Any trouble with Winter diesel starting?

[Surf44]

Im wanting to get a mini bus 7.3l or 6.6l also been looking at shorter bus with a 03 dt466. I have been researching them and came to the conclusion that these are probably the best diesels you can get (not including cummins). I have been pretty sold on getting one and have just been searching for the right one or just one for sale. But hit a wall the other day when thinking of trying to start one of these engines in the winter up in the mountains with no plug in.

Does anybody have some experience with starting these engines with no plug in in really cold weather, I would be spending most winters in the cold skiing and not being able to easily start my van/bus seems like a huge con of a diesel.

[PNW_Steve]

I can tell you that a propane grill under the oil pan for two hours works....... Not recommend......

In my new bus I have a Webasto diesel fired heater that will preheat the engine when a plug in is not available.

[Surf44]

Haha Yea that would definitely be a sketchy worst case scenario, Yea I have been looking at the Wabasto heaters a little. Do you mind telling me which one you got? The ones that I found after a short search were $700-$3000 depending on kits and different models, cant imagine how a diesel heater for just a bus/van could cost that much!

[PNW_Steve]

I have the Webasto Schoolastic. It is 45k btu.

I paid $500

[Surf44]

Awesome thank you, with that did you just duct some vents that go inside the bus and then one into the engine bay?

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by Surf44

Im wanting to get a mini bus 7.3l or 6.6l also been looking at shorter bus with a 03 dt466. I have been researching them and came to the conclusion that these are probably the best diesels you can get (not including cummins). I have been pretty sold on getting one and have just been searching for the right one or just one for sale. But hit a wall the other day when thinking of trying to start one of these engines in the winter up in the mountains with no plug in.

Does anybody have some experience with starting these engines with no plug in in really cold weather, I would be spending most winters in the cold skiing and not being able to easily start my van/bus seems like a huge con of a diesel.

a tiger torch with the flame fed through a stove pipe with an elbow to direct the heat under the oil pan works if the smoke coming off the motor doesn't scare you too much - -40 and won't crank over, to running, 20 +/- minutes - been there done that in the NWT

[Surf44]

Thanks Im going to want to have something permanent and semi easy to heat up. I plan on spending most winter in the cold. Im liking the wabasto heater if im able to heat the inside and the engine bay from one heater.

[Ronnie]

The wabasto heater heats the engine coolant, and has a seperate 12 volt electric pump to circulate the coolant. At least the one I have is set up this way.

[Surf44]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

The wabasto heater heats the engine coolant, and has a seperate 12 volt electric pump to circulate the coolant. At least the one I have is set up this way.

Is the one you have the Thermo Top C? Your not able to get any in cabin heat right?

[Ronnie]

I have not tried it, but would expect it to also give cabin heat. One picture is the tag on the wabasto heater and the other is the pump.

[Native]

If it is set up to heat the engine coolant, then the cabin heater lines will also be heated, just like driving it. Some folks have a set of valves to allow the heated coolant from the unit to warm the cabin, the engine, or both.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

I can tell you that a propane grill under the oil pan for two hours works....... Not recommend......

In my new bus I have a Webasto diesel fired heater that will preheat the engine when a plug in is not available.

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

a tiger torch with the flame fed through a stove pipe with an elbow to direct the heat under the oil pan works if the smoke coming off the motor doesn't scare you too much - -40 and won't crank over, to running, 20 +/- minutes - been there done that in the NWT

Drip tray full of naphtha, kerosene or charcoal.........or combinations thereof....

But a wabasto or espar will definitely go a long way for cold weather ops.
coupled with good starting batteries should be sufficient for most applications.

Depending on your version of cold and the location

[Surf44]

Originally Posted by Native

If it is set up to heat the engine coolant, then the cabin heater lines will also be heated, just like driving it. Some folks have a set of valves to allow the heated coolant from the unit to warm the cabin, the engine, or both.

Wouldn’t the vehicles vent fans have to be on to push the hot air into the cabin?

[Native]

Originally Posted by Surf44

Wouldn’t the vehicles vent fans have to be on to push the hot air into the cabin?

Yes, for the most-part. There would be some radiant movement of the heat from the normal bus heaters without the fans running. Might as well simply turn on the fans though.

[Surf44]

Originally Posted by Native

Yes, for the most-part. There would be some radiant movement of the heat from the normal bus heaters without the fans running. Might as well simply turn on the fans though.

True, it would eventually drain your batteries with the ignition on though. Either way They are expensive! About $1400-$2000.

I hate to say it but Im starting to feel like a gasser is a simpler cheaper option not in a full size bus, but in van or mini bus.

[Booyah45828]

A 6.6L duramax will start at near zero degrees fahrenheit with good batteries and starter. No need to plug it in unless you want easier starting and instant cab heat.

The 7.3 won't do it nearly as cold because of the heui injection system.

Any diesel will need to have the correct additives dumped in the tank to prevent fuel gel and waxing from occurring.

Cold is a relative term, what's the temperature you're actually going to be seeing?

Gas engines can have just as much trouble starting when below freezing as a diesel engine. Flood one of those out and you'll be stuck pulling plugs in a van(no fun).

If you want in cab heat, those webasto heaters work great at making it. But as said previously, they are expensive.

[Ronnie]

Someone had mentioned and put a link to a chinese made copy or at least near copy of the Wabasto heater for about $300.

[jazty]

With a 7.3l you need to make sure the glow plugs are working and that you have sufficient cold cranking amps. For a van cut away that will mean having 2 good starting batteries. These engines start fine in the cold if they have sufficient battery power.

Will you have a generator? If so you could power up the block heater and run a battery charger for those worst case scenarios. A webasto is a great idea, too, but I personally wouldn't go through the trouble if I wasn't also harnessing it's heat for other things such as cabin heat when parked.

[Surf44]

I would doing the build to be decently comfortable in sub zero temperatures fahrenheit. Probably wont be a ton of those days and maybe Honestly I dont have the real experience of Northwest winters I’ve lived in FL my whole life. Just trips to CO and MI have been the coldest, but never in diesels. But I plan on staying in the Northwest most of the winter and I’d like to be prepared for below freezing everyday.

I have read about the generator idea and its a great fairly cheap and very easy option. I mainly just dont want to have to make space for it or have the noise from it. I planned on getting a Espar,Propex, or Webasto heater for in the cabin but would not have the budget for the Air heater and coolant heater. I was thinking that I could just put a Y fitting on the heater and have 2 ducts one for in the cabin and one through the dog house on the engine?

[PNW_Steve]

The coolant heater will provide engine preheat as well as interior radiant heat and hot air.

Regarding battery use, mine will run from the house batteries so no worries about running the starting battery down.