Cold Weather Starting NHC-250

[VULCANGUNNER]

Ok, it is something like 20 degrees outside & my two M931's are giving me ****.

I cranked both trucks over & got fairly heavy white smoke out of the exhaust stack. The fuel is burning just not lighting off.

I hit truck #1 with ether & it fired right up. Idled rough for a bit but smoothed out as it warmed up. White smoke was getting less & less as the truck warmed up so I guess this is normal. As the truck was running I noticed the air compressor governor was not shutting down the compressor. The air pressure got to 140 psi & I shut it down. Do air compressor governors stick in very cold weather?

I've heard of guys using alcohol in their air systems to prevent freezing, but where would you actually add the alcohol?

I hit truck #2 with ether & it reluctantly fired up but was shaking pretty bad, cold cylinders I guess. It ran for about 3 minutes & then started losing RPM to the point it died & would not restart even with ether. The engine acted like it was running out of fuel. The fuel is good (less than a month old). I tried to prime the pump but kept getting air. Then I noticed circuit 54A had come disconnected from the fuel shutoff solenoid from all the engine shaking & a bit of copper corrosion on the wire itself.



See the broken wire? The ring terminal on the fuel shutoff solenoid has both circuits 54 & 54A doubled together at the crimp. Would this kill my truck?

I have traced 54A from the fuel shutoff solenoid to the protective box but cannot tell what it actually does.
Circuit 54 goes back to the ignition switch.

Does 54 supply power to the fuel shutoff solenoid?
What does circuit 54A do?

Thanks in advance.

 

[doghead]

Have you maintained your air system prior to the cold weather?

Yes, that wire needs to be on, that is the SHUTOFF solenoid. It must be powered on to run.

Did you try using your cold weather start system, before using ether?

Do you have 4 good batteries?

Have you simply read and follows the starting instructions in the -10 TM?

 

[acme66]

Have you got winter fuel in them? I say this as someone who parked his 923 full of summer blend and isn't sure if it is even possible to get it running to take carolers out this Christmas. If the second truck has say a slightly dirty fuel filter and the fuel is thick or near gelling it will refuse to pump it and you shouldn't try. Fire up a little camping charcoal or propane grill and slide it under the truck at the center-line to maybe get some heat under there. It worked for a pickup I had once in an emergency. Just keep in mind you know, fire and all. The trick got me out of the woods when I was young and dumb and parked the pickup truck miles away from power and didn't own a generator. I built a snow wall around it to help keep the heat in.

Ken

 

[Gunzy]

I had a real hard time starting my M923 last Saturday in the snow and cold. Found out that my Ether injection system had an empty bottle. Did get it started with spray can of ether and today I ordered 2 ether cylinders for the truck. My tow truck spends it's time plugged in, but that is not an option for my M923. Diesels just don't like cold and that's usually while you'll see them running continuously in the cold weather.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

Have you maintained your air system prior to the cold weather?

Yes, that wire needs to be on, that is the SHUTOFF solenoid. It must be powered on to run.

Did you try using your cold weather start system, before using ether?

Do you have 4 good batteries?

Have you simply read and follows the starting instructions in the -10 TM?

I just got the trucks up from Texas not long ago & haven't had a chance to PMCS them yet. I drain the air tanks religiously after every run.
Cold start system? Do you mean the ether system installed from the factory? I do not have any ether cans for them yet so no, I did not.
Yes, my batteries are in great shape, the engines turned over real well considering how cold it was & never really slowed down but I didn't lay on the starter longer than maybe 5-7 seconds each time I tried.
No, I have not read the -10 cold start procedure but I sure will now.

At Fort Riley we just fired them up rain or shine, we didn't have ether bottles for the trucks there either.
How much is a bottle of ether for the 939 series?

I checked the fuel in both tanks & at the pump & it didn't seem to be gelling. Fuel filters are clean, no water or crud.

I guess I would have been ok if the fuel shutoff solenoid wire (circuit 54A) had not separated from the ring terminal.

I cranked them up & didn't touch the accelerator pedal for fear of breaking a cold piston.

I will also look into a block heater for both trucks as they are both in extension cord range of my house.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

Have you got winter fuel in them? I say this as someone who parked his 923 full of summer blend and isn't sure if it is even possible to get it running to take carolers out this Christmas. If the second truck has say a slightly dirty fuel filter and the fuel is thick or near gelling it will refuse to pump it and you shouldn't try. Fire up a little camping charcoal or propane grill and slide it under the truck at the center-line to maybe get some heat under there. It worked for a pickup I had once in an emergency. Just keep in mind you know, fire and all. The trick got me out of the woods when I was young and dumb and parked the pickup truck miles away from power and didn't own a generator. I built a snow wall around it to help keep the heat in.

Ken

I am pretty sure I have winter-grade fuel in them as I refueled them here in north Kansas about 2 weeks ago at a truck stop that sells a lot of diesel fuel.
How can you tell if the diesel fuel is winter grade? (It doesn't gel? LOL)

Yeah, I've heard of guys building small fires under WW2 aircraft engines stationed up in the Aleutian Islands just to get them to fire up.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

Ok, I read the cold start procedure & yes, I did everything you can do with no ether bottle.

