Cold starting trick

[herringchoker]

The plug-in engine heater failed on one of our trucks this morning (1989 Western Star with 3306B Caterpillar engine) and it wouldn't turn over fast enough to start, even with the ether starting aid. Temperature was -18*C. We found an old piece of 5" diameter truck exhaust pipe with a 90* elbow on it and laid it on the ground under the oil pan with the elbow pointed up toward the pan. We then lit a propane torch (fed from a 20# tank) and laid it inside the other end of the pipe laying on the ground. The heat from the torch went "up the chimney" towards the oil pan. After about 1/2 hour heating, the engine turned over fast enough and started, using the ether injection.

 

[jnjpream]

At the rental yard we used to do the 6" duct w/ 90* and a propane weed burner too on all the Ryder fleet trucks. While you wait for the oil etc to warm you would pull the air cleaner hose from the intake manifold (enjoying the warm air blowing up on you). Then a while later you would sit in the cab w/ the hood open, stick your arm out the window with a can of ether and give it a crank.

Usually worked pretty good, and this was in MN with the usual -20* mornings.

Got really exciting when a new guy tried to help out and start the trucks. He put a new hose on a weed burner and didn't think you needed a regulator on it... Coupled the hose right to the tank fitting. FNGs.

 

[Steve C]

I've got an ornery starting Ford with 2700 hours, that requires glow plugs even in the summer, it will start with glow plugs in the winter but takes a few restarts to keep it going. I put a radiator hose heater on there and that helps with not needing the restarts.

I wanted to try something else just to see if it would work in case I forgot to plug the electric heater in or if battery was low. so I took one of those kero fired construction heaters and aimed it right at the pump side of the machine from about 5 ft away, for 10-15 minutes or so on a very cold day.
It worked, it fired up, figured it heated the block, the fuel system, the air around it as well as the intake air to some degree.
At least I know in an emergency I should be able get her going.

With my modern JD I have never needed the glow plugs, and only plugged the block heater in once just to see if it worked.

Thanks for the tip

I have a 160,000 BTU heater out in the barn, and one very cold tractor.

I think I will let them get together for some quality time the next time I need to start it.

I have a radiator hose heater but the cold weather (-4 F. last night) set in before I got a chance to install it and I have some snow to move.

 

[irvingj]

When I had my old '82 Peugeot 504D wagon, I'd park it next to the house, next to the dryer vent.

I'd carefully remove the plastic flappers on the vent, stick a 6-foot, 4" dia. flexible aluminum vent hose into it, drape that over the fender and aim it at the intake manifold under the partially-closed hood.

I'd go in to have breakfast, turn on the dryer for 1/2 hr or so, good to go.

(Didn't have a garage then!)

 

[bill1]

Back in the late '70's I lived in Michigan, in old farmhouse with a few friends and no garage. The cold winter wind coming across the field prevented my car from starting in the morning a few times until I learned this trick; 100' extension cord to a light bulb socket placed under the hood of the car. I don't remember the wattage of the lamp- probably 100 or 150 watts, but just that bit of heat was enough to get my car started...

 

[MikeD74T]

Two brothers of my fathers era ran an Oldsmobile garage from after WWII 'till the early 70's in northern NH. Winter temps frequently -30 to -40F. They had a gas hot water heater burner mounted in an shallow sheetmetal box with a shovel handle attached & a 20 pound propane bottle. When called for cold start assistance they'd light the burner, adjust to level appropriate for the vehicle ( so as not to burn it up), slide it under the oil pan, & go inside for a cup of coffee. In 15 minutes or so the vehicle would start like summer, usually with the aid of jumper cables 'cause the owner had already cranked 'till the battery was dead. The burner was big enough to also warm large vehicles. MikeD74T

 

[kenstrac]

When I had my old '82 Peugeot 504D wagon, I'd park it next to the house, next to the dryer vent.

I'd carefully remove the plastic flappers on the vent, stick a 6-foot, 4" dia. flexible aluminum vent hose into it, drape that over the fender and aim it at the intake manifold under the partially-closed hood.

I'd go in to have breakfast, turn on the dryer for 1/2 hr or so, good to go.

(Didn't have a garage then!)

