Last night it got down to 15F here. So naturally I had to try this as well (since that's about as cold as it ever gets where I live). Well, it was closer to 30F by the time *I* was ready to go. Glowed for 30 seconds, fired in 4 revolutions, but was particularly smoky. So I drove around for half an hour and then decided to go up a long hill nearby (a great Italian tuneup hill). Had a Chevy dually with a Duramax on my tail and he didn't seem to be too happy following me. I got 3/4 up the hill before I had to gear down to second. That Duramax passed me like the hill was nothing and no smoke from it either. Oh well.

It was still pretty smoky when I got home. I've never done a diesel purge...maybe it's time to do that. Also, is it normal for an older diesel to smoke more at idle in cold weather, even when warmed up?

Oh, I also had a minor moment of envy the other night watching a TDI Beetle fire up on a 24 degree night after work, presumably on biodiesel (she had the big sticker on the back) after only about 2 seconds of glow time and a tiny puff of smoke....

But I'm not planning on trading my car in for a newer toy

-AC
'76 240D