PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Cold Weather Diesel

retmil46 · #31 12-06-2008, 03:04 PM

Remember - he's talking about a Dodge Cummins pickup, not an MB diesel. Different arrangement as far as the way the thermostat and cooling system are set up.

My '87 MB has no problem getting up to temp quickly in the teens and 20's. But the 05 Jeep CRD, with a different flow and thermostat arrangement, takes several miles to get up to temp - this with a similar HP and dispalcement engine in a 4300 lb brick. Coming back from Texas last New Years with temps in the teens at night, I pulled over to a rest area for a few minutes to make a phone call. Sitting for 5 minutes idling, I watched the temp gauge go from mid scale down to 1/4 scale.

I did the same thing on the Jeep - blocked off all but two of the seven grille openings, to help keep the engine up to temp. On a Dodge Cummins, I'd say it would be worth a try - start off conservative, say about 1/3 to 1/2 the grille area, and adjust from there.

It seems the cooling systems on MB's are arranged to keep a certain minimum amount of heat in, while other diesels are set up to get the maximum amount of heat out.