diesel engines

C

copheasanthunter

Member
I was wondering if anyone has had trouble starting their deisel engines during the winter. I have been plugging my diesel heater block in at night here in Colorado,but last night did not. This morning the truck OF COURSE would not start so I call AAA and they came and after almost 40 minutes I told the guy to quit trying and I would call AAA again and have them tow it to the dealership. While we were talking I told him that when I was in the Army we would spray a shot of starter fluid in the intake and they would eventually start and we both agreed that you can not do that any more with the new vehicles. I had just gotten of the phone with my dealership when the guy from AAA, Mike, called me back and he told me he had one of the older guys from the shop with him who said he knew that he could get it started, to make the story short, the older guy had the younger guy get in the truck and told him to start it when he told him to , the older guy took the intake, air cleaner cover, off told the youngert guy to turn it over, well it did not want to start until the older guy squirter some starter fluid in the intake and it kicker right over and I know he did not spray the fluid any longer than 1/2 of a second. I gladly gave both of them $20. Has anyone else had a problem like this and have they as well heard not to spray starting fluid in the intake. I know some of you are farmers and have experience and I know some of you guys own diesel engine trucks you drive everyday and live in colder tempertatures than it is here in Colorado.
Look forward to hearing from you guys.
Jim
 
Also , when you are on your hunts do you have problems plugging your diesel in at the motels, I was worried about it when I was at a motel in Waukeeney as they had no rooms where you could plug your truck in because all the room were accessed from the inside, no outside rooms.
 
NEVER, EVER spray any kind of starting fluid in a glow plug diesel engine. You risk all kinds of different damage being done to the motor. I have had diesel pickup's for near 20 years. Three Fords and one Dodge. First off, you raise the compression with starting fluid. You can distort the glow plugs themselves and you can damage the heads, head gaskets or bust piston rings. I wouldn't ever do that again. IMO, you have several glow plugs that are not working any longer. That will make the engine hard starting, even when plugged in. I would get your glow plugs checked over or you will only have more of what you had this morning.

Note, the Dodge is the best starting Diesel, has the best fuel mileage and IMO will out last two Fords and I have had three of them Fords. I have had zero problems with the Cummins and it has started all the way down to -20 not plugged in, but I do plug it in when the forecast predicts sub zero temps.

By the way, I have put numerous sets of glow plugs in my Fords. Not a one in my Dodge

onpoint
 
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onpoint,
The glow plugs, all 8, are less than a year old and yes I do not plan on using starter fluid again, and if they have to ever come back out I will not let them use it as well. I did buy some diesel additive for the fuel. Thanks for the advice.
 
another vote for the dodge. we went hunting with a buddy and he had a cummins we hunted in wakeeny in nov. dec. and jan. and he never plugs it in ever. and it starts up first time no problems. i'm still stuck between a dodge and a chevy diesel. those chevys sure are nice.
 
gsp4life said:
another vote for the dodge. we went hunting with a buddy and he had a cummins we hunted in wakeeny in nov. dec. and jan. and he never plugs it in ever. and it starts up first time no problems. i'm still stuck between a dodge and a chevy diesel. those chevys sure are nice.
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My good friend has an 07 Chevy with the Duramaxx and he loves it. I got to drive it on a hunt last year and it absolutely was one of the most comfortable riding trucks that I have ever been in, it didn't lack anything for power either. Both good truck in my opinion!!
 
copheasanthunter said:
never heard of artic blend, where do you get it at
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Actualy they call it arctic diesle, It is at the stations here. Designed for cold cold cold. I drove a groomer for the snomobile trails. We left those things out in some remote places. Cummings motor, we always pluged them in to a block heater. But they always start. If we did not use # 1 or arctic diesle we could not get them going offten.
 
copheasanthunter said:
onpoint,
The glow plugs, all 8, are less than a year old and yes I do not plan on using starter fluid again, and if they have to ever come back out I will not let them use it as well. I did buy some diesel additive for the fuel. Thanks for the advice.
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I have seen the glow plugs mushroomed from using starting fluid to the point of having to use extraordinary efforts to get them out of the head. You could even see it with the naked eye.

Onpoint
 
Had 04 cummins dodge and it sat for 3 days at about -20 and would not start. Required jump and WD40 in the intake. WD40 can't be anywhere near as volitale as ether. Don't believe that model cummins uses glow plugs either.

Hindsight: Should have plugged it in.

Have 2 VW Jetta diesels ('06) and they both start pretty good except when you get down to that -15 or below range. You cannot get a plug in for them at least from VW. I find pumping the accelarator helps for some reason.

Running some Power Service anti-gel for added insurance is not a bad idea either.
 
I bought some anti gel yesterday,poured the required amount in, topped the tank off and plugged the truck in last night and had no problem this morning at all. :) Thanks for all of the post, guess my next truck may have to be a Dodge from what you guys are telling me.
 
copheasanthunter said:
I bought some anti gel yesterday,poured the required amount in, topped the tank off and plugged the truck in last night and had no problem this morning at all. :) Thanks for all of the post, guess my next truck may have to be a Dodge from what you guys are telling me.
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Thanks for all of the post, guess my next truck may have to be a Dodge from what you guys are telling me.[/quote]


I don't know if I would believe that part of it.:D
 
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