Extreme cold anti-gel pump

[autobahn]

I hate not being able to start my car. After an overnight in -25C at new years  and spending 35mins getting it going I thought of a possible solution.
First, I need to know if fuel can be pushed through our injection pump with the engine off?
If it can, then I propose this:

If the pump draws a small enough current then it could be put on a timer to run for a few mins every hr or whatever is required to keep the fuel from gelling. If it would take more power then I'd consider using a 120v pump and just running an extensin cord to it because of the few times I'd actually need it. If you haven't guessed by now, I know that this is more of a curiosity/project thing than something I think I HAVE to do.
Thoughts? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

[DVST8R]

No I don't think that you can as thats how the stop solonoied turns off the car by shutting off the fuel suply.

[Justin]

I would think that you can but the out orifice is very small to help build Pressure, the vane pump is the limiting factor on this one not the stop solonoid only allows fuel to go to the plunger while the rest of the pump is also pressurised.

but like I said before if you can push fluid through the vane pump then you can run fuel through the pump when it is turned off, I would take a priming bulb and pressurize the pump when it is turned off and see if you get any fluid out of the return line

Later
Justin

[Northern RD]

I hate not being able to start my car. After an overnight in -25C at new years  and spending 35mins getting it going I thought of a possible solution.
First, I need to know if fuel can be pushed through our injection pump with the engine off?
If it can, then I propose this:

If the pump draws a small enough current then it could be put on a timer to run for a few mins every hr or whatever is required to keep the fuel from gelling. If it would take more power then I'd consider using a 120v pump and just running an extensin cord to it because of the few times I'd actually need it. If you haven't guessed by now, I know that this is more of a curiosity/project thing than something I think I HAVE to do.
Thoughts? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

Extream cold?? -25C?? :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Dude, if you had problems at warm temps like that then I`d hate to see you try to cope with -34-42C sometimes seen here,... :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Patrick]

He's got other problems all right. At -25 I can just turn the key, wait for the glow plugs and go. Doesn't need to be plugged in, but of course is a lot happier if it is. Maybe if it's not the standard stuff (glow plugs, compression low, etc) it's a fuel problem, not formulated for that low a temp.

[vwmike]

Extream cold?? -25C?? :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Dude, if you had problems at warm temps like that then I`d hate to see you try to cope with -34-42C sometimes seen here,... :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

You can live where it's that cold? I've never been in any temperatures below about 15F.

[Northern RD]

Extream cold?? -25C?? :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Dude, if you had problems at warm temps like that then I`d hate to see you try to cope with -34-42C sometimes seen here,... :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

You can live where it's that cold? I've never been in any temperatures below about 15F.

Come up here (Winnipeg) sometime in, say, January and I`ll show you about cold starting capability,.. :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:

[jtanguay]

buy some power systems cetane booster/anti gel.   Gives you extra power and no gelling, and wait thats not all! IT LUBRICATES YOUR PUMP

much less headaches that way.   -25C isnt too bad for gelling either, you must be getting some real crappy diesel.   It could be that your engine oil is too thick and the engine can't turn over fast enough?  Remember to put in either synthetic, or a thick 10w30 oil rated for diesel.

great idea, though.

[lord_verminaard]

Wow.  I've seen it as cold as -25F here in Ohio, and in the summer can reach 100+F.  Gotta love it.  Especially last week, where it snowed for almost a full day, nearly 8 inches in some spots.  Looked really strange when you could see trees budding and flowers blooming while being covered in snow.  

Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v
00 Camaro L36 M49

[deepmud]

I don't think pumping the fluid will do much for the gelling. First line of trouble is usually gel in the filter. Second the lines gel and clog. Third, the whole tank will solidify. If you are running #2, put in additive. If you are running #1, it doesn't gel until about -40 (same either C or F, they line up there).

[Northern RD]

I don't think pumping the fluid will do much for the gelling. First line of trouble is usually gel in the filter. Second the lines gel and clog. Third, the whole tank will solidify. If you are running #2, put in additive. If you are running #1, it doesn't gel until about -40 (same either C or F, they line up there).

Funny you mentioning the filter, I used to replace mine evey fall as a sort of tune-up prior to winter time temps. It might have been me but it was distinctly easier to start the car with a fresh fitler below -25c degrees(less cavitation in the transparant fuel line between filter and pump I noticed). I also modified the plug relay to fire the glow plugs anywhere up to 45 seconds(instaed of, I believe, the normal 20 seconds).
There were some other things like a recirculating block heater, a 2nd battery mounted in the spot normally occupied by the flexible intake duct, a better ground set-up(I think someone dealt with that in a write-up here), and good starters(re-built starters always seemed to turn a few RPMs slower, a real issue in the winter). This set-up almost never let me down and the only time the car failed to start was when I left it outside on a -43 night: when that happened the only thing that I could do was fire up the coals on my hibatchi and stick it under the front end of the car `til the engine thawed out sufficiantly,.... :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[deepmud]

hibatchi works good! or you can get a couple of those disposable grills with charcoal "built in", keep 'em in the trunk for ermergencies. When it's below -40, -50, etc, don't shut it off, get the idle up - move south  

When I "did time" Prudhoe, below about -35 (this is all F, not C ) they usually just get left running (v8 diesel trucks). Above that, the plug in stuff takes good care of them - although windchill actually makes a difference when you are trying to keep a plugged-in truck warm - if it's blowing and -30 the trucks didn't want to start.