In winter, start the engine "on cold"sometimes it becomes an impossible task for car enthusiasts. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort. But not every car owner has so much free time. But how to avoid a similar situation? In today's article we will tell you how to start a diesel engine in the winter. We will also consider tips that will prevent you from getting into such unpleasant situations so often.
We are looking for a "common denominator"
How to get a diesel in the cold?To begin, let's consider the causes of poor engine start at low temperatures. At once we will say that there are a lot of them. But most of them have a common denominator - fluids. And the lower the ambient temperature, the worse the engines will work.
In the case of a diesel engine frost strikesfuel. With a rapid drop in temperature, it begins to thicken, which changes the composition of the liquid. As a result, the fuel is difficult to ignite or does not pass through the fine filter at all.
A battery is also associated with liquids, in which chemical processes are constantly going on (generation of electric current). And the lower the air temperature, the slower they occur.
Another reason for the poor start of the car on dieselcan become motor oil. It, like the fuel, also tends to thicken. Thus, as the temperature decreases, the movement of the rubbing parts of the crank shaft becomes more complicated. Even worse, if the oil film is torn or disappears altogether. Then overhaul of the power plant is inevitable.
How to start a diesel in the winter? First start
If your vehicle does not start withfirst time, no need to panic. This process should last no more than 15 seconds. After that, turn the key to its original position and let the battery "rest" for one or two minutes. Ideally, the car should start with a maximum of 3 attempts. If your car still does not start, in any case, do not repeat this process many times. So you only worsen the performance of the starter and discharge the battery.
Start-up method "prikurivaniya"
In winter, always keep “ready”cables. Thanks to them, you can quickly start the car. Not only a friend, but also any friendly driver passing by you can help you.
The use of additives and antihelium
So, our car is frozen.How to start it, if there is not a suitable car near from which it would be possible to “light up”? In this case, welcome to the world of additives and antihelium. Fortunately, finding them is not a big deal, even in small towns. Often, motorists prefer such well-known manufacturers as "Likvi Moli", "Hado" and "Castrol". Due to their composition, they do not allow paraffin, which is contained in diesel fuel, to multiply in full. The fact is that when the temperature drops, this fuel begins to grow turbid, forming a special sediment. Because of him, diesel fuel and does not fall into the combustion chamber, stuck in the walls of the filter.
Note also that additives and anti-gels do notthey dissolve paraffin in liquids, they only delay its growth with the next decrease in temperature. But, as practice shows, this is quite enough to start the diesel engine at 40-degree frost. True, for this you need to know how to properly use antigel. And it is poured into the tank at a temperature above 0 ... + 1 degree Celsius. In this case, the tool brings real benefits to the engine.
Nuances of antihelium
Modern automakers do not recommenduse of additives in the fuel. This applies to engines such as TDI, HDI and CDI. The ban is explained by the complexity of the design of fuel equipment. But motorists say that with careful and moderate use of the additive does not cause any harm to diesel installations.
When using anti-gels, it is important to payattention not only to the ambient temperature, but also to the proportion in which it is necessary to add liquid to the tank. This information manufacturers indicate on the labels.
What to do if diesel fuel is already frozen?
How to start the car in winter if the fuel is alreadyis frozen? Of course, already frozen diesel, full of paraffins, it is impossible to “revive”. The only way is to pour it into a canister and heat it to a temperature of 60-70 degrees Celsius. After that add a few milliliters of antigel and pour the resulting substance into the tank. But before starting the car in winter, motorists advise to pre-install a new fuel filter.
Details about kerosene
Водители со стажем не доверяют различным новинкам in the form of antihelium and additives, and usually prefer to dilute the diesel fuel with kerosene. In practice, the result is the same, and this method can be used not only on older engines. Kerosene has a high lubricity, so it does not harm the fuel system. Experts recommend diluting diesel fuel with this fuel in a proportion of not more than 30 percent, that is, a maximum of 30 liters of kerosene per 100 liters of diesel.
Petrol
А вот эту разновидность нефтепродуктов следует completely remove from the list of used "heaters" for diesel engines. The fact is that gasoline, unlike additives and kerosene, does not have lubricity. This means that while the engine is running, the pump will pump the fluid “dry”. Therefore, before starting a diesel engine in a frost in such a way, remember that the repair of fuel equipment can cost from 200 to 500 Euro. In extreme cases, it is recommended to dilute the gasoline with oil.
Glow plugs
Перед тем как завести дизель зимой, нужно warm the candles carefully. How to do it? First you need to turn the ignition key, then wait until the spring-like light bulb appears on the instrument panel. Most often it is yellow or red (you can see it in the photo below).
Also before you get a diesel in the cold,it is recommended not to remove the car from the gear, but to squeeze the clutch to the stop (for cars with manual transmission). The fact is that in winter transmission oil tends to stagnate, that is, removing the car from the gear, you force the wheels and gears to slide without lubrication.
Frozen car. How to get it "from the pusher"?
Unfortunately, this method cannot be used on vehicles with such engines.
Причиной тому является ремень ГРМ, который может tear or jump a few teeth forward. Therefore, any attempt to start a diesel engine "from the pusher" in most cases turns into an expensive repair.
Tips for the future
Of course, it is best to prevent these cases. For this we recommend:
- Leave the car in the garage.Ideally, the highest and stable air temperature is in the underground types of rooms. But if you do not have such a garage, try to insulate the usual gate. A machine stored in such a room is not only protected from freezing of fuel, but is also not exposed to external factors (in the summer it rains and direct rays of the ultraviolet).
- Всегда заправляться качественным топливом.Of course, the offers of gas stations at cheap gas stations seem attractive, but in winter time it makes sense to look for stations of only large networks. With regard to diesel specifically, all gas stations in the period from December to February should sell only winter grade diesel, which does not freeze at a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius.
- If possible, store the battery at home.Even if your car is stored in the garage, it still makes sense to rent a battery for the night. A warm battery will ensure reliable engine start even at the lowest temperatures. And before you start a diesel engine in the cold, do not neglect the extra charge test of the battery. If it is less than 12.5 volts, connect it to the charger for 1-2 hours. In cold weather, the battery charge should be slightly above the norm, that is, of the order of 12.5-13.5 V.
So, we figured out how to start a diesel engine in the winter. We hope the above tips will be useful to you. Good luck on the road!
