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I'll start with all the background I have on this thing. Maybe it'll help. Not sure how much is related to this problem.
1990 2.4L Surf, 175,XXX km
Bakc around thanksgiving, it got damn cold. At least -25F, as my winterized diesel gelled up. This is the first time I have owned a diesel, and the first time that I've been anywhere this cold, so I didn't figure out what had happened right away. Eventually I called a buddy who knows about diesels more than me, he figured it was gelled, so we pulled it to his heated garage, and with a bit of work, she fired up the next morning. I've run a bunch of anti-gel through it, and injector cleaner.
After than, it was having a hell of a time starting. Since then, ether has been my friend if its below freezing. I know its not exactly good for it, but it gets her going. Turns out the glow plugs were dead. Replaced those over christmas, and it fired up ok then (at sea level. not sure if that would have any bearing)
Now that I'm back in Butte, (elev ~6000 ft, or 2000m) it really doesn't want to start. Once it a while, even above freezing, it will w/o ether, but usually I've got to spray some in there.
When it finally does start, I get while, vaporized, unburnt diesel for a while (like, until the coolant temp sensor is all the way up to where it sits when its been running for a while, ~1/2 way across)
I can't plug in. I will get fined by the apartment I'm in if they catch me doing it again (assholes, but the rent is cheaper than dirt, so I put up with it) When I do, it helps somewhat, but not a ton.
Glow plugs are getting the full 12/6 V, but after the first cycle, if I try again they switch to 6V really quick. Like <1 sec quick. Even if its so cold out you get frostbite just looking outside.
My thoughts: Injectors might be partially clogged / ####ed, causing the fuel to dribble out instead of spraying, so it doesn't fully burn. This would make it harder to light. I also think installing a manual glowplug override might help. Just need to find time to do this. Unfortunately, that probably won't come until April. I'm also a starving college student, so I can't afford to be guessing and paying for all sorts of expensive parts I don't need.
Also, its supposed to get to -35 tuesday night. Hopefully the #1/2 mix I put in is enough to keep it liquid. Is #1 (basically kerosene) harder to start with?
1990 2.4L Surf, 175,XXX km
Bakc around thanksgiving, it got damn cold. At least -25F, as my winterized diesel gelled up. This is the first time I have owned a diesel, and the first time that I've been anywhere this cold, so I didn't figure out what had happened right away. Eventually I called a buddy who knows about diesels more than me, he figured it was gelled, so we pulled it to his heated garage, and with a bit of work, she fired up the next morning. I've run a bunch of anti-gel through it, and injector cleaner.
After than, it was having a hell of a time starting. Since then, ether has been my friend if its below freezing. I know its not exactly good for it, but it gets her going. Turns out the glow plugs were dead. Replaced those over christmas, and it fired up ok then (at sea level. not sure if that would have any bearing)
Now that I'm back in Butte, (elev ~6000 ft, or 2000m) it really doesn't want to start. Once it a while, even above freezing, it will w/o ether, but usually I've got to spray some in there.
When it finally does start, I get while, vaporized, unburnt diesel for a while (like, until the coolant temp sensor is all the way up to where it sits when its been running for a while, ~1/2 way across)
I can't plug in. I will get fined by the apartment I'm in if they catch me doing it again (assholes, but the rent is cheaper than dirt, so I put up with it) When I do, it helps somewhat, but not a ton.
Glow plugs are getting the full 12/6 V, but after the first cycle, if I try again they switch to 6V really quick. Like <1 sec quick. Even if its so cold out you get frostbite just looking outside.
My thoughts: Injectors might be partially clogged / ####ed, causing the fuel to dribble out instead of spraying, so it doesn't fully burn. This would make it harder to light. I also think installing a manual glowplug override might help. Just need to find time to do this. Unfortunately, that probably won't come until April. I'm also a starving college student, so I can't afford to be guessing and paying for all sorts of expensive parts I don't need.
Also, its supposed to get to -35 tuesday night. Hopefully the #1/2 mix I put in is enough to keep it liquid. Is #1 (basically kerosene) harder to start with?
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