Last night it got down to 15F here. So naturally I had to try this as well (since that's about as cold as it ever gets where I live). Well, it was closer to 30F by the time *I* was ready to go. Glowed for 30 seconds, fired in 4 revolutions, but was particularly smoky. So I drove around for half an hour and then decided to go up a long hill nearby (a great Italian tuneup hill). Had a Chevy dually with a Duramax on my tail and he didn't seem to be too happy following me. I got 3/4 up the hill before I had to gear down to second. That Duramax passed me like the hill was nothing and no smoke from it either. Oh well.

It was still pretty smoky when I got home. I've never done a diesel purge...maybe it's time to do that. Also, is it normal for an older diesel to smoke more at idle in cold weather, even when warmed up?

Oh, I also had a minor moment of envy the other night watching a TDI Beetle fire up on a 24 degree night after work, presumably on biodiesel (she had the big sticker on the back) after only about 2 seconds of glow time and a tiny puff of smoke....

But I'm not planning on trading my car in for a newer toy

-AC
'76 240D

Bastards... I wish we had some real cold weather where I live so I could see how mine starts... my 617 always starts instantly and idles smoothly immediately after... our record lowest temperature was 26 degrees in 1932.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

If you were here, you wouldn't wish that. It's so cold here that the other morning I saw two cockroaches trying to jumpstart their mouse in the kitchen corner.......

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

20 degress this morning after it being in the single digits all night. The SD failed to start. SOB I forgot to plug it in and didn't shoot it with starting fluid until the bat was getting weak.

The block heater and bat charger are working now, I am going to fill the freaken intake with starting fluid and crank the heck out of it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The other morning it was about 17 below zero here and I had forgot to put the D in the garage. In the afternoon it was around 2 below so I went out to start it and no go. Plenty of cranking power, spun over nicely, new glow plugs which are all working. So, obviously a fuel issue. But why? It gets number 1 fuel all winter and I add powerserve as well on every fill.

What gives? Did it gel up?

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DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV

I had regular winterized diesel gel up on me last winter enough to slow me down on the highway. The fuel in the prefilter was very obviously thickening. Even at -17, I didn't think #1 would gel, but I'm not sure.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

I have always used the Power Service in the white bottle during the cold months. I have never had a fuel issue.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Just curious, what is going on in the IP when you press the go pedal 3 times on a not as yet started car as suggested in our manuals. I do it out of habit in the winter but not sure what's happening in the IP.

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1981 240d
Newport,RI