Forum Discussion

brooks379's avatar
brooks379
Explorer
Jan 03, 2019

-8 cold start

A few days ago it got down to - 8 degrees here in the mountains of NM when I went to start my Ford F-350 6.7 diesel I hit the glow plugs just until the light went out , about 5 seconds and the truck started like a summer day . I can remember back in the day trying to start diesel trucks and if it wasn’t plugged in it was going to be tough to start. You had to run your glow plugs 4 or 5 times and if it did start it would smoke and buck for about 5 minutes before idling smooth. The other day the 6.7 started up, no smoke , no rattling. These new diesels start right up like a little gas motor these days. :)
Tow Vehicles
  • Desert_Captain's avatar
    Desert_Captain
    Explorer III
    Jan 03, 2019
    Last Saturday morning we were leaving Angel Fire New Mexico at 8,600' and the temp was -14. I had serious doubts about my 24-year-old {1995 - 183K miles} Crown Vic firing up but the 4.6L V-8 cranked over and started right up.

    Not sure if I was more pleased or surprised. :h I had 3 - 50# sandbags in the trunk and cable chains, got up and over the pass on highway 64 and down to Taos without any issues.

    :B
  • DarkSkySeeker's avatar
    DarkSkySeeker
    Explorer
    Jan 03, 2019
    Desert Captain wrote:
    Last Saturday morning we were leaving Angel Fire New Mexico at 8,600' and the temp was -14. I had serious doubts about my 24-year-old {1995 - 183K miles} Crown Vic firing up but the 4.6L V-8 cranked over and started right up.

    Not sure if I was more pleased or surprised. :h I had 3 - 50# sandbags in the trunk and cable chains, got up and over the pass on highway 64 and down to Taos without any issues.

    :B


    Love the details:

    • 8600'
    • -14
    • 183k miles
    • 50# sandbags
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Jan 03, 2019
    Even my 97 7.3 starts right up no matter how cold it is. 2 important thins, keep the batteries topped up (I have a battery tendr on mine when it's sittin), because cranking speed and hot glo plugs or in the case of a Cummins, a hot pre-heater grid is paramount plus a winter grade oil. I run 5-40 T6 year around now.
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    Jan 03, 2019
    I once had the glow plug relay go bad on an 80’s Ford 6.9, midnight leaving work, 0 degrees.
    I got it started, but took a while, and man did that thing smoke!
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Jan 03, 2019
    I just replaced my valve cover gaskets and harnesses to fire the injectors and glo plugs on my 7.3. Quite a job but at least (like the newer models) the cab don't have to be lifted.

    Smoke don't bother me at all. Diesel is hillbilly incense anyway and no smoke = no fire.
  • Lessmore's avatar
    Lessmore
    Explorer II
    Jan 03, 2019
    -8 is nothing. New Years night it went down to -31 up here.
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2019
    Two years ago, I was in Maine snowmobiling for a week. The club members on each side of me had 7.3 Fords and I had a 6.7. When it was time to leave the temperature was -6 degrees. One 7.3 fired up and complained greatly, the other wouldn't start perhaps because of weak batteries so he called road service. Both were plugged in all night. I hit the remote on mine and it was just like a summer day even though the 7.3 owners hogged all the available outlets for their block heaters.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jan 04, 2019
    Yes my old gasser has started at -10(F) just fine a few times.
    My old car with a carburetor would ice up and stall for the first 15 minutes in similar conditions.

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