I did not use much ether at all on either truck & shot it in the big 3/4" pipe plug just above the ether injection port on the intake manifold.

 

[M925]

I just spray a ether in the intake while cranking. Works great.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

I just spray a ether in the intake while cranking. Works great.

Yes, I shoot it in that big plug hole up on top of the elbow, just up from the factory cold start injection point. I can't do it while cranking, was by myself climbing up & down doing the 5-ton boogie.

 

[MiniCritters]

I just installed the heater and it was the best thing I ever did. Made life so much easier. In the cold I also plug in the battery charger/maintainer as the cold really takes its toll on them.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

Repaired the broken wires on the fuel cutoff solenoid, primed the fuel system until I got fuel but it was kind of dirty.

With a small ether shot I got it started (38 degrees F) & it ran for about 30-45 seconds & then spooled down slowly & died. Out of fuel? I think so.

Wanted to blow some fresh fuel through the system so I selected the left tank (1/3 full) & air pressurized the fuel tank with the primer bleeder valve open, it should have been blasting, nothing came out, not even air.

Switched fuel tanks on the selector to the right tank (FULL) & pressurized it, nothing at the primer bleeder.

Opened the fuel filter drain petcock, it drizzled clean fuel then stopped.

Opened the drain petcock on the fuel filter feed line, NOTHING!

Played with the tank selector valve, nothing.

I'm watching under the truck for any drips or hissing & NOTHING.

I can't even get it to spill fuel on the ground LOL.

Fuel selector valve output line to the filter must be stuck.

The other truck fires up & purrs like a kitten with no ether
My 855 ci air compressor for working on the other one LOL

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

I just installed the heater and it was the best thing I ever did. Made life so much easier. In the cold I also plug in the battery charger/maintainer as the cold really takes its toll on them.

Agree, I need block heaters bad. Both trucks are in extension cord range so yeah, no doubt.
I'm gonna have to disconnect the batteries so I can charge them 12 volt as I don't have a 24V charger.

 

[MiniCritters]

Agree, I need block heaters bad. Both trucks are in extension cord range so yeah, no doubt.
I'm gonna have to disconnect the batteries so I can charge them 12 volt as I don't have a 24V charger.

I got a 24 volt charger off of ebay and hard wired it in and have the cord plug just tied up just under the cab next to the step. I don't know how often I could stand disconnecting and doing them individually. Just check the water in them often. I had two six volt batteries on my Model T's and in the spring when I wanted to play with them I had to buy two new batteries as they over boiled. Good Luck

 

[Hoefler]

I shoot a little shot of ether into the snorkel on my M923. Starts right down to 10 degrees F.
Pete

 

[azteclizard]

I haven't had any issues. I fired my m925 w/w up at -10 last week. just cranked up as normal, no ether. Maybe it was just luck or something. My multifuel was a bit tougher. had to shoot some ether into the intake and it fired.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

I shoot a little shot of ether into the snorkel on my M923. Starts right down to 10 degrees F.
Pete

So you just fire it down the tall air intake stack?

 

[Rkrug]

On your fuel selector your o rings might have gone bad, seems to be a common problem. A block heater is a must, the correct ether bottles can be purchased at NAPA or most big rig shops have them.

 

[VULCANGUNNER]

On your fuel selector your o rings might have gone bad, seems to be a common problem. A block heater is a must, the correct ether bottles can be purchased at NAPA or most big rig shops have them.

The fuel tank selector switch would stop ALL fuel flow through the valve, even pressurizing the fuel tanks & trying to blow it through?

I have to get me some of those ether cans, getting real tired of the 5-ton boogie

 

[73m819]

VGUNER, you HAVE a air leak (SUCKING AIR) somewhere, you NEED to FIND and FIX before you can keep the truck running, as far as ether goes, the 809 series did not come with a either kit because of the cold start system. if you use ether AND the cold start system, you could loose a engine, valves, piston, head, rod, push rod, ect.
Spraying into where you are spraying is taking a chance of TO MUCH ether which can cause ALL of the above.

There was a ether kit for the 809 series that could be added but called for the DEactivation of the cold start system.

If you do use ether, just spray into the air cleaner mushroom, you can stand on the ground, spray then reach in the cab and start.

 

[Csm Davis]

But Ron he has 2 931 trucks and I don't think he has air leak with him putting pressure on the fuel tank it would show as a fuel leak and he can't get fuel. Do a search as your plugged up system has been covered else where, unless your fuel has gelled it is not a cold problem. But it could be frozen water in your tanks I have seen lots of water in the 939 tanks but it normally doesn't cause any problems as the tanks are stainless it just gets separated at the filter if a heater doesn't help under the tanks call me and I can walk you through the system and find your problem. Also your truck should have an ether bottle next to your blackbox and if you are using a squirt can just spay it in the mushroom lessens the chance of to much getting in the motor but still works.