its really cold to help things out. Do a search for Grid Heaters in the forum, you'll find out all you need to know.



- I wouldn't let the truck idle too long when its cold, 4 or 5 minutes is all thats needed. It won't warm up at all and worse case the unburnt fuel can wash down the cylinder walls.



Worse comes to worse get one of these

http://www.espar.com/htm/Specs/water/wterheat.htm

 

[GHarman]

Cold Weather Cummins

KMSCD, Run Amsoil in your engine and drivetrain. I would and do run 15w-40 Amsoil all year long, in the Cummins. It is liquid at -37Degrees F. . Use Amsoil Diesel fuel Modifier in your fuel each fillup. If your lift pump doesnt work, replace it. Make sure your fuel filter is flowing, if not, replace it. Make sure your preheat Grid is functioning correctly. I realize your average temperature is far lower in some parts of Alaska than in the Mountains of Colorado and these guidelines are subject to your specific requirements. The lighter viscosity oils may be necessary in the engine, at really low temperatures. I would use the Amsoil versions of these also. I used to commute daily from home at 9050' down to 6000' year round, busting through snow and icy roads. Now I am retired and the truck is started once a week, I did not plug it in last winter at all. I had no problems starting it cold. Amsoil is expensive, extended drain intervals notwithstanding. If you have your own business you can sign up as a commercial account and buy cheaper than a dealer can purchase the product. You just cant resell it. There are many other little tricks that can trip you up, I'll let the mechanics guide you in those areas =) Greg

 

[zstroken]

Check out lubricationspecialist.com. He sells the espar heaters I think. Plus he helped sponsor my pulling truck.

 

[PToombs]

Sorry about the he! The grid heaters are in the intake ,square block where the air goes in. They heat the air that you are going to burn, warm air ignites better. KSB is the solenoid on the side of the injection pump, gives you more fuel when its cold out( think choke!). Dual batteries are easy! Just hook jumper wires (battery cable) from one battery to the other, both work and charge together. Transmission fluid- if in doubt, change it and the filter, easy job but can be a little messy. Good luck with your new toy-

pete

 

[Moab4x4]

Great idea in theory, but, unless there are some additional things added it doesn't work too well in a practical sense.

Foiled again. Thanks for the good points. I need to quit thinking gassers... . Its amazing how much you can learn if you hang out here.

Ken

 

[KMSCD]

Thanks guys. How can I tell if my grid heater is going or is bad? Its been pretty warm so I haven't had any starting problems. If it is my grid heater, how much do they cost?



I think I will check out a good battery and change my fuel filter just for the heck of it. How do you guys feel about Royal Purple? At the base service station, they sell RP and Amsoil right there. RP costs $6 or $7 but I didn't bother to look at Amsoil because I had a gasser at the time used RP for everything I could.

 

[Greenleaf]

What's a "cold start"? What's a "grid heater"?

 

[GHarman]

Thanks guys. ((( How can I tell if my grid heater is going or is bad? Its been pretty warm so I haven't had any starting problems. If it is my grid heater, how much do they cost?)))



.

KMSCD, A Quick reference for this Question is in Issue 52 TDR, page 34. Similar guidelines and a possible source. Will have to do this myself soon=) GregH.