0º is my 91 limit. What's yours?
- Thread starter Rot Box
- Start date
SparkandFire
We're drinking beer
It's never fun having to beg, steal and borrow to try and get the IDI to fire up.
The biggest thing that improved my startups was the DB electric starter. I was amazed how slow the old starter cranked over....
The biggest thing that improved my startups was the DB electric starter. I was amazed how slow the old starter cranked over....
icanfixall
Official GMM hand model
What makes our beloved idi engines to fire off is heat from either glow plugs or the heat from compressing the air charge in the cylinders. Science tells us the faster we compress air the hotter it gets. So look at it this way. The faster the engine cranks... The more heat will be generated in the cylinders from the fast compression of the air. Diesel requires 942 degrees to ignite. Now think about what hapens when we run down the batteris trying to start our engines. slower cranking means less heat is generated. So we have a much less chance of the engine fireing up. On top of slow cranking due to low battery condition we also overheat the starter windings from the low voltage. Then the smoke leaks out of the starter windings and new words are spoken in tongues like never before heard in polite company... Get that engine spinning fast. It will start.. Ever wonder whay a bump start works better that a starter start does... That piston is racing up and down faster making more cylinder heat.... Class is out till tomorrow and there will be a test.....
Devon Harley
Full Access Member
I fired up in 19 degrees in the mountains off gp's, an electric fuel pump. Fired first thing no questions asked light off vrrooommm.
idiabuse
Full Access Member
I used to think it was cool to crank up the IDI unassisted in the cold, Until I had to repair my new engine and seen the wear at the top of the cylinders.
I now always use the block heater and it takes alot less on the batteries, starter, your well being, than to sit there and crank her over for 10 seconds before it starts.
Dry starts will wear on the top of the cylinders in a hurry, If you want to keep your air pump pumping air keep it warm on startup.
Javier
I now always use the block heater and it takes alot less on the batteries, starter, your well being, than to sit there and crank her over for 10 seconds before it starts.
Dry starts will wear on the top of the cylinders in a hurry, If you want to keep your air pump pumping air keep it warm on startup.
Javier
FordGuy100
Registered User
It's never fun having to beg, steal and borrow to try and get the IDI to fire up.
The biggest thing that improved my startups was the DB electric starter. I was amazed how slow the old starter cranked over....
No doubt!
A starter turned this truck: Note* Video starts on first rev of starter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRy9k3W2kmE&list=UUleA2f8PX4KTxF76_xYTC0g&index=45
Into this truck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrfftNsl5dI&list=UUNsMiWU7wp0lYgpuLhc7LvA&index=180
Disaster strikes!
The coldest I've had it start unassisted was 12º and it went off without a hitch. This time not so much which I thought was weird because it's always been very healthy when it comes to starting. It's been sitting for a month which probably didn't help
That said after about an hour and a half of having it plugged in it still struggled so I started to think something was wrong
PG's tested good, fuel didn't seem to be gelled--a little smoke coming from the tail pipe also. So after I let the GP's cool off I gave her some ether (WITHOUT using the glow plugs) then hooked up a couple more batteries.......
......... cranked her over fast a few times ...... heard a chugalug..... then a loud thug...... clunk clunk clunk wham!!!!!..... motor felt like it locked up then the 0 gauge battery cable melted off of the starter........
Huh... I don't even want to know. I'll report back in the spring
The coldest I've had it start unassisted was 12º and it went off without a hitch. This time not so much which I thought was weird because it's always been very healthy when it comes to starting. It's been sitting for a month which probably didn't help
That said after about an hour and a half of having it plugged in it still struggled so I started to think something was wrong
PG's tested good, fuel didn't seem to be gelled--a little smoke coming from the tail pipe also. So after I let the GP's cool off I gave her some ether (WITHOUT using the glow plugs) then hooked up a couple more batteries................ cranked her over fast a few times ...... heard a chugalug..... then a loud thug...... clunk clunk clunk wham!!!!!..... motor felt like it locked up then the 0 gauge battery cable melted off of the starter........
Huh... I don't even want to know. I'll report back in the spring
X-NRCan_IDI
Full Access Member
I haven't pushed it with the cold weather... even just below freezing with just GPs it was cranking too long to my liking. My guess is I've got a wee bit of an air intrusion; all the return lines /caps are original AFAIK.
Had the batt blanket and block heater plugged in for 7 hours and this morning it was about -20F and she fired up like it was mid summer.
Had the batt blanket and block heater plugged in for 7 hours and this morning it was about -20F and she fired up like it was mid summer.
Black dawg
Registered User
When you lived where it was "cold"??
At zero, with block heater and oil pan heater, I am still probably well under the temps you are calling cold.
idiabuse
Full Access Member
When you lived where it was "cold"??
At zero, with block heater and oil pan heater, I am still probably well under the temps you are calling cold.
I understand with temps below 30F I dont have hands on experience cranking my truck. I do though have plenty data starting af 40F and higher.
I am glad I dont live inside an igloo. My truck is important to me so I like to have the right tools to get her started every single time.
Next time I get a chance I will install a oil heater that installs into the oil pan.
Might seem overkill but I dont follow the crowd of sheep.
I never let anyone touch my truck either, I have built the whole truck with my own hands, the entire drivetrain is mine.
I am very pleased it has blessed me with 20++++ miles per gallon, last check was 5 gallons to travel 135 miles.
I think I got something right.
Always trying to help others out. Always getting flammed for it .
Javier
I thought I read somewhere Ford designed the glowplug system to reliably start the truck down to 10 degrees. I think we have all started our engines in colder weather than that, but it's interesting to see how far from the "design" we can get.
SparkandFire
We're drinking beer
The gens where I work have coolant and oil recirculating heaters set to 135 degrees. They are expected to run up from a stand still to 3 megawatts in five seconds... That puts a HUGE load on things in a hurry. I don't disagree in any way that a block heater and oil heater would be ideal...
If it's the right thing to protect a multi-million dollar generator set, then it's all right with me!
Good luck stuffing this little Cummins engine under your hood...
If it's the right thing to protect a multi-million dollar generator set, then it's all right with me!
Good luck stuffing this little Cummins engine under your hood...
You must be registered for see images attach
Last edited:
Darrin Tosh
IDI Hound
The coldest I've had it start unassisted was 12º and it went off without a hitch. This time not so much which I thought was weird because it's always been very healthy when it comes to starting. It's been sitting for a month which probably didn't help
That said after about an hour and a half of having it plugged in it still struggled so I started to think something was wrong
......... cranked her over fast a few times ...... heard a chugalug..... then a loud thug...... clunk clunk clunk wham!!!!!..... motor felt like it locked up then the 0 gauge battery cable melted off of the starter........
Huh... I don't even want to know. I'll report back in the spring
,..Umm,...Ok,..That doesn't sound good,......
,..Bummer,...!
