What I did on My Presidents Day Holiday

[Dallas]

For months I've been in the process of emptying my old, nasty, critter ridden fuel tank and removing a totally unneeded auxilliary tank, (why would I want to carry 365 gallons of fuel with my little bays?).
The connecting line between the aux tank and the main tank was a 1 1/2" galvanized pipe about 18" long and hanging about 3" lower than the bay floor, near the center of the coach.
Well, the fuel has been gone for a long time, I've removed the connecting pipe and replaced it with a 1 1/2" brass plug and easy-outed the drain plug in the bottom of the main tank.
Today, while it was under 30°F I took my 5 gallon can over to our local filling station and bought 20 gallons of fuel, 5 gallons at a time.
After pouring the fuel in the tank and priming new fuel filters and installing them, I decided it was time to fire the old girl up.
I used the heat soak method, (turn over with closed rack, let sit, turn over again, let sit, etc.,), and then opened the rack up.
She spun over about 6 times and some smoke belched from her tailpipe stub!
I let her sit about 45 seconds more and hit the starter again and Poof! she was running as sweetly as she did before I emptied her tummy out.

Considering it's been under 50 degrees for the last week mostly, and dropping into the low 20's the last few nights, the motor was probably well below the freezing mark when I started this little foray!
By the way, I don't have a block heater on this engine, and probably wouldn't have used it until a much lower temperature anyway.

I guess you could say that I am a very happy camper!!!

[jjrbus]

 I was pulling thremostats!!! alot more fun when its 70 out. Ain't in great when they start after you fix them!!!

[oldmansax]

Congratulations Dallas!!!!

Aint nothing like the smell of diesel smoke on a frosty morning!

[NJT5047]

Dallas, if you have a 1" pipe plug in your block that would accept a Kimco block heater, which is about 6" long, I got one I'll send you.  I traded for it to install in my 6V92 but it wouldn't work..as far as I could figure out, there's no place to install a pipe plug block heater.  Ended up buying a 4 bolt unit from Bill H. 
You can have it. It's new.  Let me know.  You still have my phone number?
If you want it, call me with an address.  I know the "Honeydew" part! 
A block heater will save your batts and starter.  Long live the starter!
You must be one motivated dude to screw around with diesel fuel this morning!  Haysoose! 
We went over to Denton, NC to stake out 4 large campsites for the spring...cold'ern $*#t out there.  Good thing we went...mostly reserved already.   
Later, JR

[Dallas]

Thanks JR,
I don't think I have a 1" opening in the block either, I'll have to look and see.
The largest one I have is about 3/4" I think.

I also have a propane coolant heater I have never hooked up, I suppose I ought to do that one of these days!

Oh, and our address is probably going to change by next week, so I better wait.

Thanks,
Dallas

[LegalEagle82]

"I used the heat soak method, (turn over with closed rack, let sit, turn over again, let sit, etc.,), and then opened the rack up"

Would someone give me a short lesson on "closed rack vs. open rack".   I have a block heater, which has worked great for me, but I would like to understand my options.  Especially, the block heater decides not to work one cold day.

Weather for Nashville on Thursday expected to be 68.  Thats when I'll get back to the bus.

Evan

[NewbeeMC9]

Congrats on the start up,

Let us know where you gonna be

[TomC]

Evan- you have to start it from the back.  What you do is to hold the stop lever on the governor closed so the fuel injectors are in the closed position.  Another method is to also turn it over 5 seconds wait 10 seconds two or three times holding the stop lever closed.  On the fourth try start turning over the engine still holding the lever closed, then slowly (over about 5 seconds) open up the lever and the engine gently comes up to speed.  This is a good method in that the engine isn't blasted with full open injectors.  And the timing is changed that facilitates better cold starting.  Good Luck, TomC