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Better if the fluid is warm each time you drain as well.
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Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, but I am less certain of how to do that. The ambient air temp is pretty low around here this time of year. I have been thinking about wrapping the tank with insulation and putting a heat lamp on it. Another option might be some kind of immersion heater.Better if the fluid is warm each time you drain as well.
Some times I am amazed at my own stupidity. Of course the way to warm it up is to work it. .. Which is what I did.Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, but I am less certain of how to do that. The ambient air temp is pretty low around here this time of year. I have been thinking about wrapping the tank with insulation and putting a heat lamp on it. Another option might be some kind of immersion heater.
My ether injection pump was toast when I got my FLU. I bought replacement parts and got a lot of it back together, but it is not functional. I really wish it were in the climate I live in now. I think the problems are just electrical but that is pretty daunting still. I hope to get it functional it is on my YATTF list.I had to use my FLU419 twice over the past few days because we were snowed in due to the winter storm. My FLU and my M35A3 were the only vehicles I could get out with because of the snow and ice and the fact that our house is located on a steep hill. I had to start the FLU at 16 deg F. I was amazed at how easy it started. Of course, the FLU automatically injects ether when the temp is low. The engine turned over probably two revolutions and fired right up, along with the smell of ether. I'm really happy with my FLU - it runs perfectly and everything works great. We also lost power and we powered the house with my MEP003A generator.
Mine starts in subzero weather all the time, without using the built in ether setup. But one of them injects some ether at every startup all by itself, which I don't mind since I like the smell.I have heard of guys in Alaska who brag on how well they start in subzero weather. Mine has never failed to start with a light blast of ether, but I hate to use it.
.Mine starts in subzero weather all the time, without using the built in ether setup. But one of them injects some ether at every startup all by itself, which I don't mind since I like the smell.
Anyway, since the factory included ether injection, it can't be all bad to use starting fluid. I'm still more surprised about the recommendation to put gasoline in the tank.
Well, when it's recommeded in the manual (for winter use), it could be considered approved, I'd think.Gasoline has almost no lubrication attributes. I would be very concerned that adding gasoline to diesel fuel would damage the injection pump. I would stick with approved additives to clean the injectors.
I've never seen it in the FLU419 manual to add gasoline to diesel fuel for winter. I've only seen where it says to use winter diesel vs summer diesel for winter conditions. I have seen where it was authorized to add a small amount of kerosene to summer diesel fuel for use in winter conditions to prevent gelling of the diesel fuel, but this was not for the FLU419 it was for some other industrial diesel engines. I've also heard that winter diesel has a small amount of kerosene added to diesel fuel for winterization, but I don't know that as fact, only what I've heard.Well, when it's recommeded in the manual (for winter use), it could be considered approved, I'd think.
For the FLUs it's not an issue. I have to put anti gel in the storage tanks when the fuel is delivered, since the supply generally lasts me a couple of years.I'm in Georgia, but in the mountains. We get winter diesel here. The issue the fuel companies have, even in warm weather areas in the winter, is that trucks and cars can take on diesel fuel in warmer areas and then drive up into colder areas and have a problem.
I put some anti-gel in the tank about the time it got real cold, and it started smoking pretty bad. Maybe the gas trick is not a bad idea. I assume it should be 2 gallons on a full tank. I will probably wait until next month after it starts warming up though..
Couple of fallons of gas in the diesel tank is good to help clean the injectors every now and again. Couple of older than me guys always claimed it needed to be done regular.
Me personally -I don't think I would want to have Gas AND Ether in a diesel startup though...
Well after reading the rest of the comments, maybe I will just add OTC injector cleaner. I added the anti-gel to my RAM 3500 too and it is smoking really bad. A friend thinks that I may have a bad injector on it. I drove it about 45 miles to get the drum of AW32, and it seemed to stop smoking. I think I will skip the anti-gel unless it gets really cold. it gets down to the low teens most every night and I may be singing a different tune if it gets really cold,I put some anti-gel in the tank about the time it got real cold, and it started smoking pretty bad. Maybe the gas trick is not a bad idea. I assume it should be 2 gallons on a full tank. I will probably wait until next month after it starts warming up though.
Well maybe it is just because it got cold at the time that I added the anti-gel, but since both the truck and the FLU started smoking so bad it seemed to be connected.It wasn't the anti gel that made it smoke. They can put out quite a bit until warmed up, even when it's only zero degrees.
Lower temps yet results in even more smoke.
My Dodge RAM 3500 is a 2005 with a 6 speed manual transmission. I intentionally looked for one that was pre Obama era regulations.If it's a Ram, it must be a 2010 or newer. Those should not smoke, no matter what (if it's stock).
I have disconnected that potentially troublesome grid heater on my '17, and it still doesn't smoke much (a little bit, maybe for two minutes) at -10 or less.
How much, and what kind of anti gel are you using?