What is your best timing for winter starting and operation? :)

[air-cooled or diesel]

A battery that has no issue cranking for more than 5-6 seconds before the starter slows lol.

i have an interstate battery, about 750cca, even at 0f it cranks for a good while no problems, its possible you have another electrical problem, check voltage drop and all wires/connections, bosch alternator helps too.check grounds too. have engine grounded to body and battery.

[Jetmugg]

Not saying that you should follow this advice, but a friend of mine used to drive an '80 Rabbit with a 1.5.  He installed a second battery for super-cold conditions.  The starter would run on 24V when he chose to engage both batteries.

Steve.

[air-cooled or diesel]

a couple of guys on this forum have hooked a couple up -parallel, so you get 12v X2 by batt juice.. prob have to becareful of draining as a 90a alt may be stressed to charge and handle extra load.

[ORCoaster]

JetMugg are you sure they popped those starters with 24VDC?  Or more likely like Air-cooled says in parallel to up the amps but keep the Volts at 12 VDC.  Unless both batteries get real weak, like 8 volts or so when cold I think your buddy was looking for much trouble going a series route with the wires. 

[Renax]

A good battery will have no trouble starting these cars as long as all is in good shape, down to the point diesel freezes... to run the starter on 24v sounds hazardous...

Put another battery so you can run twice the amps instead, is no problem, but if your alt can't charge then it gets you nowere.
I have one good battery, largest that fit, and a good alt. Manual glowbutton (with a relay, so max 1m cables from battery to plugs) and cold start. Has never had a problem cold starting with that.

What actually can be a problem if you dont drive alot, or got a diesel tank at home, is that "summer diesel" will freeze and clog up the system as high as -10°C (14°F) while winter diesel can work fine down to less than -40°C/F...

[theman53]

I started my diesel with a 500CCA battery at 11f with summer diesel and it had not been started in several months, no block heater either. My engine is around 17:1 compression, not 23:1...you need a good battery, cables, and glow plugs. I went with an over kill 1/0 battery cable but I have almost 0 voltage drop to the starter.

[air-cooled or diesel]

i have manual glow plugs from a button, so i manually long glow, not to say im losing some current with my crimp connections, i should break out the ole soldering iron. if you have glowplug relay still, glow 2x or if really cold (below 0f) glow 3x. if you feel you need to, rev engine up (2000rpm max, or like 1500)and let battery charge for a little (or more)before using accessories or headlights.

[iamdieselnutmechanic]

I don't have real issues until it gets below -10F. The battery I have now is like 1050CA, and larger 1awg wires.

This car has a stand-alone glowplug relay and wiring triggered by the stock system with the coolant wire unplugged for best results for me. I got a new block heater cord, and have had it plugged in for the last 1.5 weeks every second it has not been running. I don't pay electricity so i don't care lol. However, there still may be times I cannot plug it in so I am still going to get this figured out. Likely by a AGM group 65, or a deep cycle.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I don't have real issues until it gets below -10F. The battery I have now is like 1050CA, and larger 1awg wires.

This car has a stand-alone glowplug relay and wiring triggered by the stock system with the coolant wire unplugged for best results for me. I got a new block heater cord, and have had it plugged in for the last 1.5 weeks every second it has not been running. I don't pay electricity so i don't care lol. However, there still may be times I cannot plug it in so I am still going to get this figured out. Likely by a AGM group 65, or a deep cycle.

Many items come into play starting a diesel at -10F. Timing, compression, injection pump and injectors, fuel quality (gelling?), engine oil viscosity, starter health, battery health, wiring connections/grounds.

Have you checked the starter cranking RPM at -10F? It's easy to do if you have a photo tach ($15 ebay).

[mtrans]

old truck has relay that put 24 V on starter motor and disconnect after start,and use standard 12V alt to juice both at 12V.
In exterme I use another old 12V bat and diode 250 Amp from an welding maschine.

[745 turbogreasel]

I've done 24V to start low compression or bad pump motors.  Cranks fast, and if the wipers were left on they throw  junk allover the place.