Operating a Diesel Truck in the Winter

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Well... I'm new to modern diesel truck ownership. This will be my first winter where I feel like I'm going to end up in the cold with one. I live in Arkansas so I'm not sure if we have winter blend fuel or not. I also don't have any idea about the exhaust fluid in the winter. I haul on the side several times a month and could end up anywhere in about a 500-700 mile radius or more from home. I was in Decatur IL last weekend, and it was COLD!

Is there anything I need to be doing to "winterize" my truck for cold weather use? Fuel or DEF additive or anything else? Idling while loading or kill it, etc? I have noticed it must have a high idle function when it is cold. Also, I filled up with DEF in the low 20s and it took several miles for the level to change on the dash, not sure if that was the sending unit freezing up a little bit.

 

[big bubba]

although i'm slightly NW of you, we're dealing with similar climate. can't speak for def recommendations as thankfully my diesel is pre Tier lV. i'd say gelling & moisture removal in our climate would be worth preventing with an additive.

you'll get lots of recommendation for an additive, keeping in mind the 4 reasons for using a diesel additive: anti gelling, injector lubricity, moisture removal, and anti algae/bacterial growth

personally i go with Howes...you might stop at a high volume truck stop & see what's on their shelves, maybe strike up a conversation with a long distance trucker on the subject. given our climate extremes today, you're wise to inquire, regards

 

[Hay Dude]

Instead of asking that question here, it’s best you consult your trucks’ owners manual. It will tell you specifically what/what not your should do with each manufacturer’s diesel engine.
I don’t mean to come off with an “attitude”, but your question is too general in nature. Each engine has it’s own recommended procedure for cold weather operation.

Asking a question like that will bring you dozens of different opinions. Follow the wrong opinion, and you could do irreparable damage.

Consult your owners manual. I have mine for Cummins diesel engine and it came separately with my Ram truck general operators manual.

 

[ssgp2]

What Hey Dude said.
I will add this. Do not put anything in the DEF besides DEF fluid. No additives in that.
In my Duramax though, I do add PowerService (in the white bottle) to the fuel. Here in the D/FW area, we do have the winter blend fuel, so y'all should have it there also. If you go to areas that have temps below 0, keep PowerService 911 (in the Red bottle) handy and plug the block heater in if you shut it down for any extended time. ie. overnight. For prolong idling, use the idle up feature if your truck has it.

 

[Topzide]

First off, what model truck are we discussing? Others may offer better help and tricks knowing what you have. Winter fuel is pretty standard for most areas as travelers may be heading into colder climates.

 

[jyoutz]

One thing that does make a difference is the type of oil. If you run 5W-40 synthetic in the winter the temperatures can be quite cold before it’s necessary to plug in the engine heater. Conventional oil has a higher temperature threshold where this is needed. Once again this information should be in your owner’s manual. At least they show this table in my truck’s manual.

 

[5030]

Actually, DEF freezes (slushy) at 31 degrees (f). Your DEF injection system actually has a built in heater in the DEF tank to keep it unthawed. Same applies to big emissions compliant heavy duty trucks. Just another thing to eventually fail in my opinion.

Your DEF might be slushy in the tank prior to starting but the ECM allows for that condition and 'waits' for the DEF to become liquid before initiating the injection process.

I have a 2 full IBC 350 gallon totes of DEF in the barn but all I use it for is fertilizing my hayfields as DEF is nothing but Urea and deionized water.

I buy out of use date DEF all the time. Much less expensive than 46 granulated urea and easier to apply as well. The issue with 46 granulated is the ever increasing cost which is directly related to the war in Ukraine as most 46 is produced there. Alfalfa isn't particular about what it gets fertilized with. I also spray it with 24D-B for broadleaf and I apply the DEF at the same time in the same sprayer tank.

24D-B has to be applied before the invasive species reach mature length so it works well in the spring. I fertilize and weed at the same time.

 

[5030]

I use 5-40 Rotella T6 year around in the tractors and my diesel farm truck. The lighter oil allows easier cranking when it's cold out and it's easier on the starting batteries as well.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

It's a 2023 Duramax. I have been using 15W40 Rotella T6 for oil.

 

[5030]

Guy across the road has one as well with the Allison. He put off servicing the Allison and paid dearly for that. Don't know what oil he uses but he takes it to a 10 minute oil change place so I presume it's the cheap stuff, whatever that is. He's a millrite at GM powertrain and totally mechanically inept. If it wasn't for the union he would probably be gone.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I love the 10 speed in this thing. But it's got so much power that once it gets up to speed it takes a BIG grade to get it to downshift. I don't put any strain on it with the little weight I haul.