I had a 504D wagon also never had or used a heater started every time,great car 34MPG wish I still had it.

 

[tugboat-2]

Late 40's, and 1950's,...cold winter starts always began with a small wood fire on a coal shovel, (like a snow shovel today) and slide the shovel head under the oil pan a while. Depending on the temp. you might pull the shovel out and re-stoke the fire a little and shove it under again.

Many folk did that, the vehicles I recall most clearly being involved with was a model A Ford and the other a 38 Chrysler limmo. NEVER recall a problem but looking back from here,...its amazing! ....But it worked. Trucks and tractors also but I mention the cars because they were low and usually leaked a little gas,.....but,..no problems,..WHEW!!! Prolly tooooo darned ccccold!!

I also recall (not that long ago,...running my caged trouble light, (mechanic's light) under the hood beside the battery and a bat of pink insulation wrapped around that to keep the battery thinking it was summer. It worked!

However, today it's nice to be able to plug the tractor in,...so much easier!

Merry Christmas! (This thread brought back some very old memories)!!!

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[PILOON]

Some aviation cold weather tidbits of info:

When they built the DEW line up in the artic, Herman Nelson heaters were the thing.
500,000 BTU's blower portable furnaces on skids rigged with 3 8" heater ducts.
One duct for each engine and one for the cockpit.
Now that will start anything!

Also they would remouve spark plugs and warm them before starting engines.
The theory being that engine compression would cause the damp air to create frost on the plugs when the cylinders compressed damp cold air. Spark will not occur if plugs are frosted over.
Pilots would keep plugs in the sleeping bag to keep them warm!

Aircraft engines designated for artic usage often had 'oil dilution' systems.
A valve would be opened to allow gasoline to enter the engine oil sump thereby thinning the oil for cold starting.
Once fired up the pilot would idle the engine for a specified period to allow the gas to evaporate before applying power.
Guess that was the origional '0-40 multi grade oil'.
Manual quoted 2 mins of idle for 1 min of dilution B4 applying power.

 

[PILOON]

Once had a Deere 510 tractor that had an 'in dash' device that allowed a can of either to be screwed in with a push button device so that the operator could squirt quickstart at the same time that he activated the starter.
It actually looked to be a factory installed option.

 

[jdfire]

Propane heaters are pretty common in aviation for preheating small planes. They can be fitted with flexible ductwork to direct the heat anywhere you want. Here's an example:

 

[willfick]

This is fascinating. You cold weather guys impress me no end. And make me appreciate the South.
Wm

 

[tugboat-2]

PILOON: That dash mounted ether injector probably was a factory installation. I recall a few of the big old trucks like Oshkosh, Walters and especially one I was more familiar with, the big FWD with Buda Diesel, and it had a factory installed ether pump on the dash.

Ether came in red, soft plastic capsules, perhaps an inch long shaped just like a Cdn football. You unscrewed the brass top, inserted 3 or 4 "Cherry-Bombs" and with right toe on the starter, heal on the accelerator, you pushed the starter and began pumping the ether-injector plunger.

I recall the Buda like yesterday,.... the exhaust pipe was about 4" dia and two feet high right off the manifold up through the centre of the hood. it wasn't a radial engine, but sure reminded you of a DC-3 engine as it coughed and farted and finally caught,...black coal shoving the big rain-cap open with a roar that never ceased to put an ear to ear grin on my face!! The coal would clear shortly after.

Also, I had a friend drove a "Cat-train" on the DEW Line. He said they never shut them down for weeks at a time as you'd never start 'em again without a whole lotta trouble!

Sorry to ramble, picked up on your post and had to add my 2 cents.

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[RalphVa]

Have had 4 diesels so far. They've all started with about a 1/2 turn of the crankshaft no matter how cold, after being glowed the proper amount and using some throttle opening. That proper amount went down from 30 seconds to a minute on the old 1973 Benz to about 4 seconds on the 1983 Benz and 2004 JD. Seems to be about a second on the TDI. The older diesels, pre TDI, required 1/3 to 1/2 throttle opening; otherwise, they'd start and die. Haven't had the TDI in really cold weather yet.

Started the 1973 with its usuall 1/2 rotation once in -22 F with glow period of about a minute. This is after running the radiator hose heater about 30 minutes. Fuel filter plugged up 2 times before finally warming enough to stay running.

