The weather is changing here in East Tennessee. As the temperaturesdrop, we must start thinking about how to take care of our diesel trucks incold weather. Here are some tips on how you can make sure your diesel enginewill start and run efficiently when the weather gets cold.
1. Allow Time to Warm Up the Engine
In order to start a diesel engine and keep it running incold weather, you must make sure you allow plenty of time for your engine towarm up. If you do not let your engine warm up before driving, you will make itwork harder than necessary, which will lead to problems later on. The length oftime your diesel engine will need to warm up depends on how low thetemperatures are outside. As a general rule of thumb, if it is below zerodegrees Fahrenheit, you should allow your engine up to seven minutes to warmup. If the temperature is between zero and fifty degrees, the warm-up period shouldbe three to five minutes. Over fifty degrees will only require one or twominutes to warm up. This warm up time is necessary to increase the temperatureof the combustion chamber. A diesel truck will not fully reach operatingtemperature until after you have started driving.
2. Consider Diesel Engine Heating Options
When temperatures drop, your engine may need additional helpto warm up in order to start and run at the necessary operating temperature. Mostdiesel trucks come with built-in block heaters to keep the engine warmovernight. Because this puts the engine at a higher temperature, it will beeasier to start and will require less time to warm up before driving. Blockheaters are simple to use, too. All you need to do is plug the heater cord intoan appropriately sized extension cord, then plug the extension cord into athree-pronged electrical socket that can handle the voltage of the heater. Anotherheating option is a diesel fired coolant heater, which adds supplementaryheating to the engine, fluids, and other key parts. These heaters do not useelectricity, so they can be used just about anywhere. Glow plugs are heatingdevices that can be useful when trying to start cold diesel engines by helpingto ignite cold fuel.
If your engine is still having trouble starting in coldtemperatures even with the use of the above heating options, your battery maybe the issue. Batteries tend to lose about 35% of their power at freezingtemperatures and can lose up to 60% when temperatures reach zero degreesFahrenheit. Keeping your battery warm can be an easy remedy, and you can dothis using either a hot plate-style warmer or a blanket warmer. The hot plate-stylewarmer sits underneath the battery and warms it from below. The blanket warmerwraps around the battery to keep it warm from all sides.
3. Deal with Frozen Fuel
In cold temperatures, diesel fuel can freeze or congeal together.In the event this happens, you must warm the fuel and change out the fuelfilter before attempting to start the engine. You can use a winter fueladditive to reduce the risk of your fuel freezing when temperatures drop. Ifthese steps are not taken, frozen fuel can block the flow to the injector pumpand can result in engine damage.
4. Store Your Diesel Engine in a Warm Area
Whenever possible, it is best to keep your diesel engine ina warm area when it is not running. Try to store it in a place where it will alsonot be exposed to snow or ice in order to avoid possible damage. If you cankeep your diesel engine out of the elements and at a warmer temperature, itwill start much easier and will need less time to warm up.
5. Keep Your FuelTank Full
When a fuel tank is not full, condensation can form on theinside of the tank when temperatures drop. As the air becomes even colder atnight, this condensation will then freeze. Frozen condensation in a fuel tankcan cause the same problems as frozen or gelled-up fuel in your tank. Bykeeping your fuel tank full, you minimize the amount of space in whichcondensation can form. Winter fuel additives can also help control thisproblem.
Diesel Mechanic Services in East Tennessee
With the temperatures beginning to drop in East Tennessee, it is time to start winterizing your diesel trucks. These five tips can help you make sure your diesel engine will start when the weather is cold, but there are many more steps you should take to prepare your diesel truck for low temperatures. Here at Certified Diesel Solutions, our ASE certified diesel mechanics can help you prepare your diesels for the cold months ahead. We offer both preventative maintenance and repair services to keep your truck on the road and running efficiently. To learn more about our services, reach out to us online or call us at 865-964-6598.
