Special advice for Canadian winters

[colectb]

Hi, I will be spending my first year in Winterpeg and I'm not quite sure what I should do to my car to get it ready. I have the engine out right now and that is why I am asking, so I can get in there and do it all now. Have any of you installed tank heaters or fuel filter/ fuel line insulation to your diesels? Or do you suggest just a good block heater and anti-gel? I'm used to cold temperatures, but not sustained like it can get on the northern prairie.

Thanks!

[burn_your_money]

A block heater and synthetic oil is all you need. The fuel will already have enough anti-gel in it. Adding an additive won't hurt though.

[Vincent Waldon]

Good on ya for thinking about this in advance of the snow flying.... of course, now you've jinxed us.  

FWIW...here's my winter prep checklist when I'm facing my first winter with a new diesel:

1) fresh glow plugs, wired to a solid 12V using a starter solenoid
2) Mobil 1 synthetic diesel-rated 0W40 oil... nice and thin for the winter, nice and thick during the couple days of summer
3) biggest battery I can jam under the hood... 650 CCA at least
4) block heater... 400-600 watts
5) timing bang on
6) coolant checked for freezing point... replaced if dubious
7) compression test if I'm in doubt.  No amount of add-ons will help a diesel with low compression in the dead of winter  

For added safety... I'm a big fan of a 1-2 amp trickle charger under the hood... attached to the same plug as the block heater.  Tops up  the battery and warms it at the same time.      Canadian Tire has 'em on sale all the time for less than 20 bucks, as does Princess Auto.

just some random thoughts,

Vince

[Baron VonZeppelin]

My advice - pack up and move to Florida. 

[homerj1]

Good on ya for thinking about this in advance of the snow flying.... of course, now you've jinxed us.  

FWIW...here's my winter prep checklist when I'm facing my first winter with a new diesel:

1) fresh glow plugs, wired to a solid 12V using a starter solenoid
2) Mobil 1 synthetic diesel-rated 0W40 oil... nice and thin for the winter, nice and thick during the couple days of summer
3) biggest battery I can jam under the hood... 650 CCA at least
4) block heater... 400-600 watts
5) timing bang on
6) coolant checked for freezing point... replaced if dubious
7) compression test if I'm in doubt.  No amount of add-ons will help a diesel with low compression in the dead of winter  

For added safety... I'm a big fan of a 1-2 amp trickle charger under the hood... attached to the same plug as the block heater.  Tops up  the battery and warms it at the same time.      Canadian Tire has 'em on sale all the time for less than 20 bucks, as does Princess Auto.

just some random thoughts,

Vince

Great advice Vince. 

Also maybe some booster cables and good fortune\luck\karma - just in case.....................

[Vincent Waldon]

Also maybe some booster cables and good fortune\luck\karma - just in case.....................

Good catch... I pack booster cables as well... for the OTHER guy.   ;-)

[8v-of-fury]

I think a trickle charger, and the block heater to warm up the coolant along with some 0W40 oil, the car will think its 80F when started

[colectb]

Thanks for the advice guys! Maybe I'll be seeing some of you around

[madmedix]

 winter tires good ones too; not the cheapies that have the tread but the rubber hardens up almost as quick as an all-season or hum like a bandsaw on pavement. My first diesel came with Nokians when I was living in the far north; never went back to the others...

Andy

[rodpaslow]

Just a note, I run two block heaters (opposite ends of the block, center one is a freeze plug).  When it's -40° and the wind is blowing I plug both of them in and the engine fires right up.  When it's -20 you don't need both, but when it's real cold, I use both.

[410]

Also make sure your starter is in great shape and use top quality heavy gauge battery cables.  I like to bump the static timing to the advanced side of the spec on the injection pump ever so slightly.  Always made a difference for me. 

I got mine fired up at -31'c thinking it was plugged in but the wire was actually broken at the block heater plug.  Poor engine, I really didn't think it would go but she proved me wrong!  It also had Esso 0w40 in it.  I would start plugging in my car at -15'c for about an hour before I would start it and plugged it in overnight when -30' hits.

Another great option is a diesel engine heater if there are no plug ins to be found.  It's a self contained unit which uses a little bit of battery power and burns diesel fuel to heat your coolant.  Most truckers use them up here to keep their cabin and engine warm when the engine is not loaded.  They do make small ones that work great in these little cars. I have an espar that fits perfectly underneith the hood and heats the engine up to 160'F in about an hour.

[madmedix]

Where did you get that little diesel heater?

[Patrick]

Used to have one on my Kenworth, didn't know they made them sized for these cars! Probably pricey, but they work!

[410]

It came with a 1990 jetta td my father in law bought years ago.  The car is long gone but I held on to the heater.  I found one on ebay about a year ago that looked exactly the same but the brand name was mikiuni.  It was about 450 big ones.  That's the cheapest I've ever seen for one of these.  Normally they're about $1500 new.

[8v-of-fury]

you got that for a steal! Nifty stuff