Stranded, any suggestions for getting car started without heater in single dig temps? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BoostnBenz · #16 01-30-2004, 12:16 AM

Wow thanks for all the replies!

I didn't have any tools on me to take the battery out otherwise that would have been an excellent idea, I never got a chance to check for replies at the university they were closing in a few minutes but my ride got there about the same time. You can bet it'll get a nice charge tomorrow though! I live about 30 miles away from college so it is a little bit of a trip for stuff.

Leathermang, I thought you can't use starting fluid because of the glow plugs? They are supposed to get upto 1100*F which I would think could be enough to ignite it before the motor was ready! I've used it before on our backhoe but it doesn't have glow plugs....

I do have a generator but no real means to carry it, it is a pretty huge one. Unfortunately at this time I still have a slight fuel leak on the #4 & #5 cylinders so any open flames under the vehicle are out of the question. All glowplugs were tested in the last month, all were on the low side of specifications (.6).

I guess if need be I can leave it there until monday and drive it home then and leave my Talon there until I can get a ride to pick that up. Unbelievably it is supposed to almost hit freezing point Monday, I didn't think that was possible after the last few weeks of single digit temperatures.... Only problem here is I'm very impatient, I don't like the idea of my car setting in some lot abondoned for several days, I also don't know if they'd allow it to set there that long.

There will be quite a bit of wind, and probably quite a few police cars and fire trucks if I started a fire under it with that leak.

I wonder if I took a propane torch and ran it up and down the intake manifold if that'd help or just drop crud into the motor.

I don't have the factory airbox so it is all out in the open.

#17 01-30-2004, 01:52 AM

Try torching the intake manifold... you'll have to spend some time doing this if it's really cold out, as the manifold will absorb a lot of heat. Then crank the engine and have someone torch (inside) the turbo while you crank. We tried this method on my friend's 300D, and it took a looong time. I'm assuming it was because 4 out of his 5 glowplugs were dead (infinite resistance). If your glowplugs are good, and you say they are, then it shouldn't take as long. Also, hold the accelerator down at least half way until it is running smoothly. If you let off, it will probably die if it isn't running on most of the cylinders. It will take a bit of cranking to circulate enough warm air through the prechambers.

What weight oil are you using?

Sounds like it's time for an Espar heater.

TomJ · #18 01-30-2004, 02:00 AM

Ignore the starter fluid idea, it "can" explode in a BIG way just from the glow plugs. WD40 or other combustible oil-spray will work just as good and cheaper for a "starter spray" and avoid the spontaneous rapid head and hood removal possibility.

#19 01-30-2004, 02:04 AM

I suppose that if you were really determined to use starter fluid, you could turn on the ignition, wait for the glow plug relay to time out (45 seconds or so), wait for the plugs to cool (30 seconds or so), and then crank and spray.

But I still wouldn't recommend it.

nhodges · #20 01-30-2004, 02:35 AM

Change your oil to Mobil1 synthetic for the winter months and add a quality antigel to your fuel. This will eliminate most single digit temp non starts. If your glow plugs are good, the valves adjusted correctly and the battery is good these two changes should eliminate the problem. However I like the idea of 300 feet of extension cord.

#21 01-30-2004, 05:18 AM

Heating the battery inside and putting a full charge BACK into it is a GOOD idea.
Removing the oil and heating it is somewhat cumbersome, however........if you have a gas camping stove....ie;coleman stove or something similar, this too can REALLY help......pain in the a-s...
Get the biggest, baddest, most HEAVY DUTY jumper cables that you can find...........If you do NOT already own such a set.......spend the $30 or so and ALWAYS keep them in the trunk.
Jump start with the talon and some HD cables.......the oil will be THICK and it will turn over slowly...slowly...slowly.....long time....make sure that the talon has a STRONG charging system.
Let the battery in the diesel "soak" up the juice.
DISCONNECT the glow plug timer from the circut.....EITHER of the 2 connectors will do this...
REMOVE the top cover of the air filter and spray ether DIRECTLY into the intake while cranking.....
This may take 30 minutes or LONGER......
The b-tch will EVENTUALLY fire.
Next time park NEAR an electrical socket.
GOOD LUCK
spo out

peterhardie · #22 01-30-2004, 07:56 AM

I used hot tap water, poured a few 2-quart saucepans over the valvecover, fuel injection system, manifolds. Car started. DOn't know how easy that might be where you are, but it worked for me.

I also replaced a 4 year old battery that I think ate itself up trying to turn a worn starter (replaced that too!). Might be time to get a new one.

I second the tow idea, tow it to your house, plug it in. Triple check all the things mentioned that help starting (fuel quality, anti-gel, clean filters, valves adjusted, battery up to par, starter in good shape, etc.) The $50-60 might be worth not having to freeze your a$$ off when you have to try a few different things.

Have to say, below 15 degrees, I am glad the wife has a gasser. Too much thinking and planning to start my diesel on cold morns.

I do love it once it is purring...

Hatterasguy · #23 01-30-2004, 08:19 AM

My 2 cents. I tested the battery in my car the other day when it was around 10 degrees out. All the cells were down but down evenly. According to the chart I have the battery was at 25%-30% of capacity. That ment that I got 2-3 glows and one chance to crank. (It started) I would recomend going back to school and bringing your battery home to warm it and charge it. If it is an older battery just buy a new one on the way up to your car. I would also change the glow plugs, new plugs might have been just the extra help the engine needed. Good luck.

BoostnBenz · #24 01-30-2004, 11:17 AM

I already use Mobil 1 15w50 SuperSyn for oil, but around 0 degrees it doesn't seem a whole lot different than dino oil. The gauge will stay under pressure a short while after trying to start it. Valves were adjusted in the last 5k miles. The DuraLast battery is one month old, but I doubt how good it really is now.

I use Redline DFC, I normally use Redline Water Remover but the bottle was frozen solid when I filled up..., I also use Redline Anti-Gel. I thought I heard somewhere that even with WD40 that it could still ignite before the motor does!

I don't know if the closest building even has an outlet outside, it is probably more than that, I'm two parking lots down from the closest building! Parking isn't very selective, I just park wherever I can, however I'll probably pick up a 100ft of some cheap cord just in case it does this somewhere I can actually grab power from.

I guess I ran out of that guarantee by going 6 hours.

I parked it at 1pm and checked it at 7pm, I guess the negative windchills did their magic with the single digit temperatures. The real irony of it is that from 5pm to 7pm I was posting on diesel forums... I was going to take it to the car wash at 5pm but didn't want to set in rush hour traffic, DOH.

I do have one confession though, back when I tested the glow plugs I was waiting for my diesel compression tester to come in and I left a couple of the nuts loose or off of the glow plugs. That surely can't help them function, but it has started down to 3* like this (in the same parking lot after setting 9hrs!).

I don't have anything to tow it home with, not 30 miles... also I read in the manual it can't exceed 35mph so that'd be over an hour of driving with traffic backing up all around me. Hesitantly I guess I'll impatiently wait for it to get warmer out, it is supposed to be 21* tomorrow.

whunter · #25 01-30-2004, 07:01 PM

Hello leathermang
It is possible to do.
The one that fits my trunk has a starter.
I will have another adult beverage and sleep on this idea.
Have a great day.

#26 01-30-2004, 07:30 PM

Can you push/coast the car to the nearest building/plug?

#27 01-31-2004, 12:00 AM

If you do have nut's off the glow plug,fix that first.
I think taking the battery out and put a full charge in a warm building is a good idea. [I still place batter on piece of wood and not on cement,this could be a old idea.} But I still do it.
Then you can use a good #2 cable jumper cables, and with the battery up to full chare, you may not need jumpers.
The propane torch, open fire idea's I would't do. I am not affraid of an explosion. With the way these are alway grease cover no thanks.
Good luck and stick to it. In these condition, that is a damn poor choice of words "stick to it." With that cold what else will you do Just good luck.
Charles

BoostnBenz · #28 01-31-2004, 01:21 AM

Well I've waited this long I'll let it enjoy the scenery outside for yet another night before it makes it home to the barn. I think I'll just give it a whirl tomorrow, with it being 21* out it should be cake to start. I'll put the jumper cables on the car then while it is charging I'll tighten any loose GP nuts. I really have my doubts as to the starting system working correctly. How long can you crank your motor? I glowed it twice then it tried five cylinders and was dying, then after it made all of them twice it was slowing quite a bit by time it made it three times it was practically dead. One thing I think worth checking after I get it home are the connections on the starter, do you guys think that my battery isn't holding enough or the starter is pulling to much?

It definitely won't coast there, it is all uphill on a set of snow/ice covered lots, hopefully it won't come to this.

To help this problem from happening in the future would wrapping the battery in an insulation of some sort keep it warmer longer? In essence what I'm wondering is do batteries get warm from charging or are they absorbing heating from the surroundings to get them warm. Do they ever need to dissipate heat off or it doesn't really matter? Even before this happened I was considering making an encapsulation module to help keep the motor warm longer. I'm also thinking of ditching the Mobil if I run a diesel next winter, it'll be Amsoil in there instead. Just today I looked up their 15w40 is 3600cP at -20*C however....

Mobil 1 15W-50-----------5234cp@-35C?
Rotella Syn. 5W-40------6400cp@-30C
Delvac 1 5W-40---------6600cp@-30C
Delvac 1300 15W-40----6000cp@-20C
Delo 400 15W-40--------6400cp@-20C
(According to this thread ) Maybe I'll look into this myself and see if I can find more info....

Any other suggestions for stopping this from happening again? That is other than moving to California or leaving it running.

dabenz · #29 01-31-2004, 07:37 AM

The generator is a great idea, providing the fuel's OK. If the generator's big enough then you can also plug in a battery charger and do both at once. Pulling the battery and engine oil and getting them inside is tried and true from the days when engine heaters didn't yet exist. So is a pan of charcoal under the oil pan. Starting fluid for experts only, please.

Attached is a sample of what I've had to deal with this week. Radio station said the low was -42F. The commuter car's (gasser) computer crapped out and I had a rental (gasser) without a block heater! I can't wait until it gets to 0F.

Palangi · #30 01-31-2004, 10:27 AM

This is going to sound caveman primative, but it used to work for me when I lived up north.

You will need 3 things.

A running car (use any kind, but one with a big battery is preferred).

A set of jumper cables.

One of those big rubber hoses like garages use to slip over the tailpipe to direct the exhaust out under the garage door. (You might be able to improvise by using a drier vent hose or something like that).

Hook up the jumper cables. Route the hose from the tailpipe of the running car into the engine compartment of the frozen car from below. Close the hood as far as you can without disturbing the jumper cables. Let the running car idle for an hour or two. The exhaust from the running car will raise the engine compartment temperature of the frozen car while simultaneously charging the battery. Should be startable in about two hours.