AutoSocks

KevinC wrote:Does diesel not freeze at around minus 10-15? I was concerned I'd get a diesel hire car in case it wouldn't start after being parked up for a week at the -20 that was the forecast low!

All sorts of suggestions out there such as putting a touch of petrol in the tank - try explaining that to the hire car company!

Diesel in alpine area has an additive to stop it going sludgey.

bandit wrote:
Diesel in alpine area has an additive to stop it going sludgey.

I read that, but then thought that as the policy is to pick up the car full and return full, it's not really your choice what goes in the tank that sits up in the alps. I wonder how far from the alps the additive is added?!

bandit wrote:

freezywater wrote:

bandit wrote:

freezywater wrote:

The FD at work has a 3.0 Diesel Audi A4 estate as his company car at the moment. I've half got my eye on it when he's ready to change.

much more manly, and diesels are much better in the snow than an equivalent petrol :!:

Really?

which part?

Sorry, the bit about diesels being better in the snow, than the equivalent petrol motor.

yup, the diesel will have more front end grip than the petrol, diesel engines are made from steel blocks rather than aluminium with the petrols, also the diesel will pull itself in gear with no throttle whereas a petrol will stall without any throttle

Pablo Escobar wrote:Diesel (assuming higher low end torque), would let you get in to higher gears at lower revs which I guess is good for snow? I would assume it is more to do with the person driving, if you have no grip it won't matter either way!

What a way to waste my 2000th post, if you see this Admin can you delete an old one somewhere so I get another crack? 8)

:shock: :lol:

KevinC wrote:Does diesel not freeze at around minus 10-15? I was concerned I'd get a diesel hire car in case it wouldn't start after being parked up for a week at the -20 that was the forecast low!

All sorts of suggestions out there such as putting a touch of petrol in the tank - try explaining that to the hire car company!

it's not the diesel that freezes rather than the water in the tanks and diesel that freezes which i think is called waxing(?) anyway crystallisation occurs which blocks the fuel filter causing a breakdown, of you are driving in seriously low temps, kepp the fuel tank topped up, this prevents condensation forming, don't leave a diesel for too long without running it and if its really cold run the engine for 10mins to warm the fuel pipes before starting your journey.

I remember listening to BBC Radio Berkshire when I was stuck in the snow (god they've got some awful DJ's). A few people were calling in and complaining about their diesel turbos. They were able to pull away ok but then the turbo would kick in and they'd lose traction again.

Me I just couldn't get going in the first place.

ellistine wrote:I remember listening to BBC Radio Berkshire when I was stuck in the snow (god they've got some awful DJ's). A few people were calling in and complaining about their diesel turbos. They were able to pull away ok but then the turbo would kick in and they'd lose traction again.

Me I just couldn't get going in the first place.

sounds about right for the majority of muppetts on the road these days! the turbo will kick in around 1800rpm on most TDi's so should be enough torque to play around with to get you moving below that, this weather reveals the shocking standards of driving on our roads unfortunatly :evil:

We have diesel engines in our tractors, and what we do to start them in very cold weather is warm the engine up first, with an electric heater/light bulb etc. or failing that something like a hot water bottle (just parking them in the shed and out of the wind makes a big difference). The extra heat will also help the battery. And we also use aerostart spray to help them start, in the air intake manifold (not much though because it's not good for the engine).

And I think our oil supplier automatically puts the additive in our diesel, when we buy it in for our bulk tank. We've certainly never had it freeze anyway.

Strangely enough, the tractor isn't much better on our snowy, hilly roads than my Sirion. It's very useful for towing cars stuck on the flat, but not on the hills. A 4X4 seems to be much better. And the ATV's are amazingly good in the snow - they just sort of float on it.


Edit - while I'm writing an essay on how to start diesel engines in cold weather - I'd like to add that it's very important to change the engine oil to a thinner, less viscous, winter oil, which will be much easier to pump around, and will help the engine to start.
And also, if you're really stuck and you can't put the whole vehicle in the warm, or put a heater under the bonnet, just taking the battery off and warming it up overnight (in the house or somewhere), makes a big difference.

Ally