diesal cold starting

Could try giving the glow plugs a couple of goes at getting warm enough by turning key on wait a minute turn off without starting and repeat process. I don't know if this works for sure but I remember someone telling me this some time back, maybe BS though.

Trevor.

Yep.. Spot on with the glowplug idea..
Coupla cycles and away you go...

I have had no worries starting diesals in freezing conditions but that wasnt in the alpine areas. I would guess it is too early for the alpine areas to be stocking Alpine diesal which i understand is further refined to reduce the wax content perhaps that is all it is

Brian,

Two dabs at the glow plugs is a good idea, particularly with indirect injection diesel engines. I THINK the 4.2 is indirect injection - can't remember.

Otherwise get yourself a can of "Aerostart". It's an ether based spray that you spray into the air intake - the closer to the actual air filter, the better. i.e spraying it through the snorkel is gonna take a longer to get through to the engine itself.

There are various stories about "Aerostart" damaging engines - but it's all BS. The engine was prolly "goosed" to start off with.

Use it - it works. It's what it was designed for.

Bilbo

Hi if using aero start know the risks!!!!!

Too much can result in severe overspeed or high revs at cold start and no oil circulation = engine damage long term.

I used aerostart on 110 and 71 series diesels for years (only way they would start sometimes) and suggest IF using aerostart crank engine over first as someone commences to spray aero start into air intake judiciously.

Also if engine doesn't fire,,, stop,,, as oil is wiped off cylinder walls = more long term damage.

Barry

brian,
Another way that a mate showed me just last year in Diamantina Lakes area and the 2H glow plugs chucked it in (2 deg.), was to remove the flexible air intake hose and hold a diesel soaked burning rag close while cranking. Worked like a charm. After that always made sure i parked facing the morning sun. This won't improve starting, just another way if in a pickle.
Cheers,
Bros.

your fuel probably started to wax up. It's a little early for Alpine mix at the stations. I fueled up at Bruthen yesterday and saw an aditive on the shelf. The lady said they don't sell alping mix anymore only the additive. I can't for the life of me remember it's name. Could always call them. No amount of 'glow plug' preheats will start the engine if this is the case. For the record I haven't had starting probs in winter when using alpine mix in winter in my GU 3.0l

Leroy

Brian,

It was cold Monday morning. -5 at 6:30 where we camped.

I had the same problem trying to start the Troopie, I left the bonnet up all night and that did not help.

To get going I poured hot water over the fuel filters, this melted the wax and was then able to start.

Even glowing the plugs several times before trying to start didn't help.

When I go the the Vic High Country next week I am going to keep the bonnet down and wrap the filters in a blanket.

The Alpine mix should be down here soon, I don,t think they expected it to be so cold this early in the year.

I hope the rest of the trip was good, and we might catch up again some where down there in the future and have a bit more time to talk.

Wayne

I remember on frosty winter morning back in the UK, lighting fires with rgas soaked in kero, under truck diesel tanks just get the fuel to de-wax. Then using compressed air to blow out wax plugs in the fuel pick up line in the tank. Mind you it used to get down to minus 10C some nights.

Aaaaahhhhh!! "I love the smell of diesel smoke in the morning" - pardon the paraphrasing.

Bilbo

Wayne,might see you there between 22-25/4 we also thought the wax was seperating due to low temps checked spare fuel drums we carried and they had small clear particals floating in the fuel these particals would not pass through the filter in our funnelStill not impressed that both vehicles would not start easily,will pay more attention next time..

Thankyou to all who replied

Dosen't a fich solve all these problems???
Sorry I just could not resist...

It's fairly common to add 10% petrol to the tankful of diesel for low temperature starts too.