COLD WEATHER TIPS

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Let's see what some of you far-North guy's(gal's) do to prepare your truck for frigid conditions.

Let us know what does and did not work for you.

What anti-gel treatments and what ratio ??

No.2-fuel, no.1, or a mixture ?? Kerosene ??

Do you use a different oil ?? Lube ?? Brake-fluid ??

Also, what is the plan of action when things go wrong, as in fuel gelling, fuel icing, etc.


Thanks.

 

[82F100SWB]

Well, since not everyone is a multi-brand owner like we are, I'll answer this here too...
I run 0W40 full synth year round(used to switch to 15W40 for the summer, but, I can run the oil changes out long enough with the 0W40 that it's almost always once a year,) a Group 31 battery, and if it's not running, it's plugged in if it's colder than about 5F if I'm at home, elsewhere, down to about -20, I'll leave it sit for a max of 4 hours without running, colder and I'll either leave it run, or fire it up every 2. The only fuel additive I normally run is 2 stroke, but, if I'm away from home and buying fuel from an unknown source, I have a bottle of this in the truck and I will add some on a fillup:
http://www.kleenflo.com/en/productpages/973.htm
And, for all out emergencies I carry a spare fuel filter and a jug of diesel 911. In the past 6 years, with 4 different diesel rigs of my own, plus work vehicles and I don't want to think how many miles, I've never, ever, once had a fuel issue.
Locally, we start getting seasonally blended fuel in September, and the fuel I am burning right now is P50, which has a cloud point around -45 and a pour point around -52 by itself, but, it is blended just like Jet A-1, with anti icing and gelling additives in it. It's actually almost the same product, just not filtered to aircraft specs. Yes, it is low BTU, and fuel mileage suffers, but, I'd much rather give up MPG than have to deal with a dead truck.

The only time something won't start is if I forget to plug it in. My 7.3 PSD was a trooper, I fired it up once after sitting for 2 days at -40 on the glows alone, it didn't even crank over much longer than normal, BUT, by the screaming from every hydraulic pump in the truck it sure did hate me.
My 6.9 and my Cummins both have the same fault, battery capacity, I run a single group 31 in both of them, down to about -25, the Cummins will fire up on it's own if I leave the grids working(I am short one solenoid, so it could work better) colder, and it will be just about running, and they'll kick in while it's cranking and kill the battery. The couple times I have sucessfully fired it up colder, I just unplugged the grids and cranked until it was running, no real drama there.
My 6.9, down to about -20 or so it would go on the glows alone without much complaining, colder, and the same thing, not enough battery, so, I'd just skip the glows and give it a sniff of ether, pretty much guaranteed it'd fire on the second revolution. The 6.9 is a yard dweller for the time being, so it doesn't even have a battery kept in it, let alone reason for me to put in a second one. Heck, I haven't even put fuel in it since April, and I just had it running for a few hours on Monday with no issues.
The Cummins, I've just been lazy, and it's really freaking cold, I just need to turn the battery sideways on the holder and stick a second beside it.
Plugged in, either one of them starts fine with a normal starting procedure.

 

[h2odrx]

I'm in NC 50 is cold here....

 

[dakotajeep]

One thing to remember is that weather can change in a hurry in the great northland. For instance, last night it was -44F in Bismarck, ND and tomorrow is supposed to be +27F. Thats a +70F degree difference in less than 48 hours. It can just as easily go the other way and possibly leave you stranded on the road.....

The point is that you need to prep a diesel vehicle in the North Country since there are NO guarantees with the weather.

 

[tonkadoctor]

I'm in NC 50 is cold here....

Better check your forcast, I'm a few hrs south of you and it's supposed to be in the teens with this Arctic blast the next couple nights. Single digits around Raleigh


I don't mix my fuel with kerosene, gasoline or any of that other goofy chit that some do.

I run fuel only from places that sell a lot of it.

I try to use fuel that's treated for the area I'm running.

I generally avoid blended fuel and stick strictly to winterized #2 and treat if needed.

Use Power service white bottle double dose for anti gel only for extreme cold temps well below 0.

Keep a bottle of Power Service 911 for emergencies which is usually just my aux tank fill line freezing up with a little ice.

Usually run Rotella Synthetic, Have switched to Valvoline Premium Blue for now.

Carry a spare fuel filter.

 

[opusd2]

I do as follows:

Run full synthetic fluids all throughout the vehicle, year around
Carry a spare fuel filter, oil filter
Carry a full can of K1 not only to fill the filter for priming, but to add to the fuel if needed
Run Red Isopropyl year-round, Power Service in the winter
Cardboard in front of radiator with a hole cut out in the middle
Have a Schumacher Battery Maintainer attached to the batteries and run them all night
On really cold nights, I put the block plug on a T and plug it in with the maintainer
Carry extra bottles of full strength antifreeze - you never know
Carry spare belt(s), a well setup BOG behind the seat or in the cap, wool blanket
As well as an extra set of Carhart overalls and IceKing boots and other clothes
And then there are the extraction tools like shovel, rugs, chain, pull strap, Clevis'
The list goes on...

