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wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 00:25:21 +0000 (UTC), Christopher Tidy
wrote:

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

If you have no engine heater, and the glow-plugs are suspect, I've
found a quick and easy way to start a cold deisel. I just pop the air
intake off, light up the old Bernz-o-Matic propane torch and lay it in
the manifold for a few minutes. Minimal chance of fire, as the
manifold only carries air - and the heated manifold warms the initial
air charge sufficiently to start the engine. Worked good on the old
Perkins and Cummins tractor engines.

There's no heater or glow plugs on the backhoe loader engine. Just the
"cold start" which adds more fuel, like I explained. Maybe it's just a
good engine, I don't know. Fordson Super Major from 1963. Having said
that, our MF diesel tractor starts fine in cold weather, but all the
petrol tractors we've ever had are really hard to start.

I think one of the things which makes diesels easier to start after long
idle periods is that diesel is less volatile, so it doesn't evaporate
and seize up the fuel system with crud. If I had to pick an engine for a
generator, I would pick a diesel.

Chris