 

[jas67]

I disconnected the air intake tube from the intake manifold (simple hose clamp), and set a heat gun (paint stripper type - Stanley - $22.00 at Walmart) into the opening, turned it on for about half a minute, and cranked the engine. In about 20 seconds she popped right over. I imagine you could use a hair dryer to the same effect.... just get some warm air flowing into the cylinders. It took about another 15 seconds to put the air tube back on and clamp it down.

I've used this trick for my 29 year old Onan diesel generator. It doesn't have glow plugs, but has an intake heater. I just give the intake heater a little help with the wife's hair dryer.

 

[jas67]

, years ago I saw a purpose built truck starting setup for fleets with a Herman Nelson, big flexible ductwork and brackets to connect the ducts to truck grilles. There was even a wye connector so two trucks could be heated at once.

They use heaters like that (with the flex duct) to preheat piston-engined aircraft engines when it is below 25 or so degrees.

 

[Baranx4]

I used that method on a hard to start older JD last winter when my block heater went out and it works really good. Word of caution : Don't use this method on a gasoline tractor

I've never had an old gasser that wouldn't start up when cold. Had it where it would stall or I had to hold the clutch in since the fluids were so thick from the cold that it would stall every time I took my foot off the clutch till it warmed up a little.

 

[Baranx4]

Yes, good caution, I would not do that with explosive fuel.

I've also heard from old timers, back in the day, they would light open fires on the ground right under the engines of heavy equipment in cold weather. That had to get interesting.

Alot of that had to do with tracks freezing up overnight. Don't ask me how I know, but I recall learning the hard way about the importance of cleaning your tracks at night.

 

[FlaDon]

PILOON: That dash mounted ether injector probably was a factory installation. I recall a few of the big old trucks like Oshkosh, Walters and especially one I was more familiar with, the big FWD with Buda Diesel, and it had a factory installed ether pump on the dash.

Ether came in red, soft plastic capsules, perhaps an inch long shaped just like a Cdn football. You unscrewed the brass top, inserted 3 or 4 "Cherry-Bombs" and with right toe on the starter, heal on the accelerator, you pushed the starter and began pumping the ether-injector plunger.

I recall the Buda like yesterday,.... the exhaust pipe was about 4" dia and two feet high right off the manifold up through the centre of the hood. it wasn't a radial engine, but sure reminded you of a DC-3 engine as it coughed and farted and finally caught,...black coal shoving the big rain-cap open with a roar that never ceased to put an ear to ear grin on my face!! The coal would clear shortly after.

Also, I had a friend drove a "Cat-train" on the DEW Line. He said they never shut them down for weeks at a time as you'd never start 'em again without a whole lotta trouble!

Sorry to ramble, picked up on your post and had to add my 2 cents.

CHEERS!
. . tug

The Army set up the Air Force's Mobile Bomb Scoring Train with Detroit Diesel 16V71 gensets. For starting in cold weather, they had electric block heaters, ether injection, triple the hydro start reserviors as normal, radiator heating into the car, heat tape on the water/fuel/oil lines, heaters in the fuel/oil/water tanks plus strip baseboard heaters that ran on coolant from the under car boiler, and a loadbox that could dump the heat into the car. With 2 gensets in the car. All the Personnel Cars had strip heaters (20 KW worth) in tha A/C ducts and all tanks heated under the car, heat tape on lines, and an under car boiler for baseboard and A/C duct radiator. Even the black water tanks were heated.

But the best heating system for engines had to be the IH UD-7 powered gensets in the Presidential Comm Car. Steam heat for the car from a loco. Heat in the Generator Room was either steam or radiator heat from the engines. To start the generator you filled the gasoline tank, threw the change over valve, set the choke, and cranked the engine over using train air. Once running, open the choke and Diesel injector pump up to the point the engine smoked, and wait till warmed. Throw the change over valve and run on Diesel while making electricity once warm.

 

[Cami]

@BaranX4: It's always a surprise, when starting out, to learn how little power is available to the tracks on some machines, especially the older ones, and how well a little ice holds things.

If you don't have anywhere dry to put the machine, you can drop a couple trees to park on top of.