With the establishment of subzero temperatures, many owners of diesel cars are faced with the problem of “cold” starting of power units. Most often, difficulties arise in the morning for those drivers whose cars “spent the night” in the cold. The general recommendation for such motorists is as follows – check the condition of the battery and spark plugs, and also make sure that the tank is filled with “winter” diesel fuel. It is no secret that summer diesel fuel, which includes paraffin, crystallizes in frosts, and diesel fuel turns into a kind of “jelly” that clogs filters, pipelines and a high-pressure pump. You may need to get the 7.3 ICP Sensor replaced in your vehicle if needed.
What to do if diesel is frozen
If you find a problem in the garage or the car is close to an electrical outlet, then it makes sense to use a steam generator or even a regular hair dryer. They can be used to warm up the fuel filter, which is usually the main reason that frozen fuel does not enter the engine. Your task is to heat the filter, thereby melting the paraffins that block the fuel supply. Another option is also possible – simply replace the fuel filter. Hence – good advice to owners of diesel cars – carry a spare filter element with you, it can seriously help in such a situation.
Has the situation gotten off the ground? In this case, it is worth pouring the so-called antigel into the fuel tank. After that, you need to pump the fuel with a manual pump, if available. On the Internet, you can also read the following, in our opinion, dubious advice, add a little kerosene or gasoline to the tank with frozen diesel fuel. Such a brutal recipe is suitable, probably, in the case of unpretentious trucks, but experimenting with the turbo engines of modern cars in this way is hardly worth it.
Failed in this case too? Alternatively, now you can use the “Car Warming Up” service. There are a large number of offices, whose specialists will come upon your call with their equipment. The list of their services also includes charging the battery, calcining flooded glow plugs, removing fuel from combustion chambers, warming up the exhaust system, warming doors after washing, and computer diagnostics of the engine.
Also read: How to Avoid a Boat or Speedboat Accident
How to eliminate problems with starting a diesel engine in winter
An effective measure to maintain the combat readiness of your diesel engine (especially in the northern regions of the country) is the fuel heating system. We are talking primarily about special heaters that can be integrated into the vehicle’s fuel system independently (undesirable) or at service stations (preferred).
Another option is to install an engine preheater on the machine. Different types of preheaters can operate on both fuel and electricity. Liquid (gasoline, diesel) heaters are equipped with their own combustion chamber, fuel pump, water pump. Some also have a remote start system and a heater fan control unit. As a rule, the heater is built into the cooling system between the stove radiator and the engine cooling jacket; the electric pump provides forced circulation of the coolant.