 

[Hay Dude]

So in an earlier post, you stated that your DEF fluid level gauge didn’t move until after you drove for a while.
The best explanation for this is that DEF fluid begins to freeze at about 15 degrees. When this happens the DEF tank sensor/float also freezes. When the truck is started, your DEF tank heater kicks on to thaw the DEF fluid. This in turn allows the sensor or float in the tank to read the DEF level correctly.
That is why the DEF gauge readout is inaccurate when first started.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

So in an earlier post, you stated that your DEF fluid level gauge didn’t move until after you drove for a while.
The best explanation for this is that DEF fluid begins to freeze at about 15 degrees. When this happens the DEF tank sensor/float also freezes. When the truck is started, your DEF tank heater kicks on to thaw the DEF fluid. This in turn allows the sensor or float in the tank to read the DEF level correctly.
That is why the DEF gauge readout is inaccurate.

This is about what I thought. The tank was just about empty so the sensor/ float would not have been submerged in the heated DEF so it probably took a bit for the new fluid to thaw it out enough to register. That is why I was wondering if there was anything special I needed to do. I was not thinking about the tank having a heater. I assume at this point everything is about idiot proof and just works, to a degree...

Did I say it was cold? I had just been in Houston at 80 degrees a couple days before. When I was unloading the wind chill was 15 and blowy.

 

[dodge man]

I owned a 2004 Dodge with a Cummins for several years. I’m west and north of Decatur so it lived in the cold. I’ve had the fuel in my tractor gel but never in that truck. I did add Howes when it started getting down near zero.

They set these trucks up for it. Going by memory but my Cummins had a fuel heater and a heat exchanger to help warm the transmission up quicker. A winter front can help too.

 

[Topzide]

Your DEF pump and guage may be one unit, where the level gauge is around the pump. DEF is pretty caustic, don't let it sit on any metal without cleanup. Pull out your manuals and read up. Put flags on the pages that you may need to find, like fuse locations and fluid spec's. Get yourself a marble notebook to make into a maintainance book. Helps with keeping track of what needs or has been done.

 

[M59]

Well... I'm new to modern diesel truck ownership. This will be my first winter where I feel like I'm going to end up in the cold with one. I live in Arkansas so I'm not sure if we have winter blend fuel or not. I also don't have any idea about the exhaust fluid in the winter. I haul on the side several times a month and could end up anywhere in about a 500-700 mile radius or more from home. I was in Decatur IL last weekend, and it was COLD!

Hay Dude is spot on. READ THE OPERATOR's MANUAL. Mine comes in two parts. The truck and specific one for the Duramax diesel

I own a 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 dually with now 150K miles and its currently 6 degrees when wind chill is added. It runs as well now as it did 8 years ago and its does not get babied. Frequently pulls GCVW just under 26,000 pounds.

 

[Williy]

Never had any problems with cold weather with our
2003 Dodge 2500 5.9L diesel running 15W40 syn year
round. When ever I add fuel I also add PS white all
year round so all ways ready for that cold wind

willy

 

[Hay Dude]

Never had any problems with cold weather with our
2003 Dodge 2500 5.9L diesel running 15W40 syn year
round. When ever I add fuel I also add PS white all
year round so all ways ready for that cold wind

willy

I go back & forth with cold weather additives in truck for cold weather. Diesel is already winterized up HERE. Typical lows here at night are only in the 20’s and highs during the day are in the 30’s. Not exactly Antartica…..

I DO use biocide additives, lubricity, and cold weather additives in my tractor fuel tanks, but they are much older and worn engines that endure longer periods of sitting.

My Ram is run just about every day, so I’m not quite as concerned. I’m running through fresh fuel much more often in the Ram than the rest of the tractors and dump trucks.

It IS cheap insurance, but I have seen some diesel engine manufacturers actually discourage use of additives. Well, actually what they say is “do not use anything other than #2 low sulfur diesel”. I guess thats to keep a dolt from fueling up with 87 unleaded???? lol

 

[Williy]

My friend had a Mercedes 220D? Diesel pulls into a gas
station and the young kid filled it up with reg gas and he
the kid had to drain the tank and flush all the fuel lines.

willy