Cold outside

[Rabbit TD]

I have my new engine downstairs in the garage with the pipe going under the garage door since I've been test running it and have old rags stuffed under the crack in the door.  It's cold enough here in western Md. now about 7degrees that the garden hose inside the door froze.  This engine had a block heater on it when I got it and I'm glad I left it in now and I have it plugged in even though the motor is is inside but only has water in it.  I have an oil furnace down there but it is back aat the other end of the house.  I've been test running the engine  little bit with a cooling system on it but no antifreeze.  How are you guys up North doing in the cold and how hard is it to get your diesels going in the real cold weather you guys get and what do you have to do to accomplish it.  I don't remember having to start one of mine around here less than 20 degrees but you guys get way colder than that and I've always wondered how these things are when it gets that cold. :roll:

[dieselweasel]

Since you asked, I'll brag a bit.     It has been quite cold here this past week.  Last night it was -26C (about -13F I think).  After sitting for ~11 hrs, my 1.9 started right up without being plugged in.  My compression is in the low 400 range and I use 5w-40 fully synthetic oil which helps a lot.  All four glow plugs work and the battery is good.  These engines will start quite poorly when cold even if one glow plug is burnt out.   I'm sure others here have tales of starting in -30C and lower.

[Rabbit TD]

Since you asked, I'll brag a bit.     It has been quite cold here this past week.  Last night it was -26C (about -13F I think).  After sitting for ~11 hrs, my 1.9 started right up without being plugged in.  My compression is in the low 400 range and I use 5w-40 fully synthetic oil which helps a lot.  All four glow plugs work and the battery is good.  These engines will start quite poorly when cold even if one glow plug is burnt out.   I'm sure others here have tales of starting in -30C and lower.

Man, -13 without a block heater yet, that's pretty good.  I've been thinking about the synthetic oil myself on my new engine after it gets broke in depending on how much oil it burns.  These 1.6's seem to use oil no matter what shape they're in but I'm mainly thinking about it for the turbo protection down here.  I have a rebuilt 1.6 T/D waiting to go in sometime soon and I know synthetic helps with everything, I just hope it doesn't burn much :roll: