Winter and deisel use

I dont think there is one correct answer. I use Biobor MD for water and gelling in every tank, and Biobor JF for bacteria/fungi when I'm not driving for a while.
I turn on the engine heater in the evening when its going to freeze and I'm going to drive in the morning.
Good Luck!

"catkins"....You're going to get answers all over the place and here's another one. First, the engine heater isn't necessarily for single digit weather. It helps in lower temps to keep the coolant and oil warm so that your engine doesn't start with thick oil and not lubricate as fast as it should.

This was discussed before and I think there was an actual recommended temp by Cummins to turn the heater on. I believe it's somewhere around 25 degrees. You can still use your engine block heater when boon docking. Obviously, it only needs to be used on the day your leaving. Start your generator and plug in the block heater when you get up and while having breakfast and getting ready to go. About two hours should help. If I have hook ups, I plug it in the night before.

I know Az can get cold, but as one poster stated, you probably won't see sustained cold unless you're in an area like Flagstaff. If you're really concerned, add the anti-gell and don't worry about it. Keep in mind, once your engine is running, it will heat the fuel on it's own. Diesels always pump more fuel to the engine than they use and then return the warmed excess fuel back to the tank.

Good luck with your new diesel. You were smart to come here and ask. I'm on the west coast and luckily don't have to deal with the fuel or winterizing issues.

Hi,

\While a emergency generator will run it's block heater all year long (yes keep that engine at 100F or so in July) so that it will start in 10 seconds or less, it is not required on diesel RV's.

If it is below about 30F, AND you want to leave in about 6 hours, then you should plug in the block heater for a few hours. Until the night before you are leaving, then leave it unplugged. Now if it is 0F, you might need to plug it in 2-3 days before leaving. But don't leave it plugged in for days on end.

AS for the fuel, yes as said above, use up the summer fuel before winter arrives, IF you will be running it in the winter. If you feel the need for winter fuel, and don't have it, then get the additives, and drive around the block and get it mixed in well!

Usually the engines will start at 20F without the block plugged in, and will run normally after about 30 second warm up. At 0F or -10, then the block heater is more required, however winter blend has a bunch of unleaded gas in it, so it runs fairly well - even at 0F.

Fred.

Rule of thumb with a semi, we plug them in when temps stay below freezing and idle them when temps are below 10 deg F.

Unless temps stay below freezing I would not worry about it. I've always just run the winter blend and never had an issue in 19 years.

One time I did not have a plug-in so I left my big truck unplugged for 2 weeks with single digit temps. Gave it a shot of engine starter fluid (on the air filter) and it started. Took a while for the idle to smooth out but once the engine came back up to temp every thing was back to normal.

Now if we are talking a pickup diesel with glow plugs just give them a minute to do their job and it will normally start. If I lived in MN, I'd plug it in.

My Cummins doesn't much like anything below 40, so I just add stuff that the truckers use. Available at most any truck stop.

I don't think you will have to worry much in Arizona. I would be surprised if they even sell winter (#1 or even 50/50 #1 #2 blend) in Arizona except for maybe in or around Flagstaff. With that being said I would carry some additive in the coach just incase a freak cold spell. I would not fill your diesel tank full of #1 just to be safe. I think it's a waste of money (costs more) and produces less energy resulting in a loss of MPG. Get the additive and only put in the tank if you're going to be in an area with sustained temps below 30 degrees or so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_diesel_fuel

Use up all of your Florida diesel before getting to colder temps. Truck brought in some product for our plant in the middle of winter. Had BIG saddle tanks with lots of Florida diesel, came up to Ontario with a load and his fuel gelled. We helped him by taking him to get some additive and adding that and putting heaters around the truck. Eventually a wrecker took the truck to a repair place , drained all the gelled fuel and sold him some nice new "northern " fuel. Several hundred dollars and more than a day later he off loaded and went on his way.
All of this before I had a diesel truck. For what it is worth, the block heater cord on my 2006 was still curled up when I traded it in and I don't even know where the block heater cord is on the new truck! Always started fine in the cold.

I use stabil diesel treatment in the winter, if my DP will be sitting all the time, in Chicago where the winters often include daily highs in the teens for weeks at a time.

In Arizona, I don't think it would be a worry.

I've never plugged in my engine heater in 5 years. We don't travel much in the winter, and again, we'd be talking lows below zero and highs below the twenty's before I'd use it. Our cummins always fires right up, tho when it's cold it takes 30 to 40 second for the wait to start light to go out.

I turn the block heater on when it is around 30 degrees or starting to freeze. I did not turn it on one time when I was in Pecos, N.M and I had a slight problem starting the engine. Since then I turn the block heater on all the time and it fires up right away.