Cold start failure

[GManBart]

Diesels and cold weather from Wikipedia:

In cold weather, high speed diesel engines can be difficult to start because the mass of the cylinder block and cylinder head absorb the heat of compression, preventing ignition due to the higher surface-to-volume ratio. Pre-chambered engines make use of small electric heaters inside the pre-chambers called glowplugs, while the direct-injected engines have these glowplugs in the combustion chamber.[citation needed]

Many engines use resistive heaters in the intake manifold to warm the inlet air for starting, or until the engine reaches operating temperature. Engine block heaters (electric resistive heaters in the engine block) connected to the utility grid are used in cold climates when an engine is turned off for extended periods (more than an hour), to reduce startup time and engine wear.

 

[skyhook]

-Any reason why?

It's quite simple, " a COLD " diesel out in the elements, ( minus 20's etc), has no heat whatsoever to help in start up. If they have a good fuel supply, air and a good cranking power, she'll start. ( believe me, I know, been there, done that).
Some use either, if needed, but NO heat from anywhere else.
When I said " more comfortable" I should have said "run smoother" but i thought it was understood.
YES, a cold engine will remove heat from combustion start up, so what, it will start, may run rough, but it will smooth out on its own. Pre-heats etc, etc, just make it more "comfortable" ( LOL) for the engine.
Something like having an electric blanket in bed, but some of us can still sleep without one.
Sooo, the reason I disagreed with that statement is, "which is required to make the engine start/run,",
is as GmanBart put it, "That simply isn't true.".

 

[GManBart]

It's quite simple, " a COLD " diesel out in the elements, ( minus 20's etc), has no heat whatsoever to help in start up. If they have a good fuel supply, air and a good cranking power, she'll start. ( believe me, I know, been there, done that).
Some use either, if needed, but NO heat from anywhere else.
When I said " more comfortable" I should have said "run smoother" but i thought it was understood.
YES, a cold engine will remove heat from combustion start up, so what, it will start, may run rough, but it will smooth out on its own. Pre-heats etc, etc, just make it more "comfortable" ( LOL) for the engine.
Something like having an electric blanket in bed, but some of us can still sleep without one.
Sooo, the reason I disagreed with that statement is, "which is required to make the engine start/run,",
is as GmanBart put it, "That simply isn't true.".

Still wrong. Heat from compression is required for a diesel to run. Without it, they won't run....period. Having a cold block robs the heat from the fuel air mixture, making it harder (sometimes impossible) to get the engine running.

If it's cold enough, you can spin the engine at it's redline RPM, and it still won't start because the heat from compression isn't enough to overcome the heat loss to the block/heads, pistons/etc. So, your theory about needing nothing more than fuel, air, and rotation is an overly simplified generalization that isn't always true.

Pre-heat that same engine that won't start in super cold temperatures, and suddenly it will start.....funny how that works.

 

[Walkin Horse]

Does friction play apart in building up any heat?

 

[GreenheadRecycle]

It was said in one of the first posts. If everything is working properly synthetic oil is the key here. Granted WI doesn't get as cold as up nort (yea that's how we say it) It does get cold here. High temps predicted for tomorrow is 0. I've used Amsoil in everything and it all starts when it's plugged in.
Get some full synthetic oil in it, fuel anti-icer and plug her in.

 

[GManBart]

The wind thing does not affect an inanimate object, just skin. When a block of metal is 0 degrees in no wind it's still 0 degrees with a 30 mph wind on it.

Wind will remove heat that the block heater generates. The air will be colder than the engine, and remove heat from it as it passes over it. Heaters, air conditioning, etc are all proof of that concept.

 

[GreenheadRecycle]

GManBart you are correct. If a motor is not plugged in the wind will have no effect on a cold motor.
If it's plugged in the wind will lower the effectiveness of the block heater. Kinda like blowing on a hot cup of coffee.

 

[GManBart]

GManBart you are correct. If a motor is not plugged in the wind will have no effect on a cold motor.
If it's plugged in the wind will lower the effectiveness of the block heater. Kinda like blowing on a hot cup of coffee.

Exactly. I only said that because the OP says his has a block heater

 

[DarkBlack]

turbo diesels can be harder to start than non-turbo's in extreme cold due to the designed lower static compression ratio. At the low cranking rpm there isn't the added pressure and heat building packed cylinder that a spinning turbo provides.

 

[firemanmike69]

I think you have a bad glow plug, as I would think they should be on for longer than 5 seconds at -22 f below 0 the grid heater on my truck cycles for almost a minute