Any of you diesel guys ever.....

[MTboatguy]

Use Starting fluid to get your rid fired up after running it out of fuel before? Most notably, the guys that live in the North like I do where it gets good and cold overnight? Even with the new batteries I purchased, I am having a heck of a time trying to get my plow truck running, this thing has an old 6.9 IDI in it and I replaced the fuel lines on it this last summer, so I know it is not sucking air from anywhere, but it just don't want to start, I have manual glow plugs on it, that I have to push a switch to activate, and I know to not use the GP's when trying the starting fluid trick, but it is down at the bottom of the driveway and I need to get it moved out of the way before the next big snowstorm, but it is cold enough and running it dry is making it a real bear to get it running again!

 

[alldodge]

I've used it on the big trucks and heavy equipment but have never needed to use it "yet" on personal truck. When starting use either I prefer to have two people and after GP's haven't work or before using GP when it's just to cold to start. I get it cranking with throttle at fast idle, and after it has cranked a few seconds, the other person sprays the either at the ait intake from 3 to 4 feet away, short burst.

The best way is to keep it plugged in with a block heater

 

[MTboatguy]

Ya, I know, I wish my block heater worked, it quit on me last winter and I never did pull the starter out last summer to replace it, in hindsight, I sure wish I did! Although where the truck is sitting right now, I don't have enough extension cords to get to it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

run an extension chord with a 100 watt trouble light put it next to the block. it will help it start. I have used ether on an old 6.2 of dads to get it to start, prime, and eventually run on its own.

heck, we used ether on many 4B's and 6B's when I worked at SkyTrak/Lull. we would stand between the tire and cab, spraying ether into the air cleaner as we reached over the dash and cranked the key. only way to move an entire fleet for plowing after a blizzard.

 

[wrench 3]

If it's a 6.9l, it's got a mechanical Stanadyne injector pump and if it was ran out of fuel, It won't restart without bleeding the injectors. You need to crack the fuel line on top of each injector and crank the engine till fuel appears, then re-tighten the line. Do this on each injector one at a time. At room temperature, they usually start up after about half of them are done and you do the rest with it running. But if it's cold, you may have to do them all and then go through your normal cold start procedure. You still may have to go through them after it's running to get it to smooth out.
If it's real cold and it still has summer fuel in it, you may have problems with fuel jelling.

 

[MTboatguy]

I have actually got it started in the past when it was ran out of fuel without doing the injector routine, and I know the fuel is winter blend, because that is the only type of fuel I have ever put in it, this truck only gets fuel put in it every couple of years, it is suppose to warm up over the next couple of days, so I am sure I will be able to get it going again. I was looking at my records yesterday and I have had this truck 5 years now and put 124 miles on it, it has not seen pavement in 5 years.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you may want to take a fuel sample to make sure you do not have biological contamination (algae)

 

[MTboatguy]

Well there is no biological debris showing in the bottom of the fuel separator that I put in it last summer and I changed out all of the fuel lines in the truck last summer, I always keep fuel system conditioner in it that is suppose to prevent algae from developing, like I said, it is going to warm up and be in the 40's today, so should be able to get er spinning fast enough to fire up.

 

[rbh]

If you are sure its just the cold affecting the starting try a portable generator and a heat gun or hair drier. take the top of the air cleaner off and point the gun into the screen over the air intake and pre heat the air charge..

And there is always the tiger torch and a couple of pieces of stove pipe trick, one straight length and a 90 degree bend, connect the pipe point the 90 degree bend at the oil pan, place the tiger torch into the straight piece-you do not want open flame anywhere that oil could drip on it.

 

[Volphin]

That unit needs to be run up to temperature more often, unless you pickle it. IMHO