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  1. #1
    Ol' School DirtyMax's Avatar
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    Diesel Cold Weather Precautions

    What does everyone do?

    Me... I usually add Stanadyne Performance Formula every other tank when temps get below freezing. With the low predicted for like 7 tonight, I wil probably set the plug in timer to come on at about 4am tomorrow morning too to warm things up for a couple of hours. Usually 10* is where I start thinking about plugging it in.

    Some guys say they never add anything and never plug their trucks in and never had a problem. My luck just never seems to work that way....

  2. #2
    I PLUG IT IN.. anytime it gets below 20.

    I do not understand the whole not plugging it in thing. I think it makes people feel like more of a man not plugging it in.

    I like having heat after a few minutes not waiting for the whole ride to work and then finally getting heat.

  3. #3
    Senior Member..now yer posting! Monstr913's Avatar
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    once it hits the 30s i might plug in and leave it plugged in all night, i too like heat right away...once it hits the teens i make sure i always plug it in and leave it all night otherwise its like starting a prop plane and smokes bad cuz its not warm enough...i run power service every couple tanks in winter or a couple bottles of heat thats about it...and if u put fuel oil or offroad in u need to run lots of power service...had some start to gel up on me last year and had a double portion of power service in it
    DD: 2003 GMC Sierra 3500 Dually, ec/lb, Efi live by Duramax Tuner controlled through Edge CTS monitor, 5" MBRP exhaust, AFE stage 2 intake.

    Toy: "My Pet Monster" 2001 Chevy 2500hd cc/sb, 2.6 pull truck, more money in it then I'd like to admit.

  4. #4
    Ol' School DirtyMax's Avatar
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    My block heater is on a timer. If I have it come on at 4am and start the truck at 6:30, my Edge says the coolant is at 100* which is a great head start and I believe is the goal temp. of the heater anyways.

    I read that the heater sucks like 900-1000 watts so I dont want it on for 10+ hours

  5. #5
    Too legit to quit T-Bag's Avatar
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    I plug mine in every night during winter on a 3:30am -6:30am timer, as my commute is roughly only 5 minutes and the thing does not warm up at all if I don't plug it in.

    Its a lot easier on the engine. I run whatever that shit in the white bottle is that you can get at any gas station on every tank in winter, use some other shit in summer for lubricity.
    -Tyler

  6. #6
    Senior Member..now yer posting! Monstr913's Avatar
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    yea white bottle is power service...reason i leave mine plugged in is my glow plug system is different than yours and if i dont it sits on for like 30 seconds when cold...plus i dont have a timer...when i start it thermostat is at 160 or like more already and glow plugs come on for like 2 seconds
    DD: 2003 GMC Sierra 3500 Dually, ec/lb, Efi live by Duramax Tuner controlled through Edge CTS monitor, 5" MBRP exhaust, AFE stage 2 intake.

    Toy: "My Pet Monster" 2001 Chevy 2500hd cc/sb, 2.6 pull truck, more money in it then I'd like to admit.

  7. #7
    usually when its below 35 i plug it in, just makes it easier and faster in the morning and its there so why not use it

    i run the power service white bottle truck loves it, so far have not had any issues with it gellin up

    just make sure the batteries are strong, glow plugs and relay are good and you should be ok
    -Kyle

    2006 F350 6.0 CCLB DRW Lariat
    Gearhead, Holders Diesel, Retro Solutions, Pure Diesel Power, Screamin Eagle, Spyder Industries, Recon, Dirty Diesels
    KCCO!

  8. #8
    Too legit to quit T-Bag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Monstr913 View Post
    yea white bottle is power service...reason i leave mine plugged in is my glow plug system is different than yours and if i dont it sits on for like 30 seconds when cold...plus i dont have a timer...when i start it thermostat is at 160 or like more already and glow plugs come on for like 2 seconds
    Its different cause I don't have glow plugs, real diesels use intake heaters . t. This is the first morning that the intake heater light came on while plugged in...only for a few seconds though, I suppose -2 degrees will do that.
    -Tyler

  9. #9
    I run a winter grille cover and let it warm up 10-20+ minutes in the morning. Otherwise I havn't had a problem for the past 3 years. I regularly change my fuel filter. The only problem I ever had was the trans lines leaking in spring after a really cold winter, but that's a fairly common problem on that truck.
    --
    Jon

  10. #10
    Too legit to quit T-Bag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jon_we4 View Post
    I run a winter grille cover and let it warm up 10-20+ minutes in the morning. Otherwise I havn't had a problem for the past 3 years. I regularly change my fuel filter. The only problem I ever had was the trans lines leaking in spring after a really cold winter, but that's a fairly common problem on that truck.
    What kind of truck do you have? I know you're not supposed to idle common rail cummins (like mine) for all that long, unless you're running high idle. My trans lines leak too....and they're on backorder from Dodge indefinitely
    -Tyler

