I found some more footage that I had forgot I shot. I think this may have been about 2-3 years ago, since it was before the WVO wiped out my IP. Yes I did a video on that also.

Anyway I know that 20 degrees is not that cold compared to our northern neighbors, but its cold for ATL!

No block heater at all only glow plugs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYyyqU9O_ko

Enjoy!

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

That's pretty impressive...not so much that it started, I would expect that, but how quickly it did.

I used to start one without the block heater with temps in the low teens and high single digits pretty regularly, in MI...the trick was to give it some throttle while cranking and not let go of the key until it was really and properly running. If I let go the first time it fired it would stall and I'd have to start all over again. Sometimes it took a lot of cranking but it always started. 200K miles on that one.

I once rented an old Ford diesel U-Haul truck that I swear I cranked for 30 seconds straight before it fired...I was determined to crank it until it either started or the battery was dead.

Yes it did start up pretty quick. Little did I know the WVO I was running was slowly killing the IP. I had to replace the IP not long after the video was shot. I ended up putting a turbo pump on the car and man what a pleasure it is to have on there.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

RUSSEL!!!
you made the classic mistake that MB diesel drivers do!
you cycled the glow plugs when the light went out!!!
you need to wait the Full cycle time of the relay. your car should have at least a 45second glow circuit, possibly a 60 second cycle.
turn the key to the glow position, and listen to the relay click... it'll be easier with the seatbelt on, so you won't hear the buzzer.
I bet it starts in 1/2 the time with properly warmed up glow plugs!

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Yes I know. The relay still energizes the plugs after the light goes out. I did it for the video effect insead of explaining all that on the video.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

Why did WVO wipe out your IP? I see some sort of conversion evidence. Were you single tanking?


I wish I thought 20 degrees was cold :-) Below -5 is when it get's interesting :-)

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

Wish I had done some colder. Here is mine at 42F.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owH30ai3K7M

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)

This winter I started mine at about -7F a few times.....took about 6-8 seconds of cranking after two 30 second glow cycles. Not bad for an original engine with 300k+ on it and no block heater.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Guys, isn't it bad for the engine to start it up under such adverse conditions without a block heater? I mean, isn't there more wear and tear or something?

I've always put my Merc on a block heater whenever it drops to 4 and below. At home its on a timer and at work its just plugged in. The valve cover is warm when I touch it, and it starts like in summer.

What I like is that it warms up quickly too, which again, reduces wear and tear no? Mine has now got 567,344 km on it now; gets me 8.8L/100K and this morning at 4 degrees, started right up with no block heater (I stop the block heater as soon as it hits March).

__________________
1987 300TD
1984 300D
755,000 KM and going strong
BC Canada

Sure, but there is an energy and convenience penalty. Not everyone has acess to plug their cars in.

LOTS of cars start unassisted down to 0F, etc. Syn oils can do a good job of flowing quick and helping start issues. Nothing is better than a good tune up of course...

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)

My car doesn't have a block heater, but starts up on the first glow with 358,000 original miles. I use 5w40 in the winter (change during fall break and spring break over my school year).

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Yes, I know it'll start, I'm sure mine will too...but will it hurt the car? I remember quite a bit of hammering and shaking...

__________________
1987 300TD
1984 300D
755,000 KM and going strong
BC Canada

Its always easier for the engine to start warm if you have a heater but will there be more wear if you dont? Depends. Depends on the quality of the oil and how much of the oil film is on all the parts. I do use synthetic oil in all my vehicles so that does help I am sure.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

Nope, my car starts up puttering like it always does. No hammering, shaking, or misfiring

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

I'm sure it reduces start-up wear a bit to use the heater -- the faster you get the engine up to operating temperature, the happier it will be. I just didn't have the opportunity. I lived in an apartment complex and very few complexes in Michigan feature block heater plugins.