Cold Weather and CUCV's

[Icorps1970]

I guess I'll weigh in, short and sweet. Top quality, high capacity batteries...1000 cca each, 15/40 or 30 weight oil, some difference 30 in winter 15/40 any other time. I put Kerosene in to thin my diesel fuel don't mess with additives, just sulphur and /or two stroke oil for lube. And of course proper starting procedure, check your visor for that....

I assume you have never looked into synthetic oil. A good synthetic like Amoil's 5w30 diesel oil will flow at temps as low a -50f and the 0w40 at -54f. Kerosene, as an example will not flow, I have read, at -50f. Even in warm weather synthetic oil will bypass the filter less than dino oils so less unfiltered oil will be going to the bearings. So if its really cold and it can go the -30 to -40 or even lower where I live on occasion. Kerosene alone may not work very well. We have winter mix fuel here, a mix of #1 and #2 diesel and its used in all areas of the US where it gets cold enough to gel #2. Adding Kerosene to this might detrimental to lubricity. So I did the research and use a additive that actually works. Some are not all that great. I thought this was interesting just found it. https://www.truckinginfo.com/140399/cummins-endorses-two-fuel-additives

 

[NormB]

My HMMWV has the same engine-ish. Starts rough at 20 degrees, sounds a whole lot better two minutes later. Unburned diesel clears out in a few hours from the neighborhood.

When I plug in my block heater for an hour, it starts as well at 20F as it does at 80F and no diesel fogging.

It was an EZPZ installation, too, except for the gallon or so of coolant that comes out after the knock-out plug’s removed.

 

[Sharecropper]

Sometimes the effort to install a block heater, especially when the engine is still in the truck, may seem a bit overwhelming for a younger, less-mechanically-experienced truck owner. I know it did for me 40-50 years ago. As an alternative, I have found that an applied oil-pan heater will provide equally good results without having to drain the coolant and going through the process of getting a freeze plug out. Then there is the danger of not getting the new plug heater installed correctly and having to deal with a coolant leak, resulting in performing the exercise over again.

An applied oil pan heater installed on the flat bottom of the 6.2 oil pan will constantly add BTUs to the lower end of the engine. This heat will percolate up into the engine and provide sufficient heat to assist cranking in cold weather without a freeze plug heater. In fact, I believe that an oil pan heater is actually a wiser choice than a freeze plug heater because, upon cranking, warmer more-viscous oil will flow through the oil pump and arrive at the bearing surfaces faster than thicker, colder oil.

My P400 engine arrived from GEP with a factory block heater installed. However while I was installing the bungs on the cast aluminum pan for the mechanical oil temperature gauge and pre-oiler pump pick-up, I went ahead and installed a Wolverine Model 16 oil pan heater from Zero-Start. I plan to wire the two heaters together so that one plug will activate both heaters. The pad came with a tube of high temperature silicone adhesive to seal around the edges to prevent road moisture from getting to the peel-and-stick pad adhesive. I had some of this left over so I used it to adhere the 110-volt pad wire to the side of the pan and up to the thermocouple bung, where I zip-tied it to prevent the weight of the wire from pulling it loose.

Hope this helps.

 

[snowtrac nome]

karosine jet fuel amd #1 diesel used to be all the same product just different taxes ,and for jet spec some extra qc testing and filtering for water removal. now days diesel for internal combustion diesels must also meet the ulsd spec if you have a pre emmissions diesel just add jet -a to your #2 and it will give you a cloud point to about - 15 if you live where temps drop below the cloud point of #2 you will like ly get #1 or a blend right out of the pump.

 

[snowtrac nome]

I wont argue what kind of heater works best, if you are worried about your electric bill the most efficient heater would be the freeze plug heater.

 

[LtDan]

Some great info here.

 

[Sharecropper]

I wont argue what kind of heater works best, if you are worried about your electric bill the most efficient heater would be the freeze plug heater.

