Diesel: cold weather starting

[dmccarty]

Forge,

One of the reasons I use either 0Wx40 or 5Wx40 is so I don't have to use the block heater. As I said, the truck will start with 15Wx40 oil but the engine is rock'n and roll'n until the oil warms up and it is not pretty. For my 7.3L engine, the manual said to start the block heater about 3 hours prior to start. It costs me about 50 cents to run the block heater for three hours which works out to $10 a month. There are four months it is cold enough to run the block heater, so the power cost is $40.

$40 buys me some very good but sort a expensive synthetic oil that allows me to NOT use the engine block heater and does provide a bit better MPG. I do run extended miles on 5W40 or 0W40 oil which I don't think I would do on regular dino 15w40 oil.

Amazon is selling oil and these are the prices from Amazon along with the price of JD oil I just bought. The JD oil has been cheaper than Shell 5W40 oil in the past, it just depends on timing to get the better price.

Shell 15w40 52.05 for 3 gallons at 17.35 per gallon or 4.34 per quart
Shell 5w40 73.83 for 3 gallons at 24.61 per gallon or 6.15 per quart. 1.81 difference over 15w40 oil.
JD 0w40 135.00 for 5 gallons at 27.00 per gallon or 6.75 per quart. 2.41 difference over 15w40 oil.
Mobil 0w40 49.14 for 6 quarts at 32.76 per gallon or 8.19 per quart.

I do miss having a warmed up truck first thing on a cold morning with frost or ice on the windshield.

Later,
Dan

 

[3930dave]

I like xW40 options Dan refers to.

Another option I'd consider "down South", is a synthetic 15W40. I've seen Pour Points of -40 or better on these, so if you don't see much "real" Winter they might do the trick.

Rgds, D.

 

[PhysAssist]

Consider Dan's post seconded!
Thomas

 

[buickanddeere]

$40 is mere pocket change, very little to pre-warm an engine over four months. Plus you will more than makeup the $40.00 with less fuel consumption, less engine wear, longer lasting battery/starter/alternator and less idling time burning fuel to obtain a clean windshield.
I never seen it worth being proud of how cold an engine will start at without pre-heating.

 

[PhysAssist]

My vehicles sit at idle while I am cleaning the snow off, and that is the limit. After that they are driven, conservatively, but they are rarely ever fully warmed prior to driving off. This is per the mfg's recommendations. I do make sure that the windshield and windows are fully cleared before driving, something that is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

I really hate when I see people driving around peering out from a tiny little cleared section of their windshield, with the snow blowing off their cars and blinding the drivers behind them.

 

[buickanddeere]

My vehicles sit at idle while I am cleaning the snow off, and that is the limit. After that they are driven, conservatively, but they are rarely ever fully warmed prior to driving off. This is per the mfg's recommendations. I do make sure that the windshield and windows are fully cleared before driving, something that is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

I really hate when I see people driving around peering out from a tiny little cleared section of their windshield, with the snow blowing off their cars and blinding the drivers behind them.

Amen. The peephole drivers are a hazard. Cops should be busting them.

 

[buickanddeere]

My vehicles sit at idle while I am cleaning the snow off, and that is the limit. After that they are driven, conservatively, but they are rarely ever fully warmed prior to driving off. This is per the mfg's recommendations. I do make sure that the windshield and windows are fully cleared before driving, something that is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

I really hate when I see people driving around peering out from a tiny little cleared section of their windshield, with the snow blowing off their cars and blinding the drivers behind them.

Amen. The peephole drivers are a hazard. Cops should be busting them.

 

[dmccarty]

$40 is mere pocket change, very little to pre-warm an engine over four months. Plus you will more than makeup the $40.00 with less fuel consumption, less engine wear, longer lasting battery/starter/alternator and less idling time burning fuel to obtain a clean windshield.
I never seen it worth being proud of how cold an engine will start at without pre-heating.

Idling an engine to clear the windshield, or just sitting in traffic, is a waste of expensive fuel and not doing the oil/engine any favors. I have the UOA to show why. I can choose to spend $40 on good oil that starts the engine easily regardless of temperature, provides extended service periods, and provides a bit better MPG for almost a year. Or I can spend $40 for much less value.

Easy choice for me to make.

Later,
Dan

 

[3930dave]

Easy choice for me to make.

Later,
Dan

Sitting in North Carolina, sure.

Spend a winter in Canada, and clear 3/4" of ice off your windshield at 5:00 am a few times.... you might end up appreciating block heaters for the geographies they were intended for.

Rgds, D.

 

[dmccarty]

Sitting in North Carolina, sure.

Spend a winter in Canada, and clear 3/4" of ice off your windshield at 5:00 am a few times.... you might end up appreciating block heaters for the geographies they were intended for.

Rgds, D.

I understand the use of block heaters. I used them for years. But running your engine to remove the ice is BAD. It wastes fuel, puts fuel in the engine oil, and can lead to wet stacking in my engine. When I have to drive after an ice storm I simply put a tarp over the truck. It is easy, cheap and fast.

My point that is being missed, is that for the cost of the power to run a block heater, one can buy an oil the allows one to NOT use the block heater. I am sure there are some places were one might need the block heater AND a synthetic but most of us can skip the heater if using a better oil. Using a block heater to remove ice is a waste of money. Per this thread or the other one about cold weather, I am going to get a heater for the cab to run for those days when there is unexpected ice on the truck. That should remove ice so one can drive without having to idle the engine. In cold weather my truck does not really idle, the computer checks the temp and notices the engine is not warming up and increases the RPM to a fast idle but I know dang well that that fast idle is only burning expensive fuel and not really warming up the truck that much.

I have Used Oil Analysis reports on my truck and tractor that showed fuel in the oil from idling the engines. I DO NOT idle my engines to warm them up. At one time, I was driving in an area that was 15-20 minutes of stop and go traffic out of a total trip time of 60 minutes. That little bit of idle time caused fuel in the oil. I USED to run my tractor at around 1600-1700 RPMS for non PTO work, however that engine speed was putting fuel in the oil. I never idled the engined. Since then I run at 1800-2000 RPMs for non PTO work. Since I no longer drive in that stop and go traffic, the truck no longer has fuel in the oil. With higher RPM's the tractor does not have fuel in the oil either. In the tractor case I was not even close to idle speed but it was still not fast enough.

Idling an engine is bad news and wasteful. Use an engine block heater if one must but a better oil can provide more benefits than paying the power company.

Later,
Dan