603 3.5 started right up in 5 degrees
 

without block heater. if i had realized it was going to be that cold i might have plugged it in. but with the five seconds extra that brian suggested it started right up. first cylinder to hit top fired.

now that is what a good diesel should do. i guess my compression is ok.

tom w

Nice, good indication of potential really cold start capabilities if required in future. Still trying to figure out where my limit will be this year as my daily driver diesel is getting weaker with time. Possibly like it's owner? :D Middle of america seems quite cold this late fall. Or perhaps we have just been lucky on the east coast of canada this year. Just getting to the point of constant ground freezing temperatures here right now so today will put a furnace in that house I am still building for my youngest daughter. Hard on local architects this year as possibly 50 percent of new home sales seem to be factory built units. The constant increase of red tape is also unbelievable. Perhaps it is the major contributing factor to increased costs. Residential is 125-150 per square foot canadian locally and rising. I will bring the bungalow in at about 50 per square foot since I probably will not get repaid or live long enough to collect it. Notice I have lost some of my edge at scrounging or the stuff is not out there. Will be far more enjoyable to get back to my old cars. This is the last house I will build completely by myself except for the brickwork and farming out the foundation wall forming. Cannot use blocks underground here because of the clay content of the soil being high. a block wall will fail totally. But have some apprehension as said the same after the last one and the one before that come to think of it. At 63 my doctor says I am in great shape whatever that means. Just know the thirty year olds tell me that they hope they can still do what I do when they are my age. The only complicating factor I see for them is they are not capable to do it in their thirties for starters.. :D Always enjoy your comments but really loved it when you mentioned to the guy that his activities might leave him unnatached..:eek: The response was hilarious.

Cool, but not surprising. A 603 should be good for much colder then that.

Yes, and the excellent feature of the 603.970 engine is the afterglow relay.

Although GP's may not last as long, it keeps the engine from sputtering after it starts.

19 F is the lowest for my 3.5 this year....starts better than my gassers.

My 603 starts better in the cold than my 617 did. For as many people here who complain about the 603, it does seem that they start better in the cold even with higher mileage. I've never plugged mine in and never had problems starting it. walgamuth, you know how cold it gets in Indiana. Makes me wish I had my car here...:rolleyes:

Thanks
David

It was about 12 below zero here this morning. The 603 turned over just fine, but wouldn't fire. No combustion at all. I know it's getting fuel. I suppose the glow system is not working or something happened to it since yesterday.

Is it possible to start one of these without glowing?

you need well winterized fuel at that temp. I think suppliers cut it with as little #1 as they can get away with. Only trouble I had last winter was accelerating to speed on the highway. Popped the hood when i got to work and looked at the prefilter. It was all clouded up. was about -2F, as cold as it got here last winter.

I buy fuel at a place that sells a lot of it. A farmer's cooperative. They switched to #1 some time ago. I've probably run at least 3 full tanks of #1 already this winter, plus it ran great yesterday all day, very cold too, not more than 10 degrees.

Tom, sounds as though you
 

have 'er dialed in.

Barry, The key to any foundation in our type of climate and clay soils is to install footing drains, backfill with permeable material, preferably #2 clean stone, and to ensure positive surface drainage with the final grade.

Jim

Whoa... wait a second. My '87 SDL have this feature too? :confused:

Unfortunately, not. The older 603's have the traditional system. Naturally, you can get yourself a switch in the violet wire to accomplish the same thing if you wish.

Good compression and working plugs will work wonders on starting these cars when they are old.

Sounds like a glow plug failure or gelled fuel.

Before I put the pencil type plugs and turbo starter in my 77 300d, below about 12-15 degrees it just wouldn't fire at all. Had to plug it in. Now, with parallel glow plugs and turbo starter, it fires right up, so far down to about 5 degrees. Limits may be tested the next couple of mornings if the forecast is right.

woohoo
 

i never expected this much response on my thread. i almost didn't post it but i was truly excited about it.

barry, great to hear you are still able to do it all (except the concrete forming) . i couldnt for sure. too much desk jockying for me. i work out but am too heavy and my hip is getting bad. concrete foundations (poured) are the only way to go. perhaps if you have very well drained sandy soil you could get away with block....not very many places here like that.

latest excitement here is my youngest (#4) lovely daughter broke off a key in the door of the 82 300cd tonight so i had to go out in my pjs to rescue. down to the last key on that car (valet).

tom w

Ahhhh... that explains why they have different part numbers for the GPs then. :)

I had been able to start my '75 300D without a heater down at 20 below zero before.

Sometimes my current 300SD will not glow. Something with the relay I suppose, but I have been able to start it without glowplugs at all many times. I'm not sure what the lowest temp I've started it has been, but I'd guess in the 40's.

I had to work for 20 minutes to get my old 617 to start when it was 5 here in atlanta last year. It did start after a lot of glow plug cycles and cranking. It hasn't gotten real cold yet but no sign of hesitation yet from my 602. I assume it will be every bit as responsive as its 603 sibling! I guess I should also not be afraid to take it northward except the a/c actually works better than the heater on this car. I guess there is one negative to having a car that runs so cool.

cool
 

cool

tom w

i am trying to rack up posts now!