extreme cold and 300d's - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MNBenz · #16 10-30-2013, 11:27 PM

These guys are spot on with their recommendations. I live in Minneapolis, used to work near Duluth, MN and have had 5 MB diesels through the years. I have started them in -20F without plugging in, but I do not recommend doing so often.

I invested in a Webasto auxiliary heater, got it used out of a wrecked truck. Works great...I suggest looking around for one as you can find deals every once in a while mine was $400. Someday I'd love to get a telestart remote for it. Google Telestart T100 and you'll see how cool the remotes are!

Simpler=Better · #17 10-30-2013, 11:40 PM

these guys have it right. Preventative maintenance is the trick.

On a -4* day (at noon) I used a propane torch to warm the oil pan carefully, took around a half hour to get it going though

vstech · #18 10-30-2013, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

When you change delivery valve seals on a 603 and need to crank it for 120 seconds total time, you'll realize how erroneous the above statement is.

Also, holding the engine at a fast idle (1000 rpm) for a few minutes does wonders for driveability. Using your advice and immediately driving away in the bitter cold is a royal PITA because of the very low power levels available.

Thanks Brian, I cede to your diesel experience.
My warning is about those who routinely use their starter when the glow plugs are out... heavy extended use of the starter has resulted in more than a few melted starters...
are there any recommendations when changing the dv seals and the 120 seconds of extended cranking to remove the GP's to reduce the load on the starter?

I agree, getting moving quickly when it's really cold is difficult, but it's the quickest way to warm up the motor, and it gets the oil warm too. I also think it's better than letting it idle long times... idling in cold weather is actually warned against in the Mercedes owners manual.

BobK · #19 10-31-2013, 08:42 AM

Battery heater is another idea. I have been using them on and off for years and they help. Best type is the blanket that wraps all the way around a battery.

Graham · #20 10-31-2013, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Using your advice and immediately driving away in the bitter cold is a royal PITA because of the very low power levels available.

Our driveway is about 100ft long and uphill to the highway. If I drive car right after starting in winter, top speed up the driveway is <5mph. When I get to top, unless the road is completely clear as far as I can see (3/4 mile), I wouldn't be able to merge into the traffic flow

I have to let car warm up ! But I do get car goind as soon as possible.

pawoSD · #21 10-31-2013, 11:13 AM

Lowest I've started my SD is -14F without block heater, and that was a bit of a struggle, 3-4 full glow cycles followed by about 40-50 seconds of cranking. With healthy components.

My OM601 seems to start much easier, did it a few times around 0F last winter (without heater) and it was fine/didn't take much. It has a real block heater that I use as much as possible though. This year I may add battery blankets to my winter vehicles. The 601 has a new timing chain and lifters now, so it should start even better.

aieeegrunt · #22 10-31-2013, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Our driveway is about 100ft long and uphill to the highway. If I drive car right after starting in winter, top speed up the driveway is <5mph. When I get to top, unless the road is completely clear as far as I can see (3/4 mile), I wouldn't be able to merge into the traffic flow

I have to let car warm up ! But I do get car goind as soon as possible.

I have almost the exact same scenario. So the question is which is worse for the engine, letting it cold idle for ten minutes, or flooring a cold engine up to highighway merging speed?

vstech · #23 10-31-2013, 11:40 AM

ouch... good question...
of course, a block heated engine should not have difficulty with power after startup. a stone cold -20 motor once started, I'd think idling (if you can call a cold diesel "idling" it's more like Loping or stumbling...) long enough for oil pressure to stabilize maybe 1 minute, then NOT FULL THROTTLE, but driving under load would be better for the motor, than sitting idle for 10 minutes... that said, if your car cannot accelerate beyond 5mph when driven cold... it's better for the car, not to get hit by a tractor trailer!

Zacharias · #24 10-31-2013, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aieeegrunt

I have almost the exact same scenario. So the question is which is worse for the engine, letting it cold idle for ten minutes, or flooring a cold engine up to highighway merging speed?

