Late Model KW and Cummins Cold Weather Plugging in

Does it get to -5 ‘in the south close to Texas’ , and how does one carry said ‘quonset ‘ around and erect at random when necessary?

 

It does turn over easier and faster because things shrink when cold. But the reason it starts is because diesel ignites from heat. The warmer cylinder and piston the warmer the air will be when compromised.

I have never put anything in my fuel tanks but diesel. Half dozen nights in single digits or below zero and it starts every morning.

 

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I’m afraid that if I don’t leave it running then even though it’ll start, maybe I’ll get an hour down the road and it’ll derate due to DEF being frozen. Or, even with treated fuel what if it starts no problem but 20 mins up the road my fuel filters clog with the wax stuff and I’m shut down?

It seems like even if you get fired up due to the block heater, then sometimes your still screwed just don’t know it yet.

I’m still curious if anyone knows if the DEF heater works off the block heater too or only when running? My tank heaters are Artic Fox I believe was the name so I’m going to research those too. Between those and fuel treatment I think I’d be fine there. Which only leaves the DEF issue. The fuel tank heaters operate by warm coolant lines running through the tanks, so I’m assuming if the block heater is the type that circulates coolant then as long as the thermostat on the tank heaters was open then fuel would warm.

Edit: Tuesday night and Wednesday night supposed to get to -4 to -7 range again. Here we go...

 

Chicago is supposed to be down to -17 tuesday and Wed.

Lowest temp ever -27.

 

Yes the DEF will freeze over night. It thaws out pretty fast once the truck is running.
Not sure about the Kenworth/Cummins, but on a Detroit the only way it will freeze going down the road is if either a DEF line heater fails (which gives an immediate fail code) or if the computer thinks it is warmer out than it really is and it shuts off the line heaters / coolant flow to tank. This happens when you have a winter front on the truck when not required, causing the computer to think that the heat is not required.
Again I'm not sure about your truck. Detroit does not recommend winter fronts, except in extreme cold. How cold is extreme? I don't know. Last week it was -34 here, I did not have my winter front on and I had no issues at all.

 

And the fuel filters only fillup and are ruined when your fuel is actually gelled and flow to them. Poof no more filters. No more engine power either if at all.

It's nice to worry, nurse and think about that truck more than a wife... but in the end, just run it and get her done.

 

I'm afraid that I won't be working this week. My truck died on Saturday. It's a Canadian truck, so it has that stupid daylight running lights, which killed the battery. Fuel in the filter and tanks looked fine. We put new batteries and 911 in the filter. Cranking it, the fuel wasn't moving in the filter, and the mechanic suggested it could be a fuel pump (Series 60). Getting it started tomorrow doesn't look promising, Tuesday or Wednesday looks worse!

 

Top picture I’m using that stuff this year. Last year the Howes failed me.

That airline treatment I have in standby as well. However, never understood why it says “diesel” when it’s meant to go in airlines? Why would diesel have anything to do with it?