 

[opusd2]

And in most places unless you have a station mgr that doesn't know what he's selling, blended winter fuel is usually a combination of #2 and #1. Depends on where you are in the climate as to what the blend ratio is.

I know this because I delivered fuel to service stations throughout the 90's as well as ran a couple as part of my position with a fuel jobber in Northern Wisconsin. And there were plenty of times I had to custom blend the fuel either for the weather, or the customer.

 

[f-two-fiddy]

Personally, I think peeps get a little over excited about cold weather.

I don't do anything special.
I use 4-6 Oz's of diesel fuel additive in every tank.
I make sure My trucks are maintained properly.
Good oil, make sure the coolant is maintained properly, belts, hoses, batteries, GP's, starter are up to *****.
If it's projected to get below 20* I use the block heaters. On a timer, for 3 hrs.

The '93 is parked in the garage for the winter.
It's -30*F as I type this. But, I'd bet if I went out there, it'd start right now. Even after sitting for over a Month, and no block heater.

 

[opusd2]

Maybe I get over excited, but I've never parked in a garage and have a fleet of tractors to keep running and a herd of animals that need to be fed 365 days/year. To me it's no hassle. And when I drove milk truck and fuel oil delivery I had to deliver whenever that little pager went off and someone was out of fuel, and had to pick up milk in all kinds of weather no matter what.
Plus, when I want to go hunting, I go hunting. Forget snowmobiles, the truck is more fun.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

have a fleet of tractors to keep running and a herd of animals that need to be fed 365 days/year.

Feeding------that's always a blast, especially in the froze mud; not froze mud ain't really no better, either.

And when I drove milk truck
and had to pick up milk in all kinds of weather no matter what.

Another fine career choice; I've done that, too, dragging froze hoses across froze gravel, poking them through that little flap in the wall, kicking big long-haired cats away while trying to connect the hose to the tank.

Cat hair all over everything; would you like a glass of cold milk ??




Oh, and we owned a full-service filling station, from before I was born until we finally closed it in the mid-eighties.

We had the only truck-accessible diesel in the county, right up until the day we closed.







In your other post, you said "a well setup BOG behind the seat"; what is a BOG ??


Thanks.

 

[f-two-fiddy]

A properly operating, well maintained IDI should start in -30* temps without a problem.

Gelled Fuel is more of a refiners mistake. They are required to start blending fuel with enough lead time to minimize fuel related problems.

Feeding is allways fun in the winter. We used to feed small squares, and then go out 1/4 mile, and chop a hole in the ice for the cattle to drink. Twice a day, all winter.

 

[opusd2]

In your other post, you said "a well setup BOG behind the seat"; what is a BOG ??

It's a bug-out bag, something I picked up with the USAF out in Wyoming. You were required to be prepared for emergencies, in winter that entailed a full cold-weather supply of goods in your vehicle including water, food (MRE's worked best), clothes and other cold weather gear. I keep a 3day pack at ready for the winter since it's a nicely organized way to do it and sure beats a cardboard box. Plus you never know when you're going to crash at someone's house and a fresh set of clothes beats wearing the smelly stuff from the night before.

 

[opusd2]

In your other post, you said "a well setup BOG behind the seat"; what is a BOG ??

It's a bug-out bag, something I picked up with the USAF out in Wyoming. You were required to be prepared for emergencies, in winter that entailed a full cold-weather supply of goods in your vehicle including water, food (MRE's worked best), clothes and other cold weather gear. I keep a 3day pack at ready for the winter since it's a nicely organized way to do it and sure beats a cardboard box. Plus you never know when you're going to crash at someone's house and a fresh set of clothes beats wearing the smelly stuff from the night before.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

When reading the attributes of various brands of anti-gel additives, most will make the statement that using their product at the recommended dosage will make the gel-point of #2-diesel equilavalent to, or as cold as, the gel-point of straight #1-diesel; i am not questioning that, as it may very well be so.


My question is, will adding anti-gel to #1-diesel lower it's gel-point even more; and if so, by how much ??

Does anyone know ??

Thanks.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

http://www.kleenflo.com/en/productpages/973.htm

I never seen that stuff before.

Yes, it is low BTU, and fuel mileage suffers, but, I'd much rather give up MPG than have to deal with a dead truck.

EXACTLY.

Many times, when discussing some additive, process, or the other, there are always those whose only concern is "will it increase my MPG?".

I had much rather drive a dependable/safe 5-MPG truck, than a brand-new 50-MPG casket-on-wheels that spends more time behind the wrecker than on the road.