Ummm..... not sure where you are getting your info. Freeze plug heaters come in 600 - 1000 watt sizes. Their amperage load at 120 volts is therefore 6-8.3 amps. My Wolverine oil pan heater is rated at only 2.1 amps. So to set the record straight, the most efficient heater will be the oil pan heater.

Lower operating costs, more efficient heat distribution, easier installation, warmer start-up oil to bearing surfaces. I vote for the oil pan heater.

 

[snowtrac nome]

Ummm..... not sure where you are getting your info. Freeze plug heaters come in 600 - 1000 watt sizes. Their amperage load at 120 volts is therefore 6-8.3 amps. My Wolverine oil pan heater is rated at only 2.1 amps. So to set the record straight, the most efficient heater will be the oil pan heater.

Lower operating costs, more efficient heat distribution, easier installation, warmer start-up oil to bearing surfaces. I vote for the oil pan heater.

we use little oil pan heaters up here on atv's, the oil pan heater will only heat the oil not the whole engine. I donnt know where you are getting 600 wat block heaters for your 6.2 diesel but most automotive heaters are only 400 wats compaired to less effeciant tank heaters that are 600 watt to 1000 watts on a 6.2 at - 20 you can plug in your freeze plug 400 watt heater an hour before starting and the engine will start right up rather than leave it plugged in all night.

 

[Icorps1970]

Ummm..... not sure where you are getting your info. Freeze plug heaters come in 600 - 1000 watt sizes. Their amperage load at 120 volts is therefore 6-8.3 amps. My Wolverine oil pan heater is rated at only 2.1 amps. So to set the record straight, the most efficient heater will be the oil pan heater.

Lower operating costs, more efficient heat distribution, easier installation, warmer start-up oil to bearing surfaces. I vote for the oil pan heater.

The ones in AK had both and other things as well. Heating the water jacket warms the heads and oil passages and the oil returns. And it need not be used all night. The pan heater on mine, from AK, is hot enough I hate plugging it in. Synthetic oil is a really good idea too.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Same as you have already read. The big three .... oil, batteries, glow plug system.
What works for me in No. Indiana .....
In my old and modern diesels, switching to a 0w or 5w synthetic has been the most help in getting good cranking speed, which goes hand in hand with having good batts.
Proper GP opertaion is a must also. On this old bone, just cleaning the connections provided a noticeable boost to their effectiveness.
The CUCV does not have a heater, it starts every time.
The old 7.3 Ford had a heater, i just got to the point of only using it when temps hit single digits. ...for convience. I used a timer so it only ran for 2 hours before I needed it to start.

 

[cucvrus]

In my experience 2 hours will NOT heat a 6.2 diesel engine in single digit weather. I can't swear but I think the GM manual said 8 hours minimum to get maximum efficiency out of a block heater. I could be wrong but that sticks in my memory. I mean that was over 30 years ago. These new diesels are way ahead of the old 6.2 as far as cold start and glow plugs go. We have a Dura-Max at work with 260K and it never had the glow plugs changed. The older Dura-Max is gone and it was a constant issue with you name it. Cab off to work on the engine twice. Things have come a long way since the CUCV was introduced. That's not always better. But it seems more reliable. Good Luck Have a Great Day and Be Safe.

 

[HeisenBob]

We’ve had single digits this week. My CUCV froze (fuel gelled) while idling on a job site yesterday. I put additive in the fuel as well as a new fuel filter. I was using cardboard to block the radiator and the defrost ranges from 100-120 degrees. Anything I could have done differently?

 

[royalflush55]

What kind of additive and the amount before it gelled? It takes a double dose of some additives when it approaches zero and below. Make sure to not use bio diesel. It attracts moisture. If kerosene or #1 diesel is available it is better for extreme cold.
Truckers use to use 10% gas added to 90% high sulphur diesel. If you add 10% unleaded gas to 90% low sulphur diesel it will help gel temperature but you have to add a quart of thin oil to each 20 to 25 gallons mix for lubrication.

