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Forty Below Zero Deuce

joec

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hey guys what is #1 fuel?

Must be new cause i only know of #2 and i worked at a refinery for 2 years.

Not to tryin to be condescending!
 

Bighurt

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Its a grade of diesel fuel, which includes 1-D, 2-D , 3-D, 4-D based on viscosity.

1-D is considered premium diesel with a Cetane number of 44 or 45 it lacks the lubricating properties of 2-D which has a Cetane number of 40.

4-D is used in industrial applications with low constant speed engines. 3-D is no longer refined in the US.

Typically cold winter areas see a winter mix which is a blend of 1-D and 2-D, however its not uncommon to see straight 1-D at larger truck stops.

No need t be condescending...
 

dittle

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On top of what Bighurt has said they basically take #2 diesel and remove a big portion of the wax from the mixture for cold weather use. The wax is what causes the fuel to gel up. I'm sure there are more indepth details than that, but thats the 50,000 ft. level.
 

joec

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Oh OK got it now so in a nutshell you are saying.

Numbers 1 and 2 Diesel Fuel are the primary fuel for mobile diesel engine applications. Number 1 Diesel Fuel is commonly labeled at the pump as "Premium Diesel" or with a Cetane number of 44 or 45. It is not as thick as Number 2 Diesel Fuel and for this reason is the choice for motorists during the cold winter months. The disadvantage of Number 1 Diesel Fuel is that it does not have the lubricating qualities associated with Number 2 Diesel Fuel. While Number 2 Diesel Fuel has a higher lubricating quality than Number 1 Diesel, its thickness can cause rough starting in a cold engine and rough-running in cold weather. Number 2 Diesel Fuel is usually labeled at the pump with a Cetane number of 40.


Thanks


Never did pay attention to what they were making was putting in pipe for the boilers around them. Installing with a crane. Heard conversation's about what they are doing with the towers. Funny thing is Diesel is the first thing that.comes off when they are cooking it...! So it should be cheaper then gas. That was 3rd in the tower..
 
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Bighurt

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Funny thing is Diesel is the first thing that.comes off when they are cooking it...! So it should be cheaper then gas. That was 3rd in the tower..
I've been telling people that for years, gasoline is considered by refiners as a waste product.

Up until the mandate of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel it was cheaper than gas. Unfortunately the additional cost of of refining ULSD has caused its cost to jump.

Another factor is that since Gas is a waste product it should be cheaper, since the money to be had is in diesel production.

Up here many oil outfits shut down crews since the drop in the price per barrel dived. All their trucks are running diesel and the cost of running the crews barely breaks even. Fortunately the lease on the rigs, the land, and the contracts to drill are paid for so the can't stop all together. Unfortunately those repairing building and servicing rigs are seeing less work.

Although one outfit in town is gambling the build of another rig, based on the fact that with 20+ rigs up around the state its only a matter of time before someone tips one over...LOL

Current Forecast -18°F Ambient -46°F Wind Chill, yeah baby its cold outside.
 

jesusgatos

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on the road - in CA right now
The box that Ernie bought from me, normally mounts under the passenger seat. It should have a water heated, flat plate heater sitting on the bottom. That is what the extra holes are for. The flat plate heater is about 3/4" thick from what I remember and close to the same size as the bottom of the box. When I got these boxes, I had the chance to get 20 or so flat plate heaters but blew it off at the time. My mistake.
I know it's been a while, but your website says you're all out of those battery boxes. I'd like to get my hands on a battery box and one of those flat-plate coolant heaters. If anyone can help me out, please send me a PM.
 

nhdiesel

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I just noticed this thread since it was brought up again. I don't want to sound sarcastic or anything, just trying to get a handle on things...

I've lived in a cold climate all my life, the past 7 years in a VERY cold area. -35 is fairly common in the winter, and some of the places I've been is colder. While picking up my M105 trailers it was below -40 in northern Maine. I don't know of anyone who goes through what you have to run a vehicle in the cold. Using modern batteries, they will work fine at those temps, no heater is necessary. Once the truck is up and running, and the batteries are getting charged, they heat up slightly on their own.