  11. #11
    i plug mine in anything under 20 degrees. i also put on my winter cover and use high idle to warm it up. only thing about the winter cover is the tranny heats up more with the cover on.
    Brandon
    2004.5 K2500hd LLY Dmax/Allison EC/SB - Minor Mod's
    2005 Trailblazer Lt 4x4 - Wife's - Stock
    PS3HANDLE:SilverStreak82

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by T-Bag View Post
    What kind of truck do you have? I know you're not supposed to idle common rail cummins (like mine) for all that long, unless you're running high idle. My trans lines leak too....and they're on backorder from Dodge indefinitely
    LBZ Duramax (2007 classic). It's really only 10-20 minutes. I forgot where I read it - but there was something I recall about the downsides to running high idle.

    Quote Originally Posted by Anakonda69 View Post
    i plug mine in anything under 20 degrees. i also put on my winter cover and use high idle to warm it up. only thing about the winter cover is the tranny heats up more with the cover on.
    My heat comes in quicker with the winter cover. And you are right about the trans, and it helps because the Allison does not like the super cold weather at all.
    --
    Jon

  13. #13
    Too legit to quit T-Bag's Avatar
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    The only downside to running high idle on the Cummins is the fact the trans pump doesn't run in park in the 48RE....so they recommend running it in neutral with the parking brake set.
    -Tyler

  14. #14
    Senior Member..now yer posting! Monstr913's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by T-Bag View Post
    The only downside to running high idle on the Cummins is the fact the trans pump doesn't run in park in the 48RE....so they recommend running it in neutral with the parking brake set.
    i've done this a couple times especially before going out plowing otherwise it takes forever for my trans to warn up...i dont always run my grill cover and i got the plow to block the air
    DD: 2003 GMC Sierra 3500 Dually, ec/lb, Efi live by Duramax Tuner controlled through Edge CTS monitor, 5" MBRP exhaust, AFE stage 2 intake.

    Toy: "My Pet Monster" 2001 Chevy 2500hd cc/sb, 2.6 pull truck, more money in it then I'd like to admit.

  15. #15
    my girll cover is on for awhile now since it's frozen to the truck. lol my high idle barely runs when i plug the truck in at night. if it gets cold enough i will plug it in at work. it has been fine the past few cold days. just runs on high idle a lil longer to warm up. your right the allison does not like being cold. i need to try the neutral parking brake thing. tyler howcome you never told me about this before? asshole brother. lol
    Brandon
    2004.5 K2500hd LLY Dmax/Allison EC/SB - Minor Mod's
    2005 Trailblazer Lt 4x4 - Wife's - Stock
    PS3HANDLE:SilverStreak82

  16. #16
    Senior Member..now yer posting! Monstr913's Avatar
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    what thought u know, only time my allison is happier cold is when i'm drag racing or truck pulling, lol yea my cover is going on today even with plow its not staying that warm or warming up that fast.
    DD: 2003 GMC Sierra 3500 Dually, ec/lb, Efi live by Duramax Tuner controlled through Edge CTS monitor, 5" MBRP exhaust, AFE stage 2 intake.

    Toy: "My Pet Monster" 2001 Chevy 2500hd cc/sb, 2.6 pull truck, more money in it then I'd like to admit.

  17. #17
    bored at work 07ROUSHSTG3's Avatar
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    the ford 6.0 winter precautions list:

    trade it in around october.

  18. #18
    Senior Member..now yer posting! Monstr913's Avatar
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    and buy chevy? or buy new one in spring? lol
    DD: 2003 GMC Sierra 3500 Dually, ec/lb, Efi live by Duramax Tuner controlled through Edge CTS monitor, 5" MBRP exhaust, AFE stage 2 intake.

    Toy: "My Pet Monster" 2001 Chevy 2500hd cc/sb, 2.6 pull truck, more money in it then I'd like to admit.

  19. #19
    how about anything after the 7.3's winter precautions. lol
    Brandon
    2004.5 K2500hd LLY Dmax/Allison EC/SB - Minor Mod's
    2005 Trailblazer Lt 4x4 - Wife's - Stock
    PS3HANDLE:SilverStreak82

  20. #20
    Ol' School DirtyMax's Avatar
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    I bought a cover from Cabelas that has some flaps you can open if the temps get warm outside. Beats farting around with that damned factory cover. I like it very much!

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