I find that the biggest things for winter/cold operation are the following:

1) Use a synthetic oil like 0W-40 or 5W-40 (diesel rated and CI4+ rated)

2) Batteries are good and strong - wintertime starts really tax your batteries when trying to crank that much compression.

3) Fuel additives for anti-gelling - more is better than less - don't skimp.

4) Clean (changed on time) fuel filters (both of them on the 6.0L)

5) Let warm up for 1 - 2 minutes while you adjust your seatbelt, mirrors, radio and maybe clean off your windshield.

6) Pump brakes to ensure they are not frozen and working properly (be surprised how many people have moisture in their lines or frozen calipers!

7) Drive slowly to give things time to warm up.. Just like my truck, I do not do well when my knees are cold and not warmed up.
----------------------------------------------------

Remember, our trucks use oil and oil pressure to fire the injectors, so if it starts, oil is flowing. Synthetic oil will flow better and easier and provide for a less smokey and noisy start out in the cold.

I find that plugging in helps, but it is heating the coolant and not the oil. I switched to Rotella Synth. 5W-40 and found better results than 15W-40 dino oil and plugging in.... it's the oil that lubes the motor and fires the injectors not the coolant!! Warm antifreeze is nice and provides for quicker cabin heat and warm-up, but it's the oil that gives us rough starts, noise and smoke in the cold!!

(Oh boy... I did it know... I mentioned an oil and type by name!!! This is not an oil thread and I just used the name & type of what I use and comparing the generally agreed benefits of synthetic oil versus dino oil for cold weather operation.)

Hope this helps,

Jeff

 

what beachbumcook said about the oil fired injectors is right u have oil pressure when its opereating if it was something else i would say whatch the gauge and when its reading normal pressure drive it easy the 2 things about diesels is if its too cold and u run it hard it will score the cyl if its to hot and u run it hard it will score the cyl that was from a teacher at wyotech so u know

exteded idleing is also bad one it consumes fuel and especilly when on the first start when its cold and ur not idleing it against something like and exhaust brake u can get a cyl washdown im not sure the paticulars its because egts are to low thats about all i know about on that but i know it can happen and basicaly the engine is no good after that and needs to be replaced ive heard of a storys from the old timer mechanics of every deisel brand engine having a few washdowns this is even for the new motors too so i wuldn't let it idle for too long

on my truck i let pressure build and then i go but then again my truck is very old and uses hydralic pop off injectors

 

laredo77mma,
What model instrument is your "scangauge"? Thanks for the temperature info - I plug in my 2006 F350SD and hear the heater start to warm, but the temperature gauge in the instrument cluster doesn't budge off it's resting point below the C indication until five minutes driving time. At first, I thought it was broken because my 1999 F350SD temp gauge rose well off the C mark after being plugged in all night, even at 0-deg F. Thanks for the info and model of your indicator when you have the time.
Jeff

 

It's been down in the teens around here a few times already. My truck sounds fine starting up without being plugged in. I think it's because I've been running Rotella Synthetic. I'm pretty much sold on the synthetics for new vehicles. Especially now that I have a diesel. I hit the remote start and let it warm up about 5 min in the morning. No more. I take off easy and drive it easy for a few miles. Empty I was getting 16.5 mpg before the cold weather and now I lost about a 1/2 mpg. I have about 9k on mine since the end of August. The mileage is dead on accurate. I fill the tank up to the top of the neck every fill so I'll know for sure how much I'm putting in. Besides, it gives a few extra miles between fill ups. 05 F350 PSD SC 4x4. I'll never go back to a gas truck if I can help it.