Cold-Weather Operation

Satisfactory performance of a diesel engine operating in low ambient temperatures requires modification of the engine, surrounding equipment, operating practices, and maintenance procedures. The lower the temperature, the greater the amount of modification required. For service products approved for use in cold weather for your engine, see the engine manufacturer's engine operation manual.

If satisfactory engine temperature is not maintained, maintenance costs will increase due to greater engine wear. If the engine coolant gets too cold, raw fuel will wash the lubricating oil off the cylinder walls and dilute the crankcase oil, causing all moving parts of the engine to suffer from poor lubrication.

If the engine is in good mechanical condition and the precautions necessary for cold-weather operation are taken, ordinary cold weather will not cause difficulty in starting or loss of efficiency.

The following points are important to observe when operating in cold weather:

• Check for cracks in the batteries, for corrosion of the terminals, and for tightness of the cable clamps at the terminals.

• Charge the batteries to full capacity. Replace damaged batteries.

• If equipped, turn off the load disconnect switch after the engine is shut down, to prevent battery discharge.

• Have the alternator output checked at an authorized service provider.

• Check the condition and tension of the drive belts.

• Refer to the engine manufacturer's operation manual for recommended heaters, low-viscosity lubricating oils, winter-grade fuels, and approved coolants.

If using a winterfront, leave at least 25% of the grille opening exposed in sectioned stripes that run perpendicular to the charge-air-cooler tube-flow direction. This assures even cooling across each tube, and reduces header-to-tube stress, and possible chance of component failure. For engine-specific guidelines, see below:

Cummins engine: A winterfront may be used to improve cab heating while idling, and only when the ambient temperature remains below 10°F (-12°C).

Detroit engine: Using a winterfront can cause excessive fan run time, increased fuel consumption, and failure of the DEF system heaters to operate correctly, resulting in fault codes, poor performance, and power reduction. A winterfront should only be used temporarily in the following situations:

• To improve cab heating while idling in an extremely cold ambient temperature;

• When the ambient temperature remains below -22°F (-30°C) and the engine is unable to maintain a running coolant temperature of 175°F (80°C) during normal over-the-road operation.