Cold weather starting..... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

PanzerSD · #1 11-12-2006, 07:43 PM

I just went out to try to start my SD, it's cold, maybe -11C with a windchill of -17C and it turned over twice and killed a brand new battery. I didn't have it plugged in. I know I should have, but, the two turns and dead, is that a result of low compression or is my 15W40 too thick at that temp to allow the engine to turn over easily?

TheDon · #2 11-12-2006, 07:53 PM

whats cold weather?jk im from CT

yea you need to plug it in and if the block heater doesnt do it then you need to put a different weight oil in

15w40 in the winter in temps like yours isnt going to be easy to start with

#3 11-12-2006, 07:53 PM

15-w40 should not be too thick at that temp. I've started mine at -5*f (-20*c) with that wt oil. It sounds like you just have a weak battery. When I expect it to be be below 20*f (-6*c) I bring my battery inside the house where it is warm and put a trickle charger on it. Battery capacity is cut in half in below freezing temperatures.

PanzerSD · #4 11-12-2006, 08:00 PM

Hm... okay, Two confirmations that I wanted to hear, I guess I'll switch to synth as early as wed. and replace my Voltage regulator, it's been a suspect for a couple weeks now. I left the car unplugged to see how it'd do at -10...I guess not too good...

Brian Carlton · #5 11-12-2006, 08:19 PM

You can make the argument that 15W-40 is not "too thick" to get it running. But, for sure, it's going to make life very difficult for the starter and you. At those temps, you really should be running some type of synthetic.

That temp is about the coldest we get here........and I run Rotella-syn for that specific reason. The SD starts in one second at that temperatature, without a block heater.

You can run the synthetic for 5,000 miles without any hesitation. The cost is almost identical to running a good dino oil for 3,000 miles.

tscorda · #6 11-12-2006, 08:20 PM

My 1977 300D was pretty whipped. Here was my routine for cold weather. I had no garage
1. extention cord with multiple outlet divider at end near car
2. Timer at wall plug
3. Walmart grade heating pad the kind WITHOUT A TIMER built in
4. old blanket or sweatshirt to wrap battery in
5 convert if not allready to the pencil type glow plugs away from loop filiment
6 electric 200 watt lube oil heater kind with magnetic that sticks to bottom of oil pan.
7. 800 watt block heater
8. Run fully synthetic oil in the car all the time

When it gets real cold I would be accused of "tucking my car in" by the neighbors. Wrap the battery in heating pad, turn it to on. cover with blanket real good. plug in block heater. put magnetic oil heater on bottom of oil pan, plug in. plug everything in and make sure timer is set for at least 4 hours before blast off.

When it is really cold 10 degrees F or less give your self another hour or two or if juice is cheap enough leave in all night.

Remember to unhook everything because I forgot once and well you could imagine the disaster that caused. Hope this helps/Tom

Hatterasguy · #7 11-12-2006, 09:58 PM

Thats real cold, plug it in! 3-4 hours on the block heater makes a big difference!

fj bertrand · #8 11-12-2006, 10:36 PM

If you are not familiar with ether, don't use it.

I had my 300D parked with no electric nearby. The battery wasn't really new.
the temp went from 10 C to -15 C overnite, as a "Alberta Clipper nvaded."
No cell phone, and nobody around to give a jump.

I cranked and it would not start for anything. So, I turned the ignition on, let the glow plugs cycle, and waited 3 minutes from them to cool down. I then sprayed ether into the air intake and cranked. The engine barely turned, then got a whiff of the smelling salts (ether) and caught. The pistons really slapped but I got out of there.

That was about 3 years ago, and the engine seems none worse for wear

Using ether is NOT for the weak of heart or as I said earler, those not familar with it. Being around diesel farm equipment and commercial diesels, not counting the army trucks, I am confident that I can safely start any diesel with ether. Many farm tractors have ether assist starting systems with ether plumbed into the intake system and controlled by a button on the dash.

Actually, I think the coolest engine starting system is the gas 'pony' engine, which is actually a 2 cylinder gasoline engine attached to the huge displacement diesel. I am most familiar with the Cat 300 series engines with about 600 cid. The pony motor runs its exhaust through the diesel's intake manifold, heating the incoming air; the pony motor's lubrication system pumps the diesel's oil through its crankcase, heating it. After about 4-5 minutes, the exhaust manifold is red hot inside the diesel manifold and the oil is sufficently heated to allow the pony motor to turn the diesel. the pony motor turns the diesel engine over without compression, oiling all parts. after a minute or two, and in one operation, the operator closes the compression relief valve, opens the fuel supply and the engine cranks runs smooth. An overruning clutch disengages the pony motor and it is shut off, and the diesel is off and running for the day. The pony motor can either be electric or pull started.

John Deere had its large displacement farm tractors start with a pony motor and of course, International had its diesels start on gasoline and switch over to diesel. Those diesels would start in ANY weather, any temperture.

Boy, do I look forward to fighting another winter NOT....

kerry · #9 11-12-2006, 10:54 PM

I've tried to start the 77 300d at around 0 degrees fahrenheit with 5-40 dino and Shell Rotella Synthetic. The difference is like night and day. I'll never intentionally run dino oil in those temperatures again. I haven't actually put those two oils in my freezer to compare their viscosity at those temperatures but it would be an interesting experiment.

Jadavis · #10 11-12-2006, 11:50 PM

I realize that I will never see temperatures like that down here, but maybe it is time to switch to synthetic.

Any issues? Just drain the 15W40 Rotella Dino, change the filter, and refille with a nice synthetic like Mobile1?

I picked up the cable to the block heater. Now I just need to get in there and see if there is a block heater installed. Any idea how many watts it is?

-Jim

Jeremy5848 · #11 11-13-2006, 12:27 AM

The factory block heater is 400 Watts.

A small battery charger car be used to keep the battery fully charged and the waste heat from the charging process will keep the battery warm...well, warmer than it would be without the charger! If it's really cold (I was raised in northern Wisconsin so I know what you're going through) you can bring the battery in but I think that would get old after awhile. Seems to me that someone sells a stick-on battery heater but I think a charger will do just as good a job.

Jeremy

PanzerSD · #12 11-13-2006, 02:26 AM

well, I have to say up in this part of canada, -11 Celcius is not really that cold...it has yet to get to -30, -35 like it does in January...THAT is some hard starting for gasoline engines...

if I'm having this issue this early, yeah i'm going to switch to Synthetic oil...

Biglex · #13 11-13-2006, 02:26 AM

Is the block heater standard equipment on say a 300D? I dont see any signs that my car has one.

PanzerSD · #14 11-13-2006, 02:33 AM

Well, considering that Germany is in a similar climate zone as most of Canada, they're probably keen to the fact that unless it's getting shipped to Iran or some ME country, it's likely going to have a block heater, it may simply be that your cord is tucked behind the headlight or somewhere, or missing alltogether but I'm sure that the heater itself is still in place...

whunter · #15 11-13-2006, 02:55 AM

Cold weather starting links
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=1018529

Have a great day.