Anyone out there hep me with how-to-git-it-going questions? I'd like to know what needs doing to make it reliable at -20F and nothing but a blackspruce to plug into. All the plugs are good at 1 ohm, I see no air leaks. Batteries are fresh, connections clean and tight. What else am I missing? Starter? Any upgrade you can do there?

 

Welcome to FTE. Have you tried to cycle the glow plugs 2 or 3 times? What kind of gps do you have? You should only use motorcraft/beru. Do you know you have power to each plug? Maybe you have harness problems. Do you hear the relay go on? Some trucks need a half throttle at start.

 

Get the biggest battery you can fit in. I use 1000CCA batteries in my 93 and if they are over 3 years old, might want to change. DO NOT USE EITHER !!! Yes I reccommend the 3 times cycle before even trying to roll over. Also use a 10W30 CI4 oil. Helps with rolling over faster, less strain on battery. Use a premium fuel or if not available a cetane booster with cold weather additives. Normal #2 fuel is normally cetane 40. What I'm using is premium diesel with 5% soy which makes it a cetane of 50. This is like putting 110 octane in a car.

I see your from Michigan - If you have a TSC store near you they have the fuel additive at the best price.

 

Brrrrrrrrr -20f,i dunno,man thats cold for a no assist start(aside from the gp's).Might wanna pick up a small generator to plug the block heater into.

 

Synthetic oil will also help with the cold cranking ability.
Also make sure you run a liberal dose of anti gell addative, fuel gelling will be a major issue at minus 20 cold starts.
The charging / battery system and fuel / glow plug system will all have to be in top notch condition for you to be able to do this reliably.

If you are going to be far from help I would also carry a generator and battery charger as backup. Much better to have it and not need it than needing it and not having it.

 

Smoly Hokes pnose I thought all you Canucks would consider -20 a heatwave. Ain't it cold there? It's been -45 at times here, never got warmer than -18 for a 10 day stretch there one February in '96. Anybody got a propane or diesel powered tank heater to preheat with? How's it work, know where one can be had for 100+/- bucks?

 

I got my 7.3 to start unassisted in -40 degrees, but it didn't like it. I was using a fuel conditioner to prevent gelling and add lubricity, but I had to cycle the plugs a few times and even then turn it over for over 15 seconds. Plugged in, no problem, but then I am using battery heater blankets on both batteries, a block (coolant) heater, and an oil pan heater. I think I might have some moisture in my throttle cable assembly - occasionally it will freeze so I can't move the pedal at all. When this is the case, I start it (engine will idle at too low an RPM, since the throttle is closed), then open the hood and raise the throttle manually. Then I leave it running for 20 minutes or so - the heat unsticks the cable, and I'm good to go with a warm engine.

As far as starting without being able to plug in, as long as your batteries, starter, injector pump and glow plugs / glow plug relay are good, you should be able to get it going, but if you are going to be doing this on a regular basis (out in the bush or what have you), I have to second pnose's suggestion to get a small generator to plug into for an hour or so prior to start.

 

Well i am off the east coast of canada,were on an island,im on the most easterly part of the island,our location on the island sees an average winter temp of 20f,a cold day would still be above 0f,right now its 28f,being on the salt water coast has its winter advantage,it takes 1/2 the winter before the ocean gets real cold so it isnt that cold,wind chill factor can make it feel cold(below 0f lots of the time)but a truck dont feel wind chill,it only feels whatever the temp actually is.Last winter i never plugged in at all and she fired every time.Go inland on the island or further north and it gets pretty cold,well below 0f most of the time. Ok,so there is todays geography lesson,lol.

 

Johnnynegaunee - You must be upper mich up in the K. pennsula.

 

Good guess bigredtruckmi,

I'm close in western Marguette county.

 

I had in-laws in Engadine.

 

Had? they die?

 

Moved from there 5 years ago the father - in - law died. Mother - in - law as fistey as ever and still driving (scarry) at 82. She moved to Indian River area.

 

I am in the thumb region and my poor "stinky" struggles when it is below 20. I try to keep her plugged in, but it does not always work that way. I know ether is forbidden on GP enhanced engines, but when stinky wont start, I leave the key rolled ahead and wait for the gp's to time out then I spray a little juice and roll the key ahead, usually will 3/4 to full throttle. It always starts then. AND, the ether is not detonating inthe pre-chamber because of the gp's. A little safer, but probly not much. My diesel NH tractor starts a million times better than my f250 diesel, and the NH doesnot have a block heater and sits outside all winter. Figure that out.

 

The New Hollands are noted for good starting in cold weather. Wondering on your 250. Do you use a premium fuel or add a cetane additive? If not try a couple of tank fulls. You can get a cetane booster from TSC in the oil section. About how `long do the glow plugs stay on? Mine on my 93 are running around 15 seconds right now in the A.M.