What is the coldest you've started your diesel? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Old World Auto · #16 12-06-2006, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel_Canuck

It must get awful windy wherever you went to college. I plugged some numbers into a wind chill calculator, and found that a temperature of -20F with a wind chill of -65F corresponds with a wind speed of 75 miles per hour. If it was me, instead of trying to start my car, I would have stayed inside while the hurricane passed.

http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/earth/wind_chill/chill_wcscript.html

Went to school in this little town called Alfred. The town was situated in a valley. Always seemed to dump tremedous amounts of snow and also quite a bit of wind during the duldrums of winter. The -65F windchill number comes from the school administration. During my tenure there they closed campus twice as a result of the windchill claiming those numbers. All I know is that it was bloddy cold, cold like I never experienced before anyways. After 5 years of that, despite being a native of the North-east, I moved South.

As to why go out and start the diesel in those conditions, well it was a result of folks claiming that it would never start and I wanted to prove them wrong (200d). Also, I was running low on beer! (240d) I will never forget the smell of diesel exhaust in those really cold temperatures. Somehow it changes things or the temps just freeze the scent receptors thus making it seem to smell different.

jaoneill · #17 12-06-2006, 05:41 PM

I usually plug in the block heater for a few hours when it gets much below zero, just a whole lot easier on the vehicle. Had planned to stay put one day, winter before last, and had to make an unexpected run into town; 190D started after the 2nd glow cycle at -28F. Had a 50/50 #2/kero mix in the tank; that is the standard here for the winter season.

Jim

pawoSD · #18 12-06-2006, 07:13 PM

Coldest I've ever fired mine off was -7F after 20 seconds of glowing with 15w40 dino rotella, took about 12 engine rotations to begin firing, then about 3-4 more to get it going, but it did it!

This was last year. I am running Mobil 1 5w40 synthetic now, and it fired off last week at 16 degrees with a 7 second glow in less than 3 cranks.

Synthetic makes a huuuge difference. I haven't used my block heater yet, I do when its below 15F out, I just plug it in overnight. It takes forever to get heat though when I don't use the heater, so I may just start doing it in general....I have a hose heater, if I run it all night I have heat out of the vents within a minute of starting it.

babymog · #19 12-06-2006, 07:40 PM

It's always nice that it will, but block heaters are still the best way to treat a diesel.

jaoneill · #20 12-06-2006, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

It's always nice that it will, but block heaters are still the best way to treat a diesel.

Amen to that

BodhiBenz1987 · #21 12-06-2006, 08:27 PM

1987 300D: Coldest start was -7F after sitting overnight for about 16 hours. Door was frozen shut but once I got in that sucker fired right up. Kicked around for a few seconds, though, before it smoothed out.

I don't want to jinx myself here, but my car has never failed to start on account of cold weather. It's never even needed more than one GP cycle. I did have a lot of trouble last year with very awkward starts, even when it wasn't that cold (30F). It just kicked and grumbled for a few seconds before smoothing out. GPs all tested out OK, relay too, etc. This year, I am assuming because I had the timing reset, chain replaced etc this summer, it has REALLY been starting nice. I don't want to count my chickens, since it hasn't been colder than about 20F yet, but I've been pretty impressed. It hasn't even smoked on cold starts, noticeably.

pawoSD · #22 12-06-2006, 08:56 PM

I'm pretty impressed with how mine has been starting this year, I attribute it to the Mobil 1, I just changed it out last night, fresh $68 worth of 5w40 synthetic in the sump now.

Also impressive is the fact that its been over 21k since I have done a valve adjustment. As soon as we get my dad's car out of the garage (its 1 stall

) I'll be doing it, I have my feeler gauge set and gasket and wrenches set to go!

We'll see how much better it does once they're adjusted. I'm assuming they're probably not off by too much considering how well its still been starting in the cold, and it still idles smooth.

kerry · #23 12-06-2006, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

It's always nice that it will, but block heaters are still the best way to treat a diesel.

If you have a block heater and electricity available. (Those Cat 3208's like to pump out the smoke in cold weather, eh)

Anyone tried a pan of charcoal under the engine to warm things up in really cold weather?

ZackaryMac · #24 12-06-2006, 10:17 PM

The old diesel Sonoma just started today, and with quite a few pokes at the remote ether injector, it went. Temp: -15C.
There is about 540 000 kms on it, and I believe the top rings may be broken in this motor. I was going to change it for another one I have with only (claimed) 150 000kms on it, however I decided to run this one until it doesn't go anymore. I work at a farm tractor dealer, and got the ether injector from a scrapped tractor. Gives it a small measured amout of juice each time. It didn't start with an "over-done" crackle either, it just kind of picked up and started.
I've realized a $3 can of ether is better than freezing in my unheated garage changing the motor that works great when it's running.
It's rated at 58hp, so I'd guess it's got similar performance to a 240D (similar weight, too).

Sorry, I know it'd not a Mercedes, but like many of you, I love my old diesel.

My Kubota only once failed to start, and it was -25C, and I trailered it 25 kms to work, so with the wind blast on it, it just was too cold to go, without a bit of warming up. I didn't work too well either in that cold.

jaoneill · #25 12-06-2006, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

Anyone tried a pan of charcoal under the engine to warm things up in really cold weather?

Can't say I've tried that but we have a local MD (he lives out in duelin' banjo country, off the grid) who has an early eighties rabbit diesel with a twig burner (gallon metal can) fastened to his grill. It must work, I've seen him in town on some nasty 35 below zero mornings.

Have a neighbor who uses a salamander on the block of his snow blowing Case for 2+ hours every time it snows (sometimes 3-4 times a week).

Every vehicle, gas or diesel, (including the farm tractor fleet) that we have has a block heater. In sub zero weather anything we might use is plugged in well in advance of starting (usually overnight). Our Sweet Alice 6080 snow plow tractor stays connected to 110 from mid December until mid March (with a mile of driveway to keep clear in snow country, and neighbors looking for a tow, we seldom have the luxury of knowing we will need it far enough in advance to adequately warm it up with the block heater - takes 4-5 hours at 20 below)

Jim

Palangi · #26 12-06-2006, 10:41 PM

My 300D starts at zero F with no fuss at all. The 240D really hasn't been below about 20 F since I have owned it. It starts OK at 20, but I need to keep blipping the go pedal until it shows some temperature to keep it running.

Hatterasguy · #27 12-06-2006, 10:47 PM

SDL isn't run in the winter. Did a -2 degree start for fun the first year when she was outside for some work. M1 15w50 in the crank, fired off without any issues, faster than my dads F150 that was sitting next to it. She was stone cold without a working block heater cord at that point!

But fresh battery, glow plugs, and injectors. No tricks either, just turned the key when the glow plug light went off.

Synthetic makes all the difference, even M1 15w50 flows better then dino at those temps.

With the SD its about 20, anything lower and it usualy fails to start.

#28 12-06-2006, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Leo

300TD: 21°F w/Rotella 15W-40 (fired right off!).
300D: 24°F w/Rotella 15W-40 (but, could barely get this one running at 45°F when two PG were bad).
300SDL: 24°F w/Rotella 15W-40 (smoked like a Screamin' Jimmy until warm).

Dang that's cold! (For Texas

)

The coldest I've started was -15*f WITHOUT the block heater.