Diesel RVs: Re: [diesel_mercedes] Cold Starting

Don't forget to buy a bottle of Power Service Diesel Kleen in the WHITE bottle ~ white for Winter , Silver for Summer .

Add 3 ~ 5 Oz. to each full tank of fuel .

If you read the print on the bottles, one has more cetane boost than the other. I think it's the one that IS NOT WHITE, I use that one , especially in my 7 year old fuel. I've only had diesel "gell up" once in my 35 years of living in the north. I was running my generator and it was -21 or colder and the fuel was only formulated to -19, anyway when that happens, it's the wax. paraffin that collects on the filters and plugs it up. I had a outside filter on my 300 gallon tank, so I moved it inside the generator room where it gets warm, no more gelling. Anyway I don't worry about gelling but think the ceatane boost wont hurt. Max

On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 6:32 AM, <vwnate1@yahoo.com> wrote:

Michael ;

If it takes three tries to start your old Mercedes Diesel , first , you're not following the proper cold start regimine ~ wait for the glow plug warning lamp to go out then hold the key & crank it until the engine not only starts but begins to accelerate and runs on all 5 cylinders , some engines want the pedal floored , others want partial throttle . experiment and -HOLD- the throttle still while you're cranking and after it starts until it fires on all 5 cylinders and speeds up .

Pumping the throttle never , _EVER_helps it makes the engine harder to start .

Secondly : the battery is fine else it'd quit during the second try .

Don't forget to buy a bottle of Power Service Diesel Kleen in the WHITE bottle ~ white for Winter , Silver for Summer .

Add 3 ~ 5 Oz. to each full tank of fuel .

Look under the hood , there's a clear (maybe translucent if you have a bad Mechanic) plastic fuel screen typ filter between the steel fuel pipe and the engine ~ if it's black inside , go buy two new ones and replace one right now , this helps fuel flow and so cold starting and overall running performance . place the second primary filter in the glove box , you'll prolly need it before next March .

Now is also a good time to do or have done , a valve adjustment as tight valves (they're silent) cause hard starting .

-Nate
Michael Wrote :

well it only does it on the 3rd try when starting in the cold. Maybe the battery is too low at this point. Also I don't have the proper battery with the proper cold cranking amps..