WINTER PREP

marchesani73 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:13 pm **Posts:** 5

I am new to the diesel world. Bought my CRD in June 2007 (2005 CRD). Some of you may have already seen my first post "almost caught on fire". Anyway, I thought I should prepare for my next disaster.

I was wanting any advice on what I should or could do prior to winter.
What should I be adding to my fuel?
Should I be adding something to the fuel yearround?
How do you check to see if the glow plugs work?
How often should I drain the water from the fuel filter?
Anything else?

Thanks in advance for all of your help and advice.

MOSFET · **Joined:** Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:40 pm **Posts:** 295

What should I be adding to my fuel?

Any additive that improves the flow at cold temperatures (e.g., Powerservice winter, Stanadyne, etc.)

Should I be adding something to the fuel yearround?

Only helpful during the winter. Not really necessary during the summer.

How do you check to see if the glow plugs work?

If they don't, your check engine light will come on. Otherwise they work. I am speaking from experience on this one. I have had 2 go out on me, and oddly enough, it was during the summer.

How often should I drain the water from the fuel filter?

Probably never necessary, unless you get some really bad fuel.

UFO · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:30 pm

A minimum of 2% biodiesel is the best insurance against the low lubricity of ULSD.

CRDburnouts · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:48 pm

I went to the thinner 0-w40 to counteract the cold temps...

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:09 pm

All I have done through two winters is plug it in most nights when it drops below 10 degrees. If you are in a cold climate and you have lost your fuel filter heater that might be an issue.

BiodieselJeep.com · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:03 pm

Hmm, I believe it was me that advised you to unplug the fuel heater in the fuel filter head (the source of the almost-fire).

Since I told you to unplug it, I should be (one of) the one remind you to plug in the fuel heater if it starts to get cold Cold as in below 30 F. HOWEVER, if you do, you really should purge out air from the filter head on a regular basis. Me, I'd do it weekly, depending on how much air I find in there. Some guys here pump out air EVERY DAY.

You didn't say where you are from. Remember that diesel sold at pumps is winter-treated. Additives are great, but most places in the us should adjust their diesel to the temps. If you are somplace extreme (Oh yeah, from Fargo?) additives would be a must. I'm in central CT and the coldest it got last year was 10 or so, and it always satrted up without additives. Correction, had up to 50% Biodiesel...which is actually WORSE in the winter than bio.

Also, check your tires. The originals are crud, and if they are still on there, you'll definitely need new ones. My neighbor just LAUGHED at me because I told him I had to buy new tires.
Him "But that Jeep is only 3 years old"
Me"Uh, actually two"
Him "Ha hahahaha"

BBB · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:36 pm

If you live in the northern latitudes you will want to find your 120 volt engine block heater cord and route it towards the front of the engine bay. We brought ours out under the bumper and let the plud hang down a few inches to show off our bling. This spot keeps the plug dry which will trip out any GFI breaker if it does gets wet. We plug it in even when the temps reach 40 F. That way we have instant heat in the cab in the morning...Ahhhh. To save on electricity, we rigged a simple $30 water heater/ lighting time clock to come on around 3 am in the morning which gives the block about 4-5 hours to heat up nicely. Using the block heater during sub freezing temps will extend the life of your engine.

It's a bit of a pain to remember and yes she does drive off with it still connected at times :shock:

but no damage occurs because I have the plug wire tywrapped to the plastic bumper grill and the plug usually yanks from the front as she is backing out. Many ambulance squads have special break-away 120 vac plugs for this very reason.

The other thing new diesel owners need to remember is to wait until the glow plug light goes out on the dash before the key is turned all the way to the start position. It looks like a red lightning bolt and it takes about 5 seconds to go out. She still forgets at times :roll:

don't know what this will do to the glow plug life but at least the block is warm. I like the old fashion "Wait to Start" light because it told you to do just that. Ether starting fluid use is a no no due to the high compression ratio of the engine. Too much and boom boom out go the lights.

Kniggit · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:34 pm

My glow plug light looks like an electrical schematic drawing for a light bulb, a couple curly cues in a row. Look it up in your Manual if you are not familiar with it. I've never ever seen it on for more than 3 seconds even when it was -5 f with the Jeep dead cold and not plugged in.

K

retmil46 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:51 pm

Several wise mechanics I've talked with always change their fuel filters on a yearly basis, just prior to the onset of winter, regardless of mileage. If you bought the vehicle used and don't know how many miles are on the present filter, might not be a bad idea to go ahead and swap it out. Better now when it's convenient than on a cold winter's night because you have to. Also pretty much takes care of the question regarding any water present in the filter.

And don't forget the normal dummy checks with any vehicle - test the antifreeze to make sure it's still good, deicer/washer fluid in the reservoir and topped off, wipers in good shape, heater and defrost work with good heat, ice scraper in the glovebox, etc.

Johnboy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:00 pm

I keep a drop cord under the seat for unexpected overnights away from home. Pretty sure all KJ CRD's hace 2 second ceramic glow plugs, but my dash light is a small round red circle in the lower left side of the instument panel. In Iowa, it is hard to find anything except No. 2 diesel after November. it actually makes some guys (usuyally OTR truckers) mad because of the cost. If they are headed south from Iowa they dont need it.

I had been wondering what was a good threshold to plug her in, the above suggested 40F sounds good. Anyone know of a reason not to plug them in above some specific temp?

Kniggit · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:12 pm

That small red circle smaller than a pencil is the sentry key indicator if i remember right. I never saw mine until it was really cold and we left it unplugged. it blinks so fast you have to know which one it is if its above freezing. So thats two people looking at the wrong light so far.

