31 degrees and fired right up

jwalterus

Made in America
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Posts
2,550
Reaction score
716
Location
Garrison, ND
Yup I've had mine start well below zero a few times.

What's really embarrassing is when none of the glow plugs are working and it won't start at 60 degrees LOL

Always happens at work too...
It's the reason I'm tempted to put ether injection in mine as a backup. LOL
 

Scrench

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2019
Posts
81
Reaction score
32
Location
Missouri
17 degrees been sitting all day hit the glow plugs for 5 seconds and pops right off. Starts easier than any gas engine I've ever had.
 

Thewespaul

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Posts
8,796
Reaction score
8,058
Location
Bulverde, Texas
19* in the shop truck with no glow plugs... cranked the engine with ignition off to build oil pressure then gave it a kiss of ether and it fired off no problem:D
 

BrianX128

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Posts
1,798
Reaction score
540
Location
Pittsburgh
Neither of mine started this morning because my wife parked me in in the garage and I had to drive the car.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
A couple weeks ago after a pretty good cold spell with several inches of snow and sitting for 3 nights, the RV started up fairly easily, but it sputtered and (grey) smoked for a good many seconds. I doubt it was very healthy for it.

Early this morning was about 15*F and my fresh water lines froze in a place where they run down out of sight/reach by the wheel well. It didn't take much to warm them up, mostly slipping a small hot water bottle down the slit where the pipes are and they defrosted quickly.

I dug out the new (used a few times last year) block heater cord I bought for the truck and hooked it up to the RV's block heater and have it heating up before I start it today so it won't have such a rough time.
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,236
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
A couple weeks ago after a pretty good cold spell with several inches of snow and sitting for 3 nights, the RV started up fairly easily, but it sputtered and (grey) smoked for a good many seconds. I doubt it was very healthy for it.

If you put a push button on your glow plugs like you were talking about, you can help out the sputtering/gray smoke after a cold start. Just push the button to turn on the glow plugs for a second or two then release the button. Do this a few times to mimic the way the factory set up worked. I'll do this two or three times at about 20*. Around 5*, I may do this a dozen times. It does help.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
If you put a push button on your glow plugs like you were talking about, you can help out the sputtering/gray smoke after a cold start. Just push the button to turn on the glow plugs for a second or two then release the button. Do this a few times to mimic the way the factory set up worked. I'll do this two or three times at about 20*. Around 5*, I may do this a dozen times. It does help.

The factory system still does that anyway. It's entirely possible it has a couple weak glow plugs.

After having the block heater plugged in for a couple hours, it started perfectly. It was as if it was at full operating temperature, even after that hard freeze of Saturday night through this mornong. So it's safe to say it's working.

Even out in the middle of nowhere off grid, as long as the 4000w generator has gas, I can run the block heater to give the engine some help on freezing mornings.

But typically sitting overnight down to say 30 degrees isn't too bad to start the next morning on just glow plugs. The really rough start day was after 3 nights of sitting and this slowfall, so the engine was ice cold, even though the snow was about all melted by the time I started it.

You must be registered for see images attach
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,236
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
I remember that you were having trouble with the factory set up when you stopped by my place and were considering installing a manual control. I didn't know if you had bypassed the factory system or not. If it starts at 30* on just glow plugs and doesn't miss any, I'd say that your glow plugs are fine. Before using the block heater very much more, you may want to determine which block that you have. If you have the later one, you'll be fine. If you have the earlier one, you probably shouldn't use the block heater to avoid cracking the block. At least if you do use it, plug it in while the engine's at operating temperature to lessen the chances of cracking the block. Judging by your picture, you had more snow there in wherever you're at in Texas than I got at my house in northwest Kansas.
 
Top