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  #16  
Old 01-13-2004, 01:01 AM
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A battery running a block heater through an inverter will last about half an hour; if

Hello Everyone
A battery running a block heater through an inverter will last about half an hour; if you are lucky.

I have seen a couple of butane and propane block heaters that worked very well, you loose trunk space for them.

I have done several conversions: in the 1970’s
#1. Remove MB oil filter housing; install adapter and high pressure hoses to remote multi staged four engine oil filter assembly, or two doubles.
#2. Install automotive racing type remote oil sump and circulation system.
#3. Install thermostatic grill louvers.
#4. Install block/water jacket, engine oil and radiator heaters.
#5. Use light weight high quality oil; or today synthetic oil.

The combination worked very well.
It was not cheap, but the customers where happy.
One owner worked on the Alaska pipeline, on average he left the car running for three too five weeks.
The last time I saw the car was 1982 and he was still driving it every day; he retired to Hudson Bay, Canada.

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  #17  
Old 01-13-2004, 12:53 PM
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I appreciate the good advice here. There is a bunch of stuff included that I did not know.

I've tried the battery deal but only had a 600wt convertor. Didn't work. Maybe I'll try a big dog convertor.

Don
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  #18  
Old 01-13-2004, 03:29 PM
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Eirc is absolutely correct. MB diesels are not made to idle for long periods. The design of big rig engines is totally different. It's OK for them to idle for hours. Mercedes recommends, IIRC, that you shut off the engine if it will be idling for longer than 2 minutes. Yes, TWO. The main reason is carbon buildup. Soot generation is also a problem. I won't let mine idle more than a few minutes unless it's part of a service procedure, like a coolant flush or something. Cold starting should not be a problem down to about zero F, especially on a 60x engine. Below that and you may require things like synthetic oil, block heaters, or other methods. There was a thread recently on the MBZ email lists, and the advice from people who live in frigid temps was to use synthetic oil, let it glow through two complete cycles, begin a third, then start cranking and DO NOT release the key until the engine is firing on enough cylinders to keep running on its own with part throttle applied. This may take 15-60 seconds of non-stop cranking, but don't let go of the key, it may not have enough juice left if you do. Allegedly the Bosch starters are designed to take this abuse and it doesn't hurt them. Oh and of course you need a GOOD battery, a full-size Group 49, with clean connections etc...


Also check this out - this thing is toooo cool:
------------------------------

Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 14:52:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Jason Brown
Subject: Re: [DIESELTECH] Cold start questions

Sounds like you need one of these:

http://unimog.ca/heater

One of the best things I ever bought for a car.

Jason
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  #19  
Old 01-13-2004, 04:13 PM
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I remember talking to Dave about the extended-idle on my 603 a while back... and since then, I've let the car idle for up to 3 hours (with A/C on, to boot) with no ill effects. I also have a second key for the door so I can lock up and leave the car idling when I go to the store or other errands. Other than a nice smokey italian tune-up, I've noticed nothing change.

Best time to let the engine run... at the pump. No spark, no danger of ignition... interesting conversation starter.

I've thought about a high-idle switch to help keep things circulating, and keep the battery charged so I can run my lights and other crap on. It's kind of pointless as the turbo begins to take an idling engine away from about 1100rpm...

As for the "invincibility" of Bosch starters - yeah right! Tell that to my diesel Volvo's Bosch starter that lasted about 150k and quit after the glow plugs stopped working and the car was started a few hundred times without them. Cranking was about 20--70 seconds each time when cold. Lemmie just say that starter was a ***** to replace, but I made sure to replace the entire glow plug system simultaniously.

-Mike
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  #20  
Old 01-13-2004, 08:15 PM
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Dave:

How much is that heater if you install it yourself?

Don
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  #21  
Old 01-13-2004, 08:37 PM
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when power goes out on the farm, and the cows have to be milked the '52 IH MTA Diesel runs full bore for 6-8 hours then idles for 2-4 hours, then full bore again. did that for 3 days straight.

4 cylinder indirect injection 248 cu in engine.(started on gas, ran on diesel. no need for glow plugs for sure)

But the crankcase was 12 qts. Ran either 10w winter, 30 wt summer. Never any oil problems. still going strong after 52 yrs.

talk about durability!! But I agree with more refined diesels, it is probably not a good idea to idle a great deal. I like the idea of a Marine deep cycle battery with a inverter and a timer that would turn on the glow plugs 2 hours before quitting time.


But what about starting fluid?? I use it in a pinch.
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  #22  
Old 01-13-2004, 08:38 PM
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Talking Hello diesel don

Hello diesel don
what part of Michigan are you in?
If you are close enough; perhaps we could meet for coffee and conversation?
Have a great day.
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  #23  
Old 01-13-2004, 08:40 PM
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Duh, forgot one importatnt item: the Farm tractor was hooked up to the 15KW generator!!

Must be the cold here in pa. Moved ALL the gassers outside and have the 3 diesels in the garage: 91 350sdl way in the back, 98 Jetta TDI in front of it and my 86 vw golf diesel beater on a timer to heat up 2 hours before I leave for work.
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  #24  
Old 01-13-2004, 09:10 PM
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Heater

That is the heater I told you about. The Espar Hydronic D4 is $995 on this site: If you go to the bottom of the page and click on Espar you will get the specs for the D4 and D5. Greg told me about the guy with the 300.
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  #25  
Old 01-14-2004, 08:06 AM
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the taxi drivers in germany idle their diesel mb's all the time! prolly never shut them off!! one guy finishes his shift and then the next man just gets in and the cycle repeats itself.

i got into one taxi there with 750000 kilometers on the clock - original engine and trans. and it had probably idled for many many months during it's lifetime.

so i am never afraid to idle my mb for extended periods.
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  #26  
Old 01-14-2004, 09:35 PM
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I used to know an old farmer in Michigan with about a 65 190D. He would start it up in December and let it run until March every year. Then he upgraded to a 220D and did the same thing with that car for years.
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  #27  
Old 01-14-2004, 10:22 PM
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Last winter, my first as a MB diesel owner, I didn't know I had a block heater already in the thing. To get through the winter (occasional -5 ~ -10F) i used one of those mega watt squarish type halogen lamps tucked up to the oil pan. Maybe not the safest thing to do, but the car always would start in the morning. On mornings like that I would let the engine idle for 10~30 mins before driving off. One, so it's be a little warm, Two, so it would at least be able to accelerate a little. I drive 90 miles a day for work and at speeds as high as 85 mph so carbon build up has never been a problem. This winter, after I discovered I had a block heater after all, I turn it on about an hour in the morning and the car starts right away. I still let it idle for the same reasons as mentioned above.
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  #28  
Old 01-14-2004, 10:27 PM
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This is what I mean and intend to experiment with. Long idling. There is not much to lose compared to getting stranded all the time.

I'm guessing that my volvo idled for 200+ hours per winter for 9 straight years.

So far, the MB's seem to have no ill effect. 2.5 years and increasing.

Don
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  #29  
Old 01-15-2004, 10:39 PM
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Well the wifes VW wouldn't start on Wed night when she left work, outside temp around 0*F. Battery is fine, cables are suspect. Starts fine at 20*F+.... So tomorrow she is going to let it idle all day since Fri is supposed to start out about -5*F. More wear? Maybe. More soot? Maybe. But I won't have to go and jump it, and that makes it all worthwile. RT
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  #30  
Old 01-16-2004, 12:06 AM
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That's odd. A VW diesel should be able to start down to zero F, I know mine always did (with much protest though). Are you using synthetic oil in the 'Dub? And is your wife doing two full glow cycles before cranking it?

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