--- In
diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com, "Nate" <vwnate1@...> wrote:
>
>
> RIGHT NOW stop whatever you're doing (even if it's midnight) and drive to the Truck Stop out on The Interstate and buy a quart bottle of " DIESEL 911 " and dump it in the tank before your car becomes un startable .
Well, it wasn't midnight...but I went to one of the local shops for this. Betty started fine...first shot, with 3 glow plug (full) cycles (aka including clunk).
On the bottle for Diesel 911, it says "for emergency" and "does not prevent gelling" yaddy yaddy...basically gave me the impression, once you've got the problem "use THIS" and on the bottle it said to PREVENT gelling to use the Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane Boost.
So I bought the supplement instead of the 911 because I didn't YET have a gelling issue...and want to check with you guys before I use it...in case I need to swap, because you all know a LOT more than I do, and I wouldn't be surprised if you know more than what the bottle says outright ;)
Here's what is in my tank right now:
about 4-5 gallons of roughly B50 PLUS the rest of the tank filled with petrol diesel
(so...somewhere between B10-B20...yes?)
PLUS around 8oz of Diesel Kleen that I found in my trunk
Temps are mid-20s the last couple of days...about 10deg warmer during the day...it's *usually* over 40 during the day most of the winter and much colder at night.
I am only planning on B10-B20 right now...the temporary B50 was a fluke because my friend wanted to put my few gallons of B100 right in my tank rather than my can.
So is the supplement better for my situation than 911? I want to get it right!
> Do the valve adjust ASAP too ! .
>
> Remember : before you take anythng apart you'll need the special wrenches Mark of this list) , a set of feeler gauges that have .004" & .014" blades in them , I *HIGHLY* suggest getting ' stepped ' feeler gauges , these have the end portion of the blade precision ground to the size marked on it , this makes it more or less fool prooof as you adjust so the end bit passes through but the larger stem part , must be forced in the gap .
>
> You'll also need a valve cover gasket and maybe a few spare 8MM nuts & wave washers as they're easy to drop and come in super handy all the time anyways .
Well, darn...I like to support list members...but I already got all of these type tools as part of a package deal before I started lurking here. But I DO have the CD manual from Tom Hanson on my christmas list ;) And now I'll be sure to ask ahead of buying in case I can throw support in the right area...thanks!
>
> To prevent it from stalling , start the engine FIRST then fiddle with the radio , heater controls , lights , wipers , seatbelts etc. as this gives the engine a moment to wamr up a bit , then you can lightly keep the engine running with your right toes whilst you _firmly_ apply the brakes with the ball of your left foot ~ do not rev. the engine any higher than necessary to prevent stalling and always remember to wait for the tranny to release fully before changing from drive to reverse or vice-versa . this little bit will prevent you from having tranny troubles like everyone else you know does .
Nate, I do it just like this...just how you taught me :) Almost never stalls, and when it does it's cuz I'm not paying enough attention or I'm impatient.
> Didja put some heavy things in the trunk for extra traction yet ? ice is a nasty thing .
My "garage" is in my trunk ;) But...not nearly as heavy as kitty litter or a dead body, so I may have more work to do there, but usually no icy driving required...then again, you never know!
Caitlin
Santa Fe
> Caitlin wrote:
> >
> > I *finally* got an opportunity today to test out all that good cold starting info passed around the board lately. I've been practicing "the drill" but honestly it's only been between low 30's up to the 40's here in the morning, and that's no fun. NOT that 26f is really cold, but I had my first "failure" using the regular drill.
> >
> > So I remembered someone posted that when it's really cold they cycle the plugs 3 times...so I did that and she fired RIGHT up, after my first 2 failures.
> >
> > I do have about 90% Biodiesel in the 1/3 full tank right now...totally meant to get it to about B50 before the cold snap. And didn't. But the drill is working for me, either way!
> >
> > Of course, my real problem with cold starting is the time it takes to "warm up"...and by that I mean...it takes what feels like a really long time before I can drive the car without it stalling. If I have to reverse first, it's even worse, but I digress.
> >
> > Is this most likely something that will change after my valve adjustment? Or a more likely culprit that I can chase? Oh, my coolant is also pretty shot and desperately in need of a change. (Luckily we do get warm winter days here, so it's on the "really soon" list)
> >
> > Anyway...thanks to all who chimed in with cold starting tips!
> >
> > Caitlin
> > Santa Fe
> >
>
