New Diesel Owner - Remote Locale + Cold Weather

E

Exeter

Member
Hey all - as the title states, I am a new diesel owner with a Cummins in my 2017 RAM 2500. I pick up my Four Wheel Camper next week and am looking forward to getting out and about. The biggest question I have is regards to remote cold weather camping with a diesel engine. If I am out in the sticks with temperatures in the single digits to below freezing (Fahrenheit), should I have any concerns in getting the truck started? The truck is equipped with a block heater, but I would not have a location to plug that in if I am out remote. Curious what recommendations owners of diesel engines may have for remote winter camping in colder temperatures? Always had a gasser and never had to worry about it, so I appreciate it!

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Also, I keep seeing sites say when jumping a dual battery diesel engine to place one of the terminals on a ground, but not the black terminal on the battery. I have always jumped vehicles with red on positive and black on the negative terminal for all batteries in the jump. Is that incorrect?

Sorry the new guy questions!
 
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Explorerinil

Explorerinil

Observer
I have had 7 cummins trucks, I have never plugged them in. When temps dip below 32 degrees I run antigell and 5w40 rotella (Your manual states to run 5w40 in cold temps). Lest year during the polar vortex it got to minus 21 degrees, my truck stated each morning, fords at work did not. I’m sure the grid heater design in the cummins is better than glow plugs.
 
dreadlocks

dreadlocks

Well-known member
you can put a webasto/espar style diesel water heater up to the oil cooler coolant lines and you can get warm starts w/out the need for an electrical hookup.. its not cheap tho, but having defrost instantly is very nice.

You are jumping wrong, grounding it to engine is a better path to the starter than the negative battery terminal, minimizes voltage drop.. and its safer.
 
F

fisher205

Explorer
You can also carry a generator to plug the block heater into. My cummins never liked to start below 0. I did get my Ford 7.3 to start once at -17. Not sure how but it did, but rather reluctantly. After that I started carrying the generator.
 
chet6.7

chet6.7

Explorer
If you can afford it an Espar or Webasto would be nice,the engine would start easier and you would have heat quickly.
I think the block heater is around 650 to 750 watts,so a small generator could be used.Running winter diesel for your area is recommended.
I carry a bottle of Power Service Diesel 911
"For use with already gelled lines Keep for emergency use in cold weather. Flash point: 65"
I have never had to use it but I have it if needed.
Some folks use Diesel Kleen,Sliver bottle for summer,White bottle for winter.Some say the additives are snake oil,my engine is quieter when I use it.
The info below is about the White bottle.
"Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost
Prevents fuel gelling in temperatures as low as - 40°F
Equals performance of a 50/50 blend of No. 2 and No. 1 diesel fuels.
Lowers Cold-Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) as much as 36°F. Keeps fuel-filters from plugging."
 
HayStax

HayStax

Member
Put new batteries in and you’re gonna be fine. I like CAT batteries in all my stuff. New trucks start fine until the weather is stupid cold. Don’t run bio blend, we use Power Service fuel additive and be very careful where you buy fuel when traveling

You’re gonna freeze in the FWC before the weather will affect that truck
 
ttengineer

ttengineer

Adventurer
I’ve never had an issue starting my 3500 in the cold. Granted I live in the Atlanta and below zero temperatures are extremely rare. They have happened though. However, it often dips in to the 20s with windchills in the single digits and the Cummins rarely has to preheat with the grid heater. Mine usually starts right up as soon as I press start.

The only time I’ve had an issue is when my original batteries were at the end of their life cycle, usually 3-5 years in the south. A new set fixed it right up.

It should be noted that batteries subjected to hot summers and cold winters die faster than those in more mild climates. Particularly the east coasts humidity paired with hot summers and cold winters will kill a battery quicker than average.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
T

Tudor Tanase

Member
New diesels with working glow plugs and decent battery start fine, provided you use winter diesel, additives or up to 10% gas mixed with the diesel in the tank (That’s for old diesels; trucks accepted up to 1:1 summer diesel with kero mix, and that’s according to the owner’s manual. Not sure about new diesels where I’d stick with additives or really low % gas or kero). In extreme cold using a torch (diesel soaked rag on a piece of wire) and letting the engine suck in the flame and hot air via the intake manifold while cranking (after obviously disconnecting air filter, and with occasionally removing the flame to allow some fresh air in) does wonders and is MUCH gentler than start spray (ether) which can break rings and crack pistons. It actually does exactly what older factory installed “flame start” systems did.

This is what you essentially replicate:
 
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C

crazysccrmd

Observer
ttengineer said:
I’ve never had an issue starting my 3500 in the cold. Granted I live in the Atlanta and below zero temperatures are extremely rare. They have happened though. However, it often dips in to the 20s with windchills in the single digits and the Cummins rarely has to preheat with the grid heater. Mine usually starts right up as soon as I press start.

The only time I’ve had an issue is when my original batteries were at the end of their life cycle, usually 3-5 years in the south. A new set fixed it right up.

It should be noted that batteries subjected to hot summers and cold winters die faster than those in more mild climates. Particularly the east coasts humidity paired with hot summers and cold winters will kill a battery quicker than average.
Click to expand...

Just bear in mind that wind chill has zero effect on a truck, it cannot get colder than the actual ambient air temperature.
 
HayStax

HayStax

Member
Man you are getting some crazy advice here!

Read your owners manual or Diesel engine supplement. Do what it says! Don’t try any gimmicks!

I’m not sure very many people have actually operated vehicles or equipment in really cold weather. It’s -6F here at my house this morning and it’s not uncommon to have -30F in the winter. We plug in all the equipment we need to operate under those conditions. Most have cardboard blocking part of radiator, auxiliary transmission and hydraulic tank heaters, air line alcohol injectors, and carry 911 and propane torch for emergencies. These are tractors and various trucks, some guys have fuel tank heat wraps on as well. Old equipment had pony motors that heated main engine and provided cranking power, they were able to get things going no matter what!

I can’t remember the last time one of our pickups had a cold related issue besides poor batteries or glow plug type issues in the 7.3s. I’m a Ford guy but lots of Dodge Cummins around the neighborhood. No one has trouble with the newer ones, don’t even worry about it!

Always run winter blend from good source and power service with each fill up. Run lighter synthetic engine oil if you must. Again, I don’t think you are tough enough to survive long enough in cold enough weather to affect that truck in a FWC camper. You will be out of propane long before the truck is the issue to worry about
 
E

Exeter

Member
Appreciate the replies all! Thank you! I will go ahead and get some of the diesel 911 so I have it in the event I need it, but otherwise will follow the feedback received. Not sure what winter diesel looks like here in central Texas, but I will dig more into that. Thank you all again!
 
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