Cold start behavior

pwrwagn · **Joined:** Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:40 am **Posts:** 192

How common is it for upon cold start to miss for a few seconds after starting?

Also, I've noticed that once you start up, idle for a minute, and drive off, that by the time I get out of my neighborhood, and start down the street, it tends to blow a lot of steam... and a little blue trails for about 2 miles.

I know what blue normally means in a diesel, but in this case, I have no familiarity with this engine.

The thing about it is, that upon start it should smoke and then quit, if it's cold cylinders causing the smoke. This doesn't until you've taken off down the road just a little. And then it goes away and it pretty much doesn't ever smoke any other time that I can see in the mirror.

CRD05il · **Posted:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 2:42 pm

When it's as cold as it is now I have a cloud of white smoke when I start it up. I plug it in when it cold I also haved a timer for about 3hr before I go to work.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:01 pm

Ideally if temps are down to say 25F or below plug the block heater in on a timer set to come on 2-3 hrs before start up. If that's not possible a rough start is going to occur especially in early cold months if you haven't recently filled up with "winter" diesel. Also if it gets really cold, say below 20F, it's a decent idea to cycle the key on for 5-10 seconds a couple or three times to cycle the glow plugs before attempting to start. Once running let it idle, maybe holding a "high" idle ca. 1,200 rpms, for say 30 seconds before driving off and take it easy, under 35mph, until the temp gauge shows signs of life at which point your oil and tranny fluids should have started to warm up.

On cold starts with or without the block heater a bit of white/light blue smoke for the first mile or so is not unusual.

NOTE on cold weather starts the transmission will not shift into like 5th until the tranny fluid reaches an acceptable temperature.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

This engine tends to misfire a bit during the warmup and comes out the tailpipe as hydrocarbon (bluish smoke). Once the catalyst heats up it will convert the HC and bluish tinge will stop.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:03 pm

How warm will the block heater get the engine. I had it plugged it the other night for ~2hrs and it just barely reached the first indicator on the temp gauge. I did test it and it was drawing 385 watts when plugged in.

pwrwagn · **Joined:** Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:40 am **Posts:** 192

Well, this thing starts like crap. As in 10 seconds + to start when its cold. And after it sits a while ( hours) it fires on one or two cylinders and then picks up.

But there's no smoke when it does that, so I'm not sure exactly what to think. If it were low compression and/or bad fuel injection, it would pump out a bunch of blue or blue/white smoke.

Hexus · **Posted:** Wed Nov 13, 2013 7:48 am

mass-hole wrote:

How warm will the block heater get the engine. I had it plugged it the other night for ~2hrs and it just barely reached the first indicator on the temp gauge. I did test it and it was drawing 385 watts when plugged in.

That's normal and plenty warm to start with.

pwrwagn wrote:

Well, this thing starts like crap. As in 10 seconds + to start when its cold. And after it sits a while ( hours) it fires on one or two cylinders and then picks up.

But there's no smoke when it does that, so I'm not sure exactly what to think. If it were low compression and/or bad fuel injection, it would pump out a bunch of blue or blue/white smoke.

Why aren't you using the block heater? It's there for a reason and if it's cold enough your engine is going to have a very tough time of things.

This isn't a gas engine, and you cannot treat it as such. Well you can if you like replacing the parts in your engine.

Do you still have the original (7+) year old glow plugs?

What kind of winter treatment are you putting in your fuel?

A little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 13, 2013 10:10 am

Just an observation for folks asking questions about cold start issues. It would be helpful for those of us who might respond to know:
1. what do you mean by cold? For me cold is say 15-20F which is quite different from those who are trying to start at well below 0F.
2. is the vehicle garaged (heated or not)?
3. are you making use of the block heater when whatever issue you have occurs?
4. has your local switched to "winter" diesel and if you don't know are you using some sort of "winter" diesel treatment?
5. what glow plugs do you have (OEM ceramic 7v, OEM replacement metal 5v, or Etecno1 metal 7v) and are you just turning the key on and trying to start as soon as the glow plug light goes out or do you cycle the key 2-3 times to cycle the glow plugs.
I'm assuming of course that there is no glow plug CEL on.
6. where are you located as there may be a forum member nearby that can help.

Some such basic information will help focus our, hopefully helpful, assistance.

pwrwagn · **Joined:** Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:40 am **Posts:** 192

papaindigo wrote:

Just an observation for folks asking questions about cold start issues. It would be helpful for those of us who might respond to know:
1. what do you mean by cold? For me cold is say 15-20F which is quite different from those who are trying to start at well below 0F.

20F

Quote:

2. is the vehicle garaged (heated or not)?

No.

Quote:

3. are you making use of the block heater when whatever issue you have occurs?

I don't think mine works.

Quote:

4. has your local switched to "winter" diesel and if you don't know are you using some sort of "winter" diesel treatment?

I use Stanadyne fuel conditioner. It's one of the best there is, it improves cold start, fuel economy, cleans, lubricates, anti-gel, cetane improver, and helps keep the water from getting into the system. I'm sure they are winter fuel. It's Chicago, which does get cold.

Quote:

5. what glow plugs do you have (OEM ceramic 7v, OEM replacement metal 5v, or Etecno1 metal 7v) and are you just turning the key on and trying to start as soon as the glow plug light goes out or do you cycle the key 2-3 times to cycle the glow plugs.

I have the steel 7 volt GP's. The originals were toast.

Quote:

I'm assuming of course that there is no glow plug CEL on.

My CEL is non functional. I do get a glow plug light for a few seconds at startup.

Quote:

6. where are you located as there may be a forum member nearby that can help.

Chicagoland.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:45 pm

Thoughts then:
1. 20F is low enough to make mine (OEM ceramic 7v - soon to be replaced) a small bit unhappy cranking and initially running if I don't use the block heater. That's with no fuel treatment and I have no clue about "winter" diesel; Tally is far enough north to get into the 20s and occasional upper teens F but not often.
2. others that know more about electrics than I do probably should weigh in but I strongly suspect the block heater is much like a electric hot water heater element. If so it's easy to check for function. With a multi-meter just check for continuity at the power plug end; if you have continuity it's ok. Alternatively the "use" check is to leave it unplugged one AM at temp X then crank up and drive keeping track of how long it takes for the temp gauge to register at all then repeat the next day at about the same temp but with the heater plugged in at least 2 hrs before start. If the block heater is working there will be a VERY noticeable reduction in the amount of time the temp gauge takes to register.
3. a non-functional CEL is not a good thing (taped/painted over or just doesn't light - if the latter a $2 LED and a bit of solder can fix that; I can send instructions if you email me). That said if the glow plug light comes on I assume they are working but might need a couple of key on/off cycles before starting.

CRD05il · **Posted:** Wed Nov 13, 2013 4:53 pm

I am by you if you want to stop by I can help you. I will be doing a timing belt on a friends CRD. You can just PM me and I can give you my phone number.

Cold start behavior

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