Coolant temp: You are trying to raise the engine temp too high. Diesels naturally run cool. You almost have to work to make them heat up even in the summer. My Cummins 3.9 I swapped into my Durango uses the original V-8 radiator, has a 180 degree t-stat, and still only runs at around 150 deg. in the summer, and hardly ever goes above 130 in the winter. It runs fine, and puts out plenty of heat to keep the vehicle warm. Even while idling up in Maine at -42, while we were taking a nap when we first arrived, it kept us at a reasonable temp. A bit cool, sure, but there was no load on the engine, and the Durango has a lot of space to heat up. And thats with a 3.9 liter. My opinion, the electric fan was a good idea, but don't bother going much further.

Engine heaters: My Ram with the 5.9 Cummins has a grid heater and coolant heater, nothing more. (grid heater is to warm incoming air during startup). Its never failed to start with just the factory coolant heater plugged in. My 3.9 Cummins has a coolant heater and oil pan pad. I've only ever used the oil pan pad. Its the most effective, as it thins the oil and warms the bottom end of the engine. The worst part of a cold start is trying to get thick oil moving, and thats what puts the most strain on the starter.

About the most I would do with a Deuce, would be to use the spin-on oil filter adapters that keep oil at the filters when shut down; use synthetic oil for an easier startup; stick-on oil pan heater (largest they make); keep the radiator blocked; and make sure the batteries and connections are all good. In addition, the electric fan is a good option. Besides all this, the most important factor is the FUEL. Using heated filters and fuel lines like what the veggie oil guys do might be a great idea. Keep plenty of Diesel 911 on hand, I use a half a quart for my 20 gallon tank and its never gelled on me. Only time my Ram gelled was when I was dumb...didn't use additive the last tank, let the tank get very low, and it froze on my way to work.

Just my 2cents, lots of ways to prep for the cold. But I've been around diesels, and have learned a lot from the northern loggers. Even they don't have much they do to prep their equipment, and they have to stay parked out in the middle of nowhere.

Jim
 

cranetruck

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As you know these military trucks are a hobby to most of us and part of the fun is to restore original systems, needed or not.
The chemistry of the lead-acid batteries haven changed much over the last 100 years and they still loose a lot of their capacity when cold.

Thanks for posting, though.
 

yeager1

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Colorado
I like the oil pan heater. Here is a quote I saw about them "I'd rather start my engine with 60°f oil temp and a cold top end than a 60° top end and sub zero oil temp". One additional thought would be to insulate the heater with a reflective foil/insulator, as 50% of the heat currently generated goes to the outside air.

I also like the Zerostart circulating coolant heaters. Anyne try one?
Tank-type Engine Heaters - JCWhitney
http://www.carparts.com/ZEROSTART-T...RS/GP_2000837_N_111+10718+600022935_10618.car
 
1 have a 1500 watt circulating heater and a battery blanket plug in for 2 or 3 hrs starts right off its a gas engine but i have the same on my diesel tractors and they start good to im in manitoba canada so it gets prety cold minus 58 celcius windchill the other day good day to stay inside
 

tm america

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merrillville in
nice work on your low temp mods .but i have to ask what you do to your gen to make it start in the cold .anytime it gets below 30 i can barely pull the cord on mine.i have to use a torch on the crankcase for 20 minutes just to get it started at 30 .i dont think i would have a chance of it starting at -10 or even worse at -40.i dont think hitting it with starting fluid would be a good idea on a small engine like that
 
first thing id do is find some 0/30 artic oil makes a world of difference and i have a couple of 300 watt magnetic heaters you can usualy find a place to put them on .couver the whole thing with a tarp, thats what i do with my little 15hp engine . that oil can be used all year around it stayes in my tractors all the time
 
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tm america

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merrillville in
ah i knew i had to be missing something .then he is running a 3500watt gen mine is a 6800watter and is a pita to start even when its not that cold out
 

SasquatchSanta

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I've got a 3,500 watt generator mounted in back. I carry a hand held mapps gas tourch to heat the intake manifold. Mapps gas is much better than propane because it is easier to light @ 30 below.
 
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