Freezin' in WI

[PeeWeeQ]

Alright, all my SS brothers and sisters in the great Midwest and more northern areas (Canada, Alaska, etc.)--AKA, the frozen tundra--how the heck do you keep your CUCV beast "coldproof" and ready to run in the cold, especially in temps below zero degrees F?

I drove mine to work (with no place to plug in--I have a 1500W Katz circulating heater) last Christmas evening and (temps got down to -15 degrees F), intending to start it up every 2-3 hours or so, let her go too long and I haven't got her to stay running since. I have 2000 CCAs worth of battery, so, that's not a problem.

I have a spin-on fuel filter. Has anyone tried a fuel filter heater? What do you guys do?

Oh, by the way--No, I don't have a garage to keep her in...

 

[porkysplace]

Alright, all my SS brothers and sisters in the great Midwest and more northern areas (Canada, Alaska, etc.)--AKA, the frozen tundra--how the heck do you keep your CUCV beast "coldproof" and ready to run in the cold, especially in temps below zero degrees F?

I drove mine to work (with no place to plug in--I have a 1500W Katz circulating heater) last Christmas evening and (temps got down to -15 degrees F), intending to start it up every 2-3 hours or so, let her go too long and I haven't got her to stay running since. I have 2000 CCAs worth of battery, so, that's not a problem.

I have a spin-on fuel filter. Has anyone tried a fuel filter heater? What do you guys do?

Oh, by the way--No, I don't have a garage to keep her in...

By [ I haven't got her to stay running since ] Do you mean it starts then dies or fires as long as your cranking and quits when you stop cranking it ?
Do you use fuel conditioner to prevent gelling ?

 

[n8roro]

I'm in Illinois so not too far south and have not had to plug in. I hold the gas pedal to the floor to start and give half throttle after starting to warm up until the idle evens out. Temps have been down to 5 below plus wind chill here. Hope you get her going.

 

[PeeWeeQ]

By [ I haven't got her to stay running since ] Do you mean it starts then dies or fires as long as your cranking and quits when you stop cranking it ?
Do you use fuel conditioner to prevent gelling ?

I got it started a couple of times, but it wouldn't stay running. Most of the time, I can crank and crank and crank, and she won't fire at all. Yes, I do have a cetane booster that I have been using with every tank of fuel. This is the first year I've had this problem. I've had it not start before, but, a few hours with the Katz heater running, and it would fire up...

 

[cucvrus]

The original fuel filter had a fuel heater built into it. I did see some spin on have a heater. Not all. Many do not. But you have fuel gelling and the paraffin is solidifying in the fuel. You need to add 911 fuel treatment. I had a gel up and stopped at a truck stop and poured it in and like magic it started running perfect in -15*F weather. I used Power Service ever since. I always let my CUCV parked anymore when the temperatures get down this low. Also keeps the salt off the old things. They have a jump start on the rust anyway. I hate to add more. But try the Power Service 911 fuel treatment follow the instructions on the bottle. Always works for us. I would consider a heated fuel filter element or however they do it. I do have a complete stock fuel system. It shouldn't matter if the fuel is gelling. Good LUCK. Happy New Year.

 

[tourus]

I agree with putting the Power Service 911 in your tank and take the fuel filter off and dump out what ever will come out and refill with 911 and put the filter back on let sit a little while and start the truck. the 911 say's 1 quart to 20 gallons . I would put 2 bottles in tank. I have been using the stuff for years. then I would change your filters to gat the water out that may have froze. then I would start looking at the real root cause of why the truck would not start. IE glow plugs, fuel filter, battery and cables. air filter all the other things that should be looked at before cold weather. I let mine sit out at work in the lot for 12-18 hours go out cycle glow plugs twice and tap fuel pedal to set high idle and starts up in -20F. yes bangs and thrashes a minutes but starts and runs all winter. I do add when the temp fall below 0F I add fuel conditioner IE power service white bottle as extra insurance . but most of the winter just good fuel.

 

[PeeWeeQ]

I've been using the white Power Service additive for a couple of years. I did also add some 911, per a coworkers suggestion, but, maybe I didn't add enough. Should I add more? I also filled my filter up 50/50 911 to fuel. I believe I threw half a bottle in the tank(I have 1/2 a tank of fuel right now).

This is what I'm looking at now since I already have the Katz circulating heater...

 

[frank8003]

Its a trade secret, who would have guessed.
View attachment Diesel-Fuel-Supplement trade secret _11-3-16.pdf

View attachment PSP1-25056-911-Tech-Bulletin-Update-TB-8000_HR1.pdf

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have a 6.5 that will not start in these negative temps. I've been told running 5w40 or 0w40 is whats needed to help the motor spin fast enough to light off. I keep mine plugged in all the time while at home, didn't help last thursday.