 

[FrankenCub]

I gelled 3 times last winter running additive. End of last winter and this winter mixing kero in, haven't gelled once.
Still not running a block heater either. In the coldest days I cycle the glow plugs twice before starting and it fires right off. Been very happy with this truck. Used to laugh at a former neighbor. He bragged up his F350 all the time but as soon as the temos dropped to 20° he would fight to get it to run even with a block heater. I would go out below zero and start my 08 just to be a jerk, knowing he was watching lol.

 

[royalflush55]

I gelled 3 times last winter running additive. End of last winter and this winter mixing kero in, haven't gelled once.
Still not running a block heater either. In the coldest days I cycle the glow plugs twice before starting and it fires right off. Been very happy with this truck. Used to laugh at a former neighbor. He bragged up his F350 all the time but as soon as the temos dropped to 20° he would fight to get it to run even with a block heater. I would go out below zero and start my 08 just to be a jerk, knowing he was watching lol.

What additive did you gel on last year?
Were you using bio diesel?
How much kerosene did you add to a tank?

 

[HeisenBob]

What kind of additive and the amount before it gelled? It takes a double dose of some additives when it approaches zero and below. Make sure to not use bio diesel. It attracts moisture. If kerosene or #1 diesel is available it is better for extreme cold.
Truckers use to use 10% gas added to 90% high sulphur diesel. If you add 10% unleaded gas to 90% low sulphur diesel it will help gel temperature but you have to add a quart of thin oil to each 20 to 25 gallons mix for lubrication.

I put about 8oz in half a tank of diesel Andy then I filled it up and added another 16oz.

Any tips on getting her freed up and running again besides waiting until it warms up? I don’t really like that I had to leave it at a customer’s business.

 

[royalflush55]

I put about 8oz in half a tank of diesel Andy then I filled it up and added another 16oz.

Any tips on getting her freed up and running again besides waiting until it warms up? I don’t really like that I had to leave it at a customer’s business.

It should not have jelled on 24 oz. mixed in prior to the problem. Sounds like fuel problem. Get some Power Service 911 and fill a new filter with it and put it on. Prime it and try that. May have to charge batteries before it will start.

 

[als804]

What do you folks recommend to keep the engine of my 6.2 warm during the coming cold days? I was thinking about a heated dipstick which would keep the oil warm, but what about keeping the coolant warm as well? If both of areas were kept warm, I imagine my CUCV will start every time I turn the key. Thoughts??

easy good way is just to using 5W40 oil or 0W40. much more easy to crank

 

[stanzuray]

We’ve had single digits this week. My CUCV froze (fuel gelled) while idling on a job site yesterday. I put additive in the fuel as well as a new fuel filter. I was using cardboard to block the radiator and the defrost ranges from 100-120 degrees. Anything I could have done differently?

Up here the answer to fuel gelling is to use no 1 fuel oil. It's in all the outside home heating oil tanks and all the diesel trucks and heavy equipment here runs on the exact same stuff. We had 76 below official (without wind chill factor ) one year and regularly see 40 - 50 below each winter and all the houses oil stoves and diesel vehicles fuel keep flowing. I have a 55' of 3/8 copper tube running from my outside house oil tank to where it enters the house and it flows fine through all that tubing. Maybe you can't get pure #1 fuel oil but if you can it's the universal solution up here.

Post 28 - Also I have used a 1000 watt freeze plug heater on my CUCV, (Kat"s brand). They do make them and are easy to find at parts stores here and Amazon.

 

[FrankenCub]

What additive did you gel on last year?
Were you using bio diesel?
How much kerosene did you add to a tank?

Was diesel, I don't use bio after October to be sure I don't have issues later. I don't remember what additive I was using. I've since seen test showing not all winter additives are good at what the claim.
I usually dump about 5 gallons of kero per tank of diesel. No science to it, just a guess lol.