What temps will a Series 60 start at?

[belfert]

With good batteries and no block heater/preheater, what temps will a Series 60 reasonably start at?  I know it isn't the best to start a diesel at low temps with no preheating and I will avoid doing so if at all possible.

I managed to start my F-350 with diesel engine with no preheating when overnight temps got to around -15F, but it wasn't easy.  (It took four rounds of glow plugs and cranking before it started.)

Brian Elfert

[gumpy]

I guess you can test it out this winter and report back to us next spring 

I thought you were going to put a block heater in that thing.

[TomC]

If you have the fuel treated, I believe unaided down to -20f.  Anything under freezing should have a block heater though.  I started my 8V-92TA in -20 degree with starting fluid with two trys.  With the straight 40 weight, it turned over very slowly, but did start.  Good Luck, TomC

[bobofthenorth]

It should easily start at -10 C or a little lower (about -20F) but why would you?  Put a little heat under it and everything will be a lot easier. 

[gumpy]

Personally, I'd be amazed if it started at anything below 0*F, but I don't know anything about series 60s.

If it were mine, though, I wound't even try it unless it was a true emergency. That's why they make block heaters.

Go to Flee Farm and get yourself one of those magnetic oil pan heaters and put it on the block. Don't leave it there when you drive, though, as the moisture will get into it and short it out. BTDT.

[belfert]

I guess you can test it out this winter and report back to us next spring 

I thought you were going to put a block heater in that thing.

I don't recall saying I was going to install a block heater, but I might have.  I am going to install a Proheat with engine heating loop, but not until spring.

The engine seemed to start fine yesterday when it was under freezing in the morning.  An oil pan heater seems to be the ticket for this winter.  I am going to try to drive the bus on a reasonably nice day about once a month to keep everything exercised.  I will drive it far enough to fully warm everything up.

Brian Elfert

[RJ]

Brian -

Dunno what an magnetic oil pan heater costs, but for about sixty bucks or so, Luke will send you the correct engine block heater for your coach.  Call him at US Coach: 1-888-262-2434 anytime M - F between 9 - 5 Eastern.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[belfert]

Brian -

Dunno what an magnetic oil pan heater costs, but for about sixty bucks or so, Luke will send you the correct engine block heater for your coach.  Call him at US Coach: 1-888-262-2434 anytime M - F between 9 - 5 Eastern.

I don't really want to deal with coolant twice since I will be doing the Proheat in the spring.  The cost of the block heater isn't an issue.

I'm not going to even attempt to start the engine unless the temps are in the 20s and I will look for oil pan heater.

Brian Elfert

[Stan]

You are sitting in a cold, low humidity area. Just let it sit for the winter without starting it. Do the road contractors in your area start all their trucks and heavy equipment every month and go for a drive?   I expect that they are very concerned with the life expectancy of their engines so do what they do.

[buswarrior]

I'm with gumpy.

0 farenheit, -18 celsius is about as cold as I'd be confident in a start for a S60.

With a good set of booster cables to a running coach, I got one to start at -25 celsius (-13 F) up in Quebec City. The junior driver hadn't checked to see if the Webasto was functioning before the trip. By itself, we would have failed, as the coach's own batteries were already getting feeble.

Of course, multi grade oil, overall engine condition is good is assumed in the above.

You may have to crank, then pause to soak the heat, then crank again.

Now, enough with the myths already on cold starting the bus engine!

You start your car in the cold, you start the bus in the cold.

What is the difference?

Everyone on here changes their oil more frequently than the fleet ever did.
We aren't firing it up and driving it off like a late bus driver with the devil chasing him.

I'll submit that there are many other things to worry about in our old coaches than firing up a cold engine.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[billy6941]

I do a tour to Chena Hot Springs and Fairbanks every year in March. The coach is a 2002 El102(Rennaissance) 60 Series and Allison  and temps go down as low as 24 below. Coach starts, but sure is cranky...Bill

[niles500]

billy - don't forget to stop and feed the musk ox on the way to chena

[billy6941]

I just bought a PD4103, 6-71 and 4 speed. It's still in the shop in Ft Peirce, Florida. I might get the chance to see if it will start on the way back to Soldotna, in Late February...Bill

[larryh]

We had to start all of our trucks, cats, graders logloaders and high line skidders at -52 degrees took three days to get all equipt running. Took several more days to get cats moved that were not parked on boughs and they froze to ground needles to say a very bad week for log production for the saw mill.

LarryH

[belfert]

Now, enough with the myths already on cold starting the bus engine!

You start your car in the cold, you start the bus in the cold.

What is the difference?

Gasoline engines tend to be easier to start in cold weather.  That is the difference.  My daily driver is a VW TDI and I'll admit I won't plug that in until the temps drop to 0F or below.  This winter it might not get plugged in ever since I finally cleaned out my garage.

Everyone on here changes their oil more frequently than the fleet ever did.
We aren't firing it up and driving it off like a late bus driver with the devil chasing him.

Most of us aren't driving 50,000 to 150,000 miles a year on our coaches either.  Does anyone know if Detroit recommends oil be changed at minimum once a year?  If I go with the 15,000 mile interval I would change the oil about every other year.

I would bet the Rennaissance another postersays started at 24 below has a Webasto or similiar.  I wouldn't be asking if I had a Webasto.

Brian Elfert

Brian Elfert