Patrol gu111 3.0td starting probsl

Submitted: Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 21:52
ThreadID: 15696 Views:3258 Replies:10 FollowUps:10
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Just a quickie, at Mt Hotham over weekend and my truck wouldn't start in the morning. Mind you it was -6.5c overnite. What irked me was that my bros. range rover started first kick!!!! Mine started and ran for a second or two then died. Wouldn't fire, plenty of kick in battery. Called RACV and waited, and waited, and waited.....tried the truck over the next half hour and eventually with bonnet open and getting warmer it would fire up and run rough for a short time and then die. These episodes would get longer until it finally fired and ran well. Cancelled RACV and travelled home without a fault. I was wondering if maybe water in the fuel system had frozen or the alpine diesel I topped the tank up with was faulty. Anybody have ideas before mr nissan gets his hands on it for the 70k service on Tuesday.
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Reply By: joshinthecity - Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:16

Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:16
I'll be keen to hear about this one too, as I will have my truck above the snow-line for a week soon.
Regardless, it seems to be an oft-occuring thing with diesels in the cold. It's not a GU or a Nissan thing.

J.

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Reply By: NissanofOld - Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:31

Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:31
Heard of a similar situation with a group that camped last year near the snow line. In this instance the problem was fixed by pouring hot water over the intercooler. There was a standard 4.2lt diesel in the group as well that started OK, so the assumption was that the cylinder temperature for the 3.0lt with the intercooler just didn't get high enough to get it running properly at the cold temp they had.

Mind you, when I was in Europe many years ago, truckies would often warm their diesel engines with one of those petrol flame throwers (heat up the sump oil) to get things going. At -32C, diesels took a bit of warming to get going.
AnswerID: 73343

Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:40

Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:40
I have been told that you need to run Alpine Diesel or add the anti freeze additive well before entering the cold areas.

The point was to ensure the additive/mix had had a good opportunity to coat all the inside of the fuel system and it adds a level of anti freeze capability to the metal components of the fuel system itself.

There is also the issue of dilution with using pre mixed Alpine Diesel added to say a half full tank of standard Diesel.
Again it was recommended to use an additive in your tank several days before going to the cold places, then you knew what the mix was more precisely.

Just another thought to consider.
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Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:41

Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:41
No responsibility taken if you try this....but I've heard of it being done.
Take an old electric blanket with you and an extension cord/s. Place the leccy blanket over the donk, under the bonnet and leave it on all night. This assumes that you're staying in a flat or somewhere that you can get power without killing anybody or upsetting the chalet manager (or whatever) of course.
Personally, I hate the cold, having spent 3 years in Cooma and many more in Canberra.
Cya
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Follow Up By: Member - Chris M (QLD) - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 07:37

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 07:37
Your as bad as me mate. If we put the lecky blanket on the donk instead of on the bed, I'd know where we'd be sleeping, out on the donk with the lecky blanket...hmmmm doesn't sound so bad.
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Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:54

Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 22:54
John above is quite right but you could try Roachies suggestion too though but the fuel tank mat need to be kept above freezing too.

The wax crystals in the diesel tend to flocculate at lower temperatures or freeze. It is not good either if your old oiler has let a lot of fuel past the rings into the sump as the sump oil blends have been known to freeze too.

Best to make sure there is enough Alpine mix there to get right through the system not just in the tank and stop the engine. Stands to reason mate.
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 23:02

Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 at 23:02
"Jeez" John thats a farmers word if I ever heard one. "flocculate"

"Flocculent" - Like tufts of wool; in or showing tufts.

I thought you grew milk not woolies ????? LOL.

He talking about Diesel fuels not sheep. ROTFLMAO.
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 10:42

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 10:42
I have sinced used the pocket thesaurus to see your synonym too John but the one I use most to understand what you don't says "flocculent - A chemical that causes a dispersed colloidal system (such as clay) to coagulate and form flocs (coagulated masses of particles in a liquid). "

Don't always assume the woolliness of my argument mate. LOL ;-)

A polymer is often used as a flocculent, certainly in environmental situations or perhaps alum in a clay suspended dam for your woolly paddock.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Aug 21, 2004 at 09:22

Saturday, Aug 21, 2004 at 09:22
Flocculate /'flokulaet/, v.i., -lated, lating: What you say to a group of sheep who don't make it in time for their hair appointment.
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Reply By: GO_OFFROAD - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 06:38

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 06:38
The fuel lines are where the diesel freezes, stopping supply to the pump, and engine no go.
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Reply By: Member - Bernie. (Vic) - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 08:00

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 08:00
My guess would be not enough Alpine Deisel added to the tank.
Best to not have full tank when leaving home so you get more Alpine diesel in the mix or if 2 tanks have 1 near empty and fill with Alpine only.

Cheers
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Reply By: Penguin (NSW) - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 09:24

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 09:24
I heard that you can get away with a diesel/petrol mix which will greatly lower the freezing temp of diesel. I think it was 10:1.
AnswerID: 73365

Follow Up By: CruiserHead - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 10:00

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 10:00
yes, this is certainly an option. I used to have a 2.4l diesel merc sedan from the 70s in europe, drove it on the highway at -30C, and the motor would start choking now and again. pulled up at the servo, put some petrol in, and went fine from there. diesel was flocculating in the fuel lines. when I lived in canada, most engines had an engine heater where you would plug in the heater into the socket at work or at home... could import one of them, too ;-)
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Follow Up By: madcow - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 10:48

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 10:48
I have heard of this option also. I know of people that put about 1 litre of unleaded to a full tank of diesel with no issues to starting whilst above the snow line.
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Follow Up By: Mark (Geelong) - Saturday, Aug 21, 2004 at 16:12

Saturday, Aug 21, 2004 at 16:12
1 litre of petrol or any amount will alter the flash point of the diesel in your tank and may cause a dangerous situation
Try 1 litre of kero(jet a1) as this is sometimes used to create the winter mix blends at the fuel terminals
The ratio is dependant on both the diesel and jet a1 flash point though
this is a much safer option than adding petrol to your diesel tank
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Reply By: dublediff - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 09:47

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 09:47
Thanks guys for the quick replies. I'll let you know if anything comes up at the service.
AnswerID: 73372

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 12:37

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 12:37
Easiest remedy, is to get a TD42, no such issues.
AnswerID: 73391

Follow Up By: Utemad - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 15:02

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 15:02
Or a petrol 4.8
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 15:25

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 15:25
He wants to get places on a tank of fuel.

If your going to acceptbleepfuel econony, why not drop a 383 chev into your car, at least you will have power to match yourbleepeconomy...

YMWVAA.
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Follow Up By: Dale & Meaghan - Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 20:45

Friday, Aug 20, 2004 at 20:45
Truckster
Why won't a 4.2 freeze up.
My belief is that the fuel lines freeze due to them being steel. Past experience has proved that if you pour hot water over the fuel lines you should be able to start fairly easliy.

Bones
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