Tips for owners of diesel cars in winter

Up to minus 20 degrees, even at the end of November, the temperature in Belarus is unusual. This is what many forecasters promised on Thursday night in the east of the country. And it is 4 to 5 degrees below normal. Such weather can be an unpleasant surprise for motorists and diesel locomotive workers. We remind you how to survive the freeze, because the winter is just beginning.

By the way, since October, winter diesel fuel is sold at gas stations. There is even a clbad 2, with a maximum filtability temperature of -32.^ºS. Filled and forgotten? Not always. There are nuances to take into account.

Should I buy a diesel fuel additive?

Only if you are not sure of the quality of the fuel sold at the gas station. First and foremost, it should be remembered that additives are a preventative measure. They do not dissolve paraffin in the tank. Therefore, they are flooded before the onset of freezing: when the fuel temperature is not lower than -5 degrees (it's cloud point). In other words, if the fuel is already reduced, the additive will be useless.

Note that the additives are capable of lowering the temperature by 5 to 10 degrees, as fuel can still pbad through the fuel filter. And it should be remembered that only certain car manufacturers allow the use of additives in their diesel engines. But if, for whatever reason, the summer fuel splashes into your tank, if a big freeze is promised and if a gas station containing diesel fuel for the winter is far away, this additive can be a hello. More information about our laboratory tests of additives.

Check the battery

This advice concerns both "diesel operators" and owners of gasoline cars. A "living" battery greatly increases the chances of starting after a night spent in freezing cold. But sometimes, measuring the voltage with a multimeter is not enough, we need a more modern diagnostic equipment or at least a charging socket, which will test the battery in different modes. Even just throwing the crankshaft into a dead battery with frozen oil can not always. If you are not sure of the "strength" of your battery, it is better to buy a new one.

Replace the fuel filter and coolant.

In the lubrication system must be a high quality oil, suitable for viscosity to the weather conditions. Although, for our climate, the use of seasonal oil makes no sense. Enough that the automaker recommends for our area. Be sure to replace the fuel filter before freezing, check the density and freezing point of the technical fluids. Remember if you added water to the cooling system. If this is the case, it is best to completely replace the coolant. This is not such a costly procedure.

If the machine does not start with 5 or 6 attempts, do not torture it.

The general recommendation for all is to disable additional energy consumers before starting – air conditioning, sound system, heating. Then turn the ignition key and wait for the lights to go out. For owners of diesel cars, the procedure can be repeated several times to further heat the cylinder with glow plugs. After that, you can try to start. On a car with a "mechanical" is recommended to squeeze the clutch pedal. For the starter and the battery to be easier to turn the engine, it is not necessary to turn the extra gear in thick oil.

You can "spin" the starter for up to 10 seconds, then the likelihood of a starter or battery failure increases. If you are unable to start the car the first time, try again in 30 to 40 seconds. But if the car after 5-6 start attempts has not started, the chances of continued success are very low.

Determine the health of the glow plugs of a diesel car can only be done in a workshop with the necessary diagnostic equipment. In addition, a simple calibration by connecting a light bulb to a circuit does not help, as it is sometimes the case. A lit or unlit lamp indicates only if the voltage of the control unit reaches a spark plug. So, if in the fall, with a drop in temperature, there were problems with the start of a diesel engine, so in the cold, they would only worsen.

What to do if not wound up

The best option – a hot parking garage or a heated garage. Experts with one voice advise without extreme necessity not to start the car "from the pusher". This could drag a timing belt or cut a crankshaft or camshaft key. And it's already a bigger problem than an unfinished engine. If it is only a small accumulator, it is possible to "light a cigarette", but only in accordance with certain rules. In addition, there are several opinions on the accuracy of wire connection for "ignition" and the charging process.

But the averaged procedure looks like this: we first place the wire on the positive terminal of the donor battery, then on the positive terminal of the "patient". Then, we connect the negative terminal of the "donor" to the cylinder block of the "patient" or to a part of the "clean" body. If this is not possible, connect the donor wire to the negative terminal of the dead battery.

Opinions on the opportunity to start the engine of a "donor" differ when "lighting a cigarette". This has no special need, so that after the wires are properly connected, you can try to start the "patient" motor. Remove the wires in the reverse order.