-8 cold start

[brooks379]

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. 🙂

[SidecarFlip]

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.

[Chris_Bryant]

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]

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.

[DarkSkySeeker]

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

[Desert_Captain]

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

[schlep1967]

Much more refined fuels today make all the difference.

[midnightsadie]

-8 wow! please keep the cold out your way here in ohio its 40 today.