Cold Engine Start Up Protection

[Diesel Max]

What, if any thing are the forum members using to protect their motors on cold start up? Recently it has been very cold (in the teens) in the mornings here NM for weeks. I know that oil sitting in the oil pan has to be thick like molasas and doesn't pump immediately to the head. Is anyone here using an oil additive or certain type of synthetic oil to help prevent cylinder/ring wear or damage on cold start ups ???

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Nope. I run a semi synthetic oil anyway, but it just gets thicker with the colder temps. The best thing you can do is plug your truck in atleast an hour before you start it.

 

[jwalterus]

Recently it has been very cold (in the teens) in the mornings here NM for weeks.

lol, you sound like my grandparents in Belen and Albuquerque, they each came to visit me ONCE in the winter up here

I'd be outside in shorts and a t-shirt in that weather!

 

[Diesel Max]

lol, you sound like my grandparents in Belen and Albuquerque, they each came to visit me ONCE in the winter up here

I'd be outside in shorts and a t-shirt in that weather!

I live East Mountains in Tijeras, elevation is about 7500 Ft. Been a a lot colder here this winter then in the past so I had to ask the question as I know the Delo 15-40 gets pretty darn thick in the cold temps.


6 Nebraksa, I have my block heater on a timer and it comes on about 2 hours before I leave the house for work in th AM.

 

[jwalterus]

I live East Mountains in Tijeras, elevation is about 7500 Ft. Been a a lot colder here this winter then in the past so I had to ask the question as I know the Delo 15-40 gets pretty darn thick in the cold temps.


6 Nebraksa, I have my block heater on a timer and it comes on about 2 hours before I leave the house for work in th AM.

understandable, but up here, you plug your vehicle in before the engine cools off

only in ND do you hear the weatherman say "The good news is it's too cold to snow."

 

[97idi]

i run rotella full synthetic 5w-40 and that alone unplugged mad a much better cold start in the teens and singles unplugged, when plugged its like it was just running

 

[Black dawg]

I have one of those pad heaters on my oil pan, works great. Starts almost as easy as having the block heater plugged in. at 0deg oil temp is 40deg, with block heater at 0deg plugged in all night oil is 10 deg.

 

[jwalterus]

could always go to oreilly and buy a dipstick heater if you're worried about the oil temp, don't have to worry about scraping it off on something then

 

[Diesel Max]

My truck starts just fine with or without the block heater even in the teens. Starts in about 3-4 engine revolutions every time. The thing I am concerned about is how long it takes that "thick" oil to pump its way up to the heads. It's the "dry" start I'm worried about and the wear on cylinders and rings.


The only thing I know that will help this is a synthetic oil or maybe an oil additive of some kind. Obviously, if the oil is warm it's going to get to the heads much quicker then when it's cold and thick. Maybe a dipstick heater is the answer OR maybe I'm just over thinking the whole thing and it's really not as much of an issue as I think.

 

[idiabuse]

thick cold toothpaste motor oil

alot of you guys running Rotella the best!
Well if you look up Rotella TYPICAL TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
you will find that thier 15W40 has a pour point, lowest temp the oil will flow,
at -13F and the Rotella 10W30 has a pour point of only -22F
Not so good cold engine protection at 20F, it will take about 15 minutes of idle time for the oil to get warm enough to start lubricating the pistons rings.
Ever notice the IDI extra loud/noisy until it warms up?
this is your dry ring pack making extra upper cylinder wear at cold start up.

You must be registered for see images

Im sure lots of old timer ASE mechanics will be spitting coffee at the screen reading this info, well its a fact! ring ridge is always present when engines are subjected to extreems like below freezing or extreem heat. Oil just breaks down sooner than you can change it out.

The lubricant I use has a pour point of -58F much lower than the sludge you buy at Wally World but hey! What the hell do I know? I'm just

I dont have to wait for my truck to warm up, I crank it up and go
have a great day!
Javier

 

[TBigLug]

I dont have to wait for my truck to warm up, I crank it up and go
have a great day!
Javier

Thanks for the good info, but seriously, you live in FL! When have you ever cold started your motor? Just messing with you.

As far as the OP's question, your best bet is a thinner (5W30) synthetic diesel oil. Should work fine. My truck's been driven it's whole life never plugged in unless it got below zero and it does just fine.

 

[jwalterus]

wonder if anyone makes a 0W40 synthetic for diesels? My dad's car has a 0W30 for winter......

 

[jim_22]

i run rotella full synthetic 5w-40 and that alone unplugged mad a much better cold start in the teens and singles unplugged, when plugged its like it was just running

I used to use this in my Mercedes year-round but then it hit $22 a gallon at Walmart (!) prices so I quit and went to 15w-40. (That car gets it oil changed every 6 weeks.) I am sure that 5w gives a few degrees difference in cold start over 15w but now I just cycle glow plugs longer or better yet plug in when I can. Nothing wrong with plugging in, your engine will thank you.

 

[Diesel Max]

alot of you guys running Rotella the best!
Well if you look up Rotella TYPICAL TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
you will find that thier 15W40 has a pour point, lowest temp the oil will flow,
at -13F and the Rotella 10W30 has a pour point of only -22F
Not so good cold engine protection at 20F, it will take about 15 minutes of idle time for the oil to get warm enough to start lubricating the pistons rings.
Ever notice the IDI extra loud/noisy until it warms up?
this is your dry ring pack making extra upper cylinder wear at cold start up.

You must be registered for see images

Im sure lots of old timer ASE mechanics will be spitting coffee at the screen reading this info, well its a fact! ring ridge is always present when engines are subjected to extreems like below freezing or extreem heat. Oil just breaks down sooner than you can change it out.

The lubricant I use has a pour point of -58F much lower than the sludge you buy at Wally World but hey! What the hell do I know? I'm just

I dont have to wait for my truck to warm up, I crank it up and go
have a great day!
Javier

Ok.......... This is exactly what I was talking about. There has to be ring/cylinder wear while the oil pump is trying to get that thick cold oil to the cylinder heads.................


So idiabuse............. What lubricant are you using ?? I'm guessing Amsoil of some kind judging by your signature.

 

[reklund]

Get an engine pre-oiler if you're really concerned. Its a tank that holds a small reserve amount of oil in a pressurized state. When the key is turned on, but the engine hasn't been started, pressurized oil enters the oil galleys and reaches the bearings/lifters before the engine is running.

If you ran one of those with a heater wrap around the tank, you'd have hot runny oil in the system before you even fire it up. They're around $350 for a nice one, but may be worth it.

That said, there are many IDI's on the road with thousands of miles on 'em that have never had pressurized oil before startup. I doubt that you'll ever have trouble running with the stock oiling system, especially if you're diligent about oil changes.

Ryan