Warm Intake Air

Steve_in_Ont · Feb 2, 2002

During cold weather operations, something that I have seen on-highway trucks do (especially snowplow trucks) is redivert the intake air system such that air is taken from under the hood. I believe that the snowplow folks call this device a "snow valve". It seems to serve two purposes:

1. Keep snow from plugging an exterior air intake (not uncommon with the amount of snow blowing around the front of a plow truck)

2. Increase the intake air temperature for improved combustion (excessive cold air intake temp. leads to white smoke production)

Anybody try this trick with a tractor? I could easily remove an air intake hose from upstream of my TC21D's air cleaner and get the same benefits... I'm just uncertain if I really need to...

Thomas · Feb 3, 2002

IH six wheeler dump trucks when plowing if one didn't turn the air scoop the engine area would become snow pack and iced up,and most of the time the truck would quit,and had to be thaw out.
Far as a tractor..is there really a need since your not traveling fast or are you looking for more heat.

Anonymous Poster · Feb 14, 2002

Cold air is denser than warm air and engines run best on dense air. The heat that you need on a diesel engine is internal.

Steve_in_Ont · Feb 14, 2002

Art - Your cold/dense statement is correct... Up to an extreme. At some point (it varies) the intake air is so cold that it inhibits the ability for the heat of compression (what a diesel engine is all about) to fully fire the fuel. This condition is what produces the "white smoke at start up" condition that's not uncommon.