Ok, I know it is summer and not a prob these days.

If there are any good war stories out there, I will read them.

My Coldest Start

Geographical Location: Minneapolis, MN

Temperature: 23.5 C on the dash thermometer = -10.3 F, wind chill not known

Garage: Parked in a roofed garage and steel fences for walls. The wind blows into the garage freely.

Mechanical Specs: All new parts installed during late 2003: Bosch glow plugs, Battery (standard size for the car), Glow Relay

Procedure: (essentially as the manual prescribes, perhaps with a modification, I have not read the manual in awhile.)

(1) Three preglows

(2) Step on the pedal to the floor, let the pedal up, etc... (repeat this process three times, leaving the pedal "up," not depressed at the end of this step)

(3) Maybe one more preglow

(4) Crank that key, let it crank and keep cranking, until it sounds like some gas will get it going, it's a tough call to make...

(5) Step the gas down while it keeps cranking and start her up.


It cranked for about 90 seconds before it turned over. On unsuccessful attempts, the battery just died out. I may look into running a second battery, at least for the startup, though that may not be so great for (I don't know which parts that would stress, maybe the starter?)

Obviously, a plug for the block heater is preferred, but I don't have my own garage. I know that this is a "Winter Thread," but oh well.

I don't think that I have been in weather THAT cold, but in Pennsylvania I had a similar experiences. Actually when it is that cold, kerosene is sometimes recommended to be mixed with the fuel, to keep it from gelling and helping with startup. I think I read that in the owner's manual. It is a good idea to check with the gas station first, though, to see if a cold weather additive has already been put in the fuel.

-N

yeah, I think that it is "Diesel #2" that has kerosene added.