In April, I purchased my 05 CTD Ram with 37k miles. Being new to diesels, I've been on some diesel forums and such trying to learn.
For instance I just learned that some use diesel additives and such since the ULSD fuel came into being.
What are some of the "things" you guys do to your truck or engine and feel or "must-do"? Additives, water/fuel seperators, what kind of filters, how often are they changed...How cold should it be before I think about plugging in the heater? Do you warm the an auto truck up in winter in park or neutral? I've heard neutral so fluid flows and heats up too....Tell me about fuel gelling...how cold before it happens?
The only request I have is that we don't turn this into a flame or all out war about certain methods used or opinions posted. Let's keep it educational...Thanks in advance.
2005 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 2500 CTD
2007 Starcraft Antigua 215SB
Equal-i-zer
2006 Harley Davidson FLHX East bound and down, loaded up and truckin',
We're gonna do what they say can't be done.
On an 05 I wouldn't use any fuel additives except maybe something in the winter to prevent gelling, but I don't live in the NE.
Plug in when the overnight temps are consistantly below 40F, it forms a habit so I don't see the wire fly as I back up in the am. The truck seems to run better when it has been plugged in, I equate that to a happy truck.
In the morning I do apply the parking break and put it in N for maybe a minute or two until the oil has had a little while to circulate, then drive lightly for the first few miles until I start getting warm air out the vents. If it has been plugged in it gets warmer sooner.
I live in WI, and almost weekly head to northern part of the state in winter with my truck. I have not plugged my 05 in yet. It has seen -35*F. It is hard to plug in when we go up north snowmobiling. I do not use additives in this truck. Its CP3 injection pump is alot more durable than the older VP44 pump. All diesel stations are required to use winter blend fuel, which has anti-gel already added. I only use high volume truck stops, if at all possible. I have one truck stop I use that is close to home. If I need to fill up, up north, I use well known truck stops.
I warm my truck up for 5-10 mins or so in the cold. I put the truck in neutral, so the fluid is pumped, to warm the fluid. I also take it fairly easy on the truck til the water temp is been at normal temp for at least 5 mins. Remember, oil warms slower than water. You dont want to be beating on a truck with cold oil. Other than that, just treat it like a gasser.
P.S. I do have 3 cylinder idle and high idle enabled on my truck.
i don't have a Cummins but i can offer a little insight on cold weather.
i dont plug in the block heater until the temps drop to single digits F or colder. i have never had a fuel gelling issue in 10 years of owning diesels. (i live in the snowbelt on the east side of Cleveland.) i can tell you that on a Ford the block heater is 1200-1500 watts..when you use the block heater all night it shows up on your electric bill (20-30 bucks a month, here). for this reason i bought a timer rated for 15 amps, and use it to operate the block heater. i have found that 2-3 hours before you plan to leave in the morning is enough to make a big difference in starting/warmup. much more than that is just wasted electricity. i don't bother with the block heater during the day, only overnight for the first start of the day.
if the temps are above single digits, i start the truck and let it idle for 5-10 minutes while i finish up my morning routine. on the 7.3 the idle kicks up automatically when it's cold, the colder it is, the higher the idle kicks up. i have always warmed up with the trans in park and never