 

[ken]

Are your glow plugs working good? They may be working but not well. Or well enough.

 

[big block 88]

6.2/6.5 gm/detroits are notoriously cold blooded (though nowhere near as bad a powerjoke or idi 7.3). They require working glow plugs to foire and keep running.

If the truck is lighting off but wont stay running, how much throttle are you giving her to keep her running? We used to flat foot those trucks for several seconds then slowly brought her down to idle if it started to stumble it back to flat foot repeat till she stayed chugging along.

You may want to check your gp and gpcm.

i hate ether but if you have someone cranking it and give it a wiff dose it like that? I strongly advise against spraying a motor not spinning as the first cyclinders on the power stroke while starting will get all the ether. So always have the motor turning before giving it a wiff.

 

[maa45069]

As long as you are 100 percent sure your batteries have a full charge you can try out this trick I got from an old farmer to help me start my old IDI F350. He told me to put a few rags in the exhaust and let my glow plugs do their thing then try cranking over. I was skeptical but honestly to my surprise it really did work for me I hope it helps you

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yes, all the glow plugs are working, batts good. I got lazy and didn't put in the 5w40 before the COLD got here. It turns over too slow to light off right now.


I brought home my h140 heater today, she'll thaw out soon enough!

 

[porkysplace]

6.2/6.5 gm/detroits are notoriously cold blooded (though nowhere near as bad a powerjoke or idi 7.3). They require working glow plugs to foire and keep running.

If the truck is lighting off but wont stay running, how much throttle are you giving her to keep her running? We used to flat foot those trucks for several seconds then slowly brought her down to idle if it started to stumble it back to flat foot repeat till she stayed chugging along.

You may want to check your gp and gpcm.

i hate ether but if you have someone cranking it and give it a wiff dose it like that? I strongly advise against spraying a motor not spinning as the first cyclinders on the power stroke while starting will get all the ether. So always have the motor turning before giving it a wiff.

Your better off using WD-40 or something similar , direct injection , glow plugs and ether are a bad combination,

 

[Karl kostman]

Hey guys I run diesel engines all winter no matter what the temp, AND ITS BEEN A COLD WINTER so far!!!! Fuel Gelling is your ultimate worst enemy and if you want to avoid a reeally very large and at time painful chore, oh let me explain further. Picture this, you driving down the highway and its 5 degrees out, it dropped down from 25 overnight, oh well you get on the road and your at about Max Gross and the truck does not seem to be making as much power as your used to?? You keep going but things are getting worse now the truck is actually slowing down? Maybe just keep dropping gears and it will probably clear up and you will be fine, RIGHT? At THIS point YOU are going to learn just how much FUN it is to spend time outside in 5 degre temps and a 25 mph wind up to your elbows in freezing fuel changing fuel filters on your truck OMG you generally will only make this dreadful mistake only ONCE!!!
Fuel Gelling is something that can really only be fully prevented well in advance of it actually starting to happen. The fuel filters on your truck need to be good and clean prior to winter. You need to run fuel that is made for COLD temps, look I know we all hate to run 50/50 mix because its dirty and we burn more of it BUT if thats the difference between keeping going or being in a dead truck along side the road, well only YOU can answer that? You need to stay well ahead of the game. The fellow above if he would have known what was happening at the VERY FIRST sign of losing some power he should have pulled over and dumped half a gallon of 911 treatment into the tank and that would have at least gotten him to a truck stop where he could have added some #1 to his tanks. I live in ND and we have very little BIOFUELS in this state, when the temps are COLD 10 to -20 degrees try to avoid biodiesel whenever possible, it just plain sux in the cold temps and I would bet 3/4 of the tractors you see stopped along the interstate in in cold temps is because they got stung running biodiesel. IF you do have to run this crap in your truck at least double the normal amount of anti-gel you are dumping in your tanks, and more will NOT hurt!
Diesel engines running in the freezing temps in the winter can be a real learning experience, you can make it painful by going into it depending on your IGNORANCE to get you through it, or you can take a little time and learn the proper way to operate your equipment in these adverse conditions and in the you will realize they are not adverse at all!!
Great luck guys and enjoy the winter!

Karl

 

[Tim Sothard]

I did the stanadyne spin on filter/base modification, it has a 100watt heater option that screws into one of the 4 outlet ports. I spliced the heater into the wiring for the existing heater in the old base. Winter front is a good idea. Tempro 1000w block heater came in the mail today, that will help. I have a 300 gallon fuel skid that I only get filled when supplier is carrying the winter blend. Got rid of the Wellman plugs, changed all my spade terminals and now run the AG60's. Truck has ENTIRE new fuel system from new tank to new injectors and pump. Just waiting for my GP card to take a crap then Ill have another upgrade/mod. I did a lot of research on this site to see exactly what I needed to update on the truck so I could run this pig in the winter and it paid off. Thanks SS