I may be an old lady on this, but I try to wait until I can feel some change in the temp of the air coming out of the defrost vents, before I drive away in cold weather such as we see up here. I am speaking about -15 deg C or below as a rough marker (that's about 5 F). On the w123 I see this is as a safety factor as much as anything else, as I find the windshield wants to frost over too easily from my breath or ambient moisture (big problem around here in winter) and I need to know I have some defrost available.

If the car has been plugged in with a block heater, that doesn't take very long, a couple of minutes I guess? I often just let it run as I scrape off snow/ice or frost from the windows.

Personally, I do this for the sake of the transmission as much as the motor. I just don't like pushing old equipment that has oil in it that isn't heated yet. Even if in theory it warms up faster while being driven. (I also have to be up to main artery road speeds in about a block.)

daw_two · #25 10-31-2013, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

that said, if your car cannot accelerate beyond 5mph when driven cold... it's better for the car, not to get hit by a tractor trailer!

It's probably better for the driver and passengers in the car, too!!!!

aieeegrunt · #26 10-31-2013, 12:07 PM

I try to plug my W123 into as many heating devices as possible once it gets cold. Right now that is a magnetic block heater on the "air" side and a trouble light on the "fuel" side of the engine. Once I have the zerostart rad hose heater installed the magnet heater will move to the oil pan. I have a blanket battery heater in the barn I need to locate.

I suspect new adaptor pencil glows replacing the 13 year old loop glow plugs will have a massive impact. I just changed from 15-40 oil to 5-40 synthetic and that had a big impact already.

I usually let the car idle till I have warm air coming out the defogger because this car fogs up like mad. Probably better for the engine and tranny too

strelnik · #27 10-31-2013, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texcl

yeah, I will install a new lower hose heater. I've had block heaters fail at really bad times and carry a magnetic heater to but it sorta sucks, not generating good heat. I try to get my diesels tuned where I can start them at -10 without a block heater, sometimes it can't be done. I'd like to hear from someone who has to deal with sub-zero weather on a daily basis like us to see how they fared.

Two if the most reliable ways to get a diesel to start besides the block heater is to keep a pan the size of a rotisserie pan, but 6" tall, with some coals in it.

Also useful for faster starts is a a wooden box 24" x 48" x 6" with two or three 100 watt old-style not fluorescent!) bulbs and a plug in.

The wooden box provides instant heat to the entire engine compartment plus the oil. Cheaper, quicker and much more portable than a block heater.

Tyhe coals work too, but take longer. The added advantage of the coals is u can use them to heat breakfast in the bed while the truck warms up!

The coals I got from truckers, the heat box from a guy in Bergen, Norway.

Good luck.

And be prepared for more sophisticated, prescriptive solutions.

aieeegrunt · #28 10-31-2013, 01:14 PM

Ha ha ha I am totally going to build one of those wooden box deals! By the time I am done my neighbours are going to think I am building a launch pad for a missile or something

Skid Row Joe · #29 10-31-2013, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texcl

It get's down into the -30's and -40's here and there will be weeks in the -20's. Will these mercedes diesels start without being plugged in if they are in good condition or is it a given that they won't. Also if they won't start in that cold, at what temp do they reliably start? There are plug ins in most places here but block heaters and plug ins fail. My old diesel dasher would start in -10 but not at -20. My 93 f-250 diesel won't start at 10, but it needs new batteries. My old TDI beetle would start at -30 but if you hit a chunk of ice on the road it would pop a hole in the oil pan (wife did it twice.) and was pretty bad in the snow since it was so low. I love old diesels but the whole extreme cold thing is a real caveat.

Yes, they will start if they are in good condition. But, I would always have it plugged in.

During winter months, I would recommend putting a few ounces of Power Service in with each fill-up, and I would keep the fuel tank full. If your car has one, read up on the cold weather starting procedure in the Owners Manual.

whunter · #30 10-31-2013, 03:30 PM

I have started and run these at -40° F.

If the engine is in good condition it takes roughly 1 - 1.5 minutes for the engine to stabilize and idle.

An automatic transmission vehicle will warm up faster in drive than in park = more hydraulic friction generation dumping heat into the radiator.

.

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