On Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:02:53 -0000, dennis@home wrote:

"Appin" wrote in message
...
The message
from "The Medway Handyman" contains
these words:

Dave wrote:
I have just been watching them and a thought crossed my mind.

How do they stop the diesel from going solid in the tanks and pipes?

I recall seeing additives that would prevent this happening.

Correct. Though locally-supplied fuel is likely to be formulated for
the local needs. If the engine's allowed to stop, and the whole
vehicle gets cold it's likely to be a case of having to use a blowtorch
on the fuel tank and fuel lines in order to get going again.

The engine oil is the problem, it gets so thick it won't circulate.
Starting an engine that cold will b^&&*r it.
I don't think anyone makes oil that will work over that temp range, well not
one they can a££ord.
I would have though a couple of tanks of different oils and some valves
would work though.

Didn't the Germans used to put petrol in the engine oil of their
Messerschmitts during the cold Russian winter? The petrol would thin the
oil so they could start the engines and then as they warmed up, the petrol
would boil off.

SteveW