Cold weather questions.

MooseMeat · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:44 am

I have a 2006 Liberty CRD and have a couple of questions.

I drove tractor trailer OTR for a while and the company that I drove for never installed cold weather grill inserts or any other cold weather grill cover. Are these really needed? What are the pros & cons of them?

And also was wondering about fuel additives for the CRD. Weather gets into the sub 0’s here in WI was planning using something but not sure what to use. What are you using in yours?

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:28 am

MooseMeat wrote:

I have a 2006 Liberty CRD and have a couple of questions.

I drove tractor trailer OTR for a while and the company that I drove for never installed cold weather grill inserts or any other cold weather grill cover. Are these really needed? What are the pros & cons of them?

And also was wondering about fuel additives for the CRD. Weather gets into the sub 0’s here in WI was planning using something but not sure what to use. What are you using in yours?

The Grill inserts are nice and can help a lot, howqever you need to be careful and always watch the temp gage tto make sure you don't over heat. My guess is you never would under normal winter driving, but all it would take is a sudden warm up or you drove south and forgot to remove them. If I was driviing I would use them, with wife driving, not only no, but heck no.

As for the fuel conditioner I would use something like Power Service in the white bottle every tank in the winter. Several reasons for that, help prevent gelling, raise cetane level (engine was designed for 50 cetane fuel, not 42 cetane) and to make sure the fuel pump and injectors are lubed proper durring the ULSD diesel switch over and because winter fuel that far north may be #1 diesel or a heavy % of #1 fuel and that stuff is rough on fuel pumps and injectors.

The reason I said PowerService is that is what I use due to it's availability at Wal-Mart stores and every truck stop I have been in for the last 10 years.

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:52 am

oldnavy wrote:

As for the fuel conditioner I would use something like Power Service in the white bottle every tank in the winter. Several reasons for that, help prevent gelling, raise cetane level (engine was designed for 50 cetane fuel, not 42 cetane) and to make sure the fuel pump and injectors are lubed proper durring the ULSD diesel switch over and because winter fuel that far north may be #1 diesel or a heavy % of #1 fuel and that stuff is rough on fuel pumps and injectors.

The reason I said PowerService is that is what I use due to it's availability at Wal-Mart stores and every truck stop I have been in for the last 10 years.

Hmmm, out of curiousity, does Power Service (or similar) have the same effect on Bio (i.e. jelling prevention, etc)? I'd like to continue to run B20w/ULSD through the winter, but am worred that jelling might occur in Jan/Feb even at that mix. Once is enough to know I don't want that to happen again.

Dan

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:15 pm

dgeist wrote:

oldnavy wrote:

As for the fuel conditioner I would use something like Power Service in the white bottle every tank in the winter. Several reasons for that, help prevent gelling, raise cetane level (engine was designed for 50 cetane fuel, not 42 cetane) and to make sure the fuel pump and injectors are lubed proper durring the ULSD diesel switch over and because winter fuel that far north may be #1 diesel or a heavy % of #1 fuel and that stuff is rough on fuel pumps and injectors.

The reason I said PowerService is that is what I use due to it's availability at Wal-Mart stores and every truck stop I have been in for the last 10 years.

Hmmm, out of curiousity, does Power Service (or similar) have the same effect on Bio (i.e. jelling prevention, etc)? I'd like to continue to run B20w/ULSD through the winter, but am worred that jelling might occur in Jan/Feb even at that mix. Once is enough to know I don't want that to happen again.

Dan

Power Service says the White bottle works with up to B20/ULSD fuel, but they also have other products. Check out the link and see if they have what fits your needs.

MooseMeat · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:06 pm

Wouldn't you know it in this hole in the wall I live in I can only get the 32oz or 96oz sizes.

I hate living in small town sometimes.

Ripster · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:30 pm

Just made a run with 4 grill inserts on, the center three open, from the Upper Peninsula, now in Ohio, still snow in the air, 20-30s and runs like a top, I will only put more when it drops below zero and will leave the center open. As far as additives, filled up with ultra low sulfer with b20 at Meyers in Ann Arbor and then B5 in Finlay Ohio, added a new product Cold Flow from AmzOil and
their new additive for the Ultra Low Diesel. Along with the oil changes that are taking place for the Ultra Low Sulfur many suppliers including Stanadyne are changing formulas for thier additives.
Some use them, some don't. For me they are insurance in cold weather and protection against the fuel haulers that can't tell me what they are hauling. 27-28 across the UP. 25 mpg at 70, 24
in all wheel during snow and ice around Gaylord. Better heat than any TDI I owned, but not the 40 plus for mileage. This unit was made for freeway runs. It loves 70 and above.

onthehunt · **Posted:** Fri Nov 03, 2006 3:03 am

I have found that if you just idle at anything around 0 degrees with the heat on full blast you can drop the engine temp almost to cold. Start moving and it's right back up there. I would consider a winter front a waste of money unless you get the summer front with it. This thing catches an amazing amount of bugs. Most modern diesels do not need them and some are harmful.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:55 am

Did someone say bugs??? Here is my fix for bugs and general FOD to the CRD and it works great.

dI used oor/widow screen, cost less then $5, and took about an hour to install.

KenJennings · **Posted:** Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:05 am

onthehunt wrote:

I have found that if you just idle at anything around 0 degrees with the heat on full blast you can drop the engine temp almost to cold. Start moving and it's right back up there. I would consider a winter front a waste of money unless you get the summer front with it. This thing catches an amazing amount of bugs. Most modern diesels do not need them and some are harmful.

I popped the hood the other day and there were a dozen dead dragon flies in the engine compartment -- in weird places, not just the grill.

Cowpie1 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:10 pm

Regarding fuel additives:

I will probably start a war, but, one product that I have used for about 20 years (including year round in Alaska) is Howes. It is usually only available at truck stops or farm/fleet type stores. I have found it to be a better product at handling water and gelling. This product has been around far longer than Power Service. It is superior at lubricating the fuel system. I have always experienced lower exhaust particulates when using it. It is comparible in price to PS. 3 million truckers can't be wrong! (or can they?)

They have the normal product called Lubricator, or the other product called Meaner Power Kleaner. A lot of fleets use the Lubricator for their year round bulk fuel needs. It raises cetane, controls water contamination, and adds lubricity.

I have NEVER had a fuel problem nor heard of anyone having a problem using this product from -70F to +130F. I have never had a gell up or water problem in 20+ years. My injectors have gone longer than the average before replacement on various semis I have operated. I had only 2 replaced on my last semi in 1.4 million miles. This is hardly a statistical case study but it has sold me on the product over the years.

Power Service is a good product. I will not dispute that. But if some of you are looking into one of the best products available to the general public, it would have to be Howes.

Marlon_JBT · **Posted:** Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:22 pm

Off topic a bit...

but I used my block heater last night... wow, what a difference! started up like it was 70 or so degrees!

Ripster · **Posted:** Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:58 pm

Cowpie1 what about Stanadyne, it has been around a very long time also. I have tried several and have never
had a problem, and I never want to either. Cold weather walking or having to wait for a tow truck is not in
my book of ways to spend my time.

Cowpie1 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:39 pm

Ripster wrote:

Cowpie1 what about Stanadyne, it has been around a very long time also. I have tried several and have never
had a problem, and I never want to either. Cold weather walking or having to wait for a tow truck is not in
my book of ways to spend my time.

Never have used it. It is so rare to find in the truck stops. Howes and PS are everywhere. I usually pick up Howes at the TS since I have to fuel Semi several times a week.

jeep06 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 04, 2006 10:07 pm

I have used Howes and Stanadyne for years in my Dodge/Cummins trucks,,,, they are tops in my book, but PS is a great product too. Any good additive is better than nothing anymore the way the fuel is, around here anyway.

Cold weather questions.

Who is online