Newer trucks can't handle extreme cold?

Theses new emission trucks are pretty good today. They fixed a lot of problems. Idling does not kill the DPF today because the truck will automatically Regen when parked and it only take 20 minutes vs 45+ minutes. The engines run hotter so the Regen works properly while driving.

Pilot and Flying J went cheat on their DEF pumps
They have wrap them in blankets to keep them warm in wither. Everyone else have better heated pumps so the don't freeze or so slush and then can't be pumped.


Diesel starts to get cloudy or gell at like 15F. So you only have a couple options. Hope the truck stop is blending the fueling, noa good Ida. You can just idle your truck. That good idea because everything will stay warm and working. You can but antigel at $20 a bottle and hope you engine will start. Remember unless your running synthetic oil that will get thick in extreme cold. Not only hard to start but slow to flow once engine it going

 

I'm driving a new International with their A26 motor, I've been impressed but the below zero temps I've been in about 2 weeks have knocked my MPG way down. I can't speak about other motors but the A26 does a very good job of running cool but during extremely cold temps, that's a problem. I'll be home tomorrow to get my winter cover I ordered and on this truck I consider it mandatory at 30 degrees and lower. When it was zero or below I was running around, fully loaded, at 165 degrees on the oil temp when it should've been at 190. Couldn't build heat and couldn't maintain it. I had no issues with fuel or anything. My APU is connected to the motor and keeps the coolant warm and I have an electric heat fuel water separator.

 

2016 mx-13, I have a carrier APU, not once have I idled my truck all night. -27, -30, doesn't matter. I just throw a winter front on to keep the engine bay warm and let the truck warm up completely before I move. (Coolant at least at 140 before I think of moving). If DEF is frozen when I start the engine system is offline for the first 1hr to 30min anyway to allow system to warm up.

 

I've got a Mack (it's a volvo) and it does the same thing when left in a higher idle. Runs great, I idle it all the time no problems at all, just the occasional parked regen or passive regen going down the road. I have a newer ken worth with a cummins and both it and the Mack start and run just fine in this weather. I do run a fuel treatment in the trucks that I do believe helps a lot. I have an older 05 freightliner with a C15 in it, and that truck is not cold natured when starting.

 

If you use anti gelling fuel additive, it won’t gel up, unfortunately most drivers are to lazy, cheap, or just plain ignorant.

 

I've been running 80/90/94 since ~Sep-Oct and 99% of the Canadian companies have all new emissions trucks and "Canada cold" is no joke . I cant remember seeing any of them on the side of the road in Montana or North Dakota. I drive a new 2018 and it's started in -23 (actual) no problem a bunch of times so far.

fact of the matter is no diesel engine likes the extreme cold but the newer engines start up way better and warm up 3 times as fast(I can only speak for the dd15)

 

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I drove dd15's. Personally I LOVE them but I HATE that freightliner owns them. Or is in bed with them. These new emissions engines are very temperamental at times, mine put me in the shop yesterday because of the cold. Ran 4 days in -20 to -48 no problem. What happened though was condensation formed in an EGR line and froze. Had to have the line blown out under warranty. Only thing about -48 cold is you never shut down. If she starts you leave the wh*re run otherwise you'll freeze and die. Even Canadian diesel freezes beyond -45, so carry diesel conditioner and use the #### stuff.

 

That is insane , I can't imagine -48 degrees .

Did the egr valve freeze shut and basically put the engine in "limp mode" ?

 

Worked outside for a few days in northern Alberta at -55 building ice bridge on river before we could haul logs across. We shut down all equipment at those temps including the sawmill. Once it warmed up to -30 or so we took tiger torches and tarps to start the trucks, skidders etc. That's the easy part,,pull tarp around equipment and fire up tiger torch under pan for 1/2 hour. We sit in truck playing crib during "preheat"

 

I own a 2015 T680 with a 455 MX-13. This is my 4th winter in this truck and I don't have any issues with fuel or DEF. Unless it's below -5 or so I'll usually shut it off at night and run the ESPAR.
The truck needs to be properly speced, like insulated fuel and lines, heated filters etc. But a driver needs to be aware of what the gell protection level is of the fuel he puts in.
My rule of thumb is if I know it's going to be colder than -15 I'll add a large bottle of Howes if the fuel is protected to -15, if I'm putting in fuel I'm unsure of I'll add 2.
I usually take on about 140 gallons.
I don't think lots of these guys have the training.
As far as the whether it's new trucks or not? I don't think so. I've been doing this a long time and there were lots of dead soldiers in the sub zero weather back in the day.
Also FYI. If a guys def system did freeze it wouldn't stall the truck. It would gradually derate the power. It's a pretty reliable system in my opinion.