RWL wrote:

The discussion about the ChangFa diesel & generator project got me
interested in the project too. I live in central PA, and the power is
as likely to go down in an ice storm in winter requiring a subfreezing
start.

How hard is it to get diesels started in cold weather?
What do you do differently to get them going?
How hard are diesels to start if they sit 3 or 4 months between short
test / maintenance runs?

In my experience diesel engines start much more easily in cold weather
(and after long idle periods) than traditional petrol engines which
employ a carburettor. Two days ago I started up a bakhoe loader which
hasn't run for 4 1/2 years. Needed a new battery but then it fired up
straight away. I didn't even have to drain the fuel tank. You'd be lucky
to do that with a simple petrol engine.

Chris