Off grid cold starts with Ford 7.3 IDI (forced air option?)

[eblau]

Good batteries, good cables, good glow plugs and wiring, monster GP relay and nice clean connections and it should be starting with ease well into the teens. Don't forget about eliminating any source for air to enter the fuel system also like return lines, injector caps etc. Don't need any anti gel, additives, pre heaters etc. just regular maintenance.

 

[1stDeuce]

You might try replacing/upgrading the factory battery cables too. My buddy's '96 Ford was always slow to turn over, and hence really tough to start if it wasn't plugged in to warm up. Turns out time had taken a toll on the cables, resulting in higher than normal resistance, and low voltage to the starter. After replacing the cables with some new ones that we made from 2ga copper welding cable, the truck whips right over and fires up without being plugged in. Granted that was at 5000', not 9000, but you still shouldn't be worried your truck won't start if it's above 10F or so. Something is just not right.

Emergency starting idea... My old deuce and a half had a flame heater, which basically lit a small fire in the intake pipe. It worked great to get the truck going in the cold without any pre-heating, as it didn't have a block heater or glow plugs. I've used a propane torch to the same effect a time or two in other tired diesels. Having the engine pull in warmed air seems to greatly aid starting, assuming it's rolling over fast enough...

Good luck!!

 

[1stDeuce]

To those of you recommending or not recommending anti-gel, know that you have no idea what you're actually getting at pumps here in the Wild Wild West... I've seen "winter blend" that gelled at 15F. I've seen stations that don't even offer winter blend where they certainly should based on local temps. Using a bit of anti-gel here is ALWAYS a good idea. I do not like to use Diesel 911, as it's mostly alcohol, and will also run any water in the system right through your injectors. Probably fine for an old IDI, but that's hell on anything with common rail injectors.

 

[Chorky]

To those of you recommending or not recommending anti-gel, know that you have no idea what you're actually getting at pumps here in the Wild Wild West... I've seen "winter blend" that gelled at 15F. I've seen stations that don't even offer winter blend where they certainly should based on local temps. Using a bit of anti-gel here is ALWAYS a good idea. I do not like to use Diesel 911, as it's mostly alcohol, and will also run any water in the system right through your injectors. Probably fine for an old IDI, but that's hell on anything with common rail injectors.

Truer words couldn't have been said. IdaSHO is correct in that using a proper winter blend is best; however, over the last month I have found more than 80% of the fuel stations (yes even for big rigs) in my area that I have visited and called couldn't even say what fuel they carried, or what blend. In all cases, the 'stickers' on the pump never changed, and often times seemed to not reflect the actual fuel being pumped. Thus far, one single station I have been to had a true 50/50 blend, and the price reflected as such, while other locations that supposedly had blends, and even #1 had the same sale price. But, it would seem, simply using a anti-gel (I use ColdFlow) is probably the safest route to go since few people seem to know or care what products they sell anymore.

 

[arveetek]

Regarding fuel gelling: Here in SW Missouri, you never know what blend of diesel they are actually running at the pumps. Supposedly good down to 10 below zero. However, in the past 20 years, I've gelled up 3 times in temps in the single digits. As a result, I now ALWAYS use anti-gel in the winter months. Winter fuel may be more reliable in northern climates, but I no longer take the chance here in the midwest.

Casey