K

Johnboy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:21 pm

well hopefully I at least got the 2 second ceramic glow plug part right :oops:

have not owned it through a winter so maybe I would have figured it out. I wonder how much time of my life I have wasted this summer waiting for that dam little red light to go off....seemed right, only takes about 2 seconds :oops:

proly dont need to wait for glow plugs in the summer either, but I thought the light meant wait to start like the cummins..

nix · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:59 am

This will be my first winter with a diesel of my own. I live in Dallas, Texas so.. it doesn't get too cold here. It will dip down near or just below freezing but that's about it. I've been looking for the "wait to start" light on my display since I bought it 5 or 6 months ago.. and have never seen it. I guess it stays lit longer when it's cold?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:04 pm

you don't really have a 'wait to start' light - it's a lighted coil - it stays on while the glow plugs are heating - down in Austin - glow plugs heat up faster than I can turn the key - it is longer when it gets cold, but still only about 10-15 seconds at most.

nix · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:24 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

you don't really have a 'wait to start' light - it's a lighted coil

Exactly. I thought "wait to start light" made more sense than "little squigglies" light. :lol:

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:36 pm

We had a cold night last night, 35 degrees and 37 when I left for work this morning. On my ScanGaugeII my coolant temp was up to 140 degrees in less than a mile after startup and up to 168 degrees in less than 2 miles. As long as it starts the CRD doesn't take much to warm up.

When it get colder I will check and see how much difference the heater makes below 20 degrees ina similar test.

BiodieselJeep.com · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:46 pm

Never plugged in the CRD (but I do plug in the CRD Jetta). But it only got below 10F a couple f nights here, and the Jep usually doesn't have to roll until 9 am. Winter Diesel and biodiesel start right up.

Concerning the plug-in for "instant heat": Our CRD has a "viscous" heater that works as instantly as you can hope for...it does not require heat from the engine coolant to warm up the cabin. So you do not have to plug the CRD in overnight to have a fast-warming cabin. This type of heateer does cost you more in energy wasted...but it sure is worth it! Diesel heat up so slowly that they had to put it in. If I don't plug in my TDI Jetta, it can take the whoel 20 min ride to work before the cabin will even get close to warm.

Hoisted by my effiecent-diesel petard!

BBB · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:55 pm

Cool , I mean Hot.... Is this the viscous heater we have in our CRD's?

Denso heats up diesels..... http://www.sae.org/automag/techbriefs/0 ... techb3.htm (has the pictures showing the VM engine)

The pump (blue) in Denso's viscous heater is driven by the engine's serpentine accessory drive belt.
Heat is the primary waste produced by inefficient internal-combustion engines. Emerging high-efficiency engines such as the direct-injected diesels demonstrated in the project cars of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) waste less energy in the form of excess heat. In cold weather, engine heat doesn't all go to waste, providing heat to warm the vehicle's interior and to defrost windows. However, in very cold weather, diesel engines cannot produce enough heat to keep an interior warm, so automakers are looking for alternative heat sources.

The inlet hose (green) carries coolant from the engine into the pump's housing, where it is heated by churning silicon fluid. The outlet hose (red) takes the warmed engine coolant to the heater core.
Heat pumps that use the vehicle's air-conditioning system do not work well at low temperatures, and the use of electric resistive heating elements are no better, according to Jeep. Electric heaters are likely to be used at the same time as other high-current systems, such as the rear defroster and headlights, and the combined current draw of such systems can overload conventional 14-V electrical systems.

A viscous heater developed by Denso, driven by the engine accessory belt, is an innovative heat source for cool-running new cars. The Jeep Liberty employs a viscous heater for supplemental heat in overseas models equipped with a direct-injection diesel, 2.5-L, four-cylinder engine. Toyota also uses the system in its diesel Land Cruiser, and Ford is expected to employ it in an upcoming diesel-powered model. When in use, the viscous heater draws about 1600 W from the engine at 1300 rpm.

The heater pump uses a common clutched pulley (red), such as those used for air-conditioning compressors, to engage and disengage the pump as needed to warm the vehicle's interior.
The viscous heater is a pump that churns a silicon gel to generate heat through friction. The heater warms the engine coolant as it passes through the pump's housing en route to the heater core. The pump is driven by the engine's serpentine accessory drive belt and engages via a standard air-conditioning compressor clutch. It turns on when the air temperature is below freezing and the engine is below its operating temperature. Once up to temperature, the pump disengages, letting the engine provide heat. But even a running diesel can cool off too much, such as when idling at a traffic light, so the heater will reengage if the coolant temperature drops.

- Dan Carney

Another post from a Jeep Forum may have some merit:
Supplemental Heater

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For those of you thinking of buying a CRD if you live where it gets cold you will appreciate the belt driven heater which they have included.
Strange thing is, if you live where it gets warm in the summer months you may think its a bit of a curse.

The reason is that it runs constantly - at least thats what the local stealership tells me.
The only time it stops running is when the AC is on, but even then it will cycle between the AC and Heater.

So in the summer you're libby is going to battle against itself - one half of the pulley system trying to cool you down while the other half is trying to heat you up!
Crazy eh!
Thats probably why the US spec CRD's are coming with an extra fan to help improve AC performance.

Anybody come across a CRD service manual yet? I was thinking it must be possible to put an over ride switch in to cut out the heater if its not required?

flash7210 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:07 pm

Whoa!
Where is this thing and how do I disable it!
I live in FL!

BBB · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:12 pm

Link to the SAE site and they have a diagram of it. I'm traveling so I cant verify if we have one or not on our CRD. Don't know if the Jeep Forum post quote is right about it running all the time as the SAE site says it's clutch controlled.

WINTER PREP

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