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Old 07-02-2019, 11:48 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 51
dt466 cold(est) start

Hey folks,

I'm looking at a 2002 international with a 466 in it, and am interested in exactly how cold is "too cold".

My t444 that I have now has started, with several glow plug cycles, in -60F a few times without too much bother.

I seem to be under the impression that some model year dt466's do not have glow plugs equipped, but don't remember where I read that or how accurate my recollection is, so feel free to elucidate for me if you know

Primarily, though, I'm interested to hear from people who have 466's exactly how cold you feel the block would start in without being plugged in beforehand

thanks in advance

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Old 07-03-2019, 08:27 AM   #2
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
none of the DT466's have glowplugs.. some of the DT-466E's have grid heasters which heat the air going into the intake to help start it.



I know on my old Mechanical DT360 (has no glowplugs) that it will start EASY.. (turn the key and go) down to about 10-15 f or so... get it down to -5 and its a lot of cranking and a lot of smoke... but starts.. never tried below -5 as its hard on the starter and batteries..



with my block heater plugged in, it starts like summer any time I turn the key..



your 02 may be different as its the 'E' which has a much different injection system..

for the most reliable starying, plugging into shore power or generator and a block heater is the best... installing a diesel coolant heater which can be activated a couple hours before you start is an option if you are boondocked in wicked cold weather.
-Christopher
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Old 07-03-2019, 09:12 AM   #3
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Philadelpiha Pennsylvania
Posts: 397
Year: 2007
Coachwork: IC
Chassis: FE Bus
Engine: DT-466 7.6L Turbo Diesel
Rated Cap: 77
My dt466e cranked right up without much fuss down to 0 degress this winter starting it only once a week. I have an intake (grid) heater do hickey that takes about 10 seconds to run before cranking and a block heater plug, but I've never used the block heater. (Connecticut order bus)
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Old 07-03-2019, 09:43 AM   #4
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Mud Lake, Idaho
Posts: 136
Here at a rural school district in southeast Idaho we have 466 powered buses ranging from 2006 to 2016 and some start ok down to 10 above F without being plugged in and some struggle at that temp. We keep our buses plugged in but where the test comes in is when a heater burns out or a gfi pops for some reason in the night. If its not heating and its 0F degrees or below, you probably aren't going to get it started. We have several of the 444's and a couple of VT365's (the dreaded 6.0) and they start alot better with the glow plugs than the 466's with grid heaters. We started buying 6.7 cummins powered buses a few years back and those things start amazing, school was called off once because of cold temps on a Sunday so I didnt plug any buses in for monday. When I came to work Monday morning it was -25F and since cummins motors start so good I had to give one a try not being plugged in at that temp. Cranked a little slow but fired right up just like normal and idled perfect when it started. We have an 06 RE bus with a higher horsepower motor (285 hp I think) that we use for trips and its a dog to start when its cold. This one time it went on a trip 2 hours away, got back at midnight and it was around -20F. It needed to leave at 5 am on another trip. The driver fuelled it and plugged it in and at 5 am we barely got it started. Its the most cold blooded bus in the fleet. Glow plugs seem to work a lot better than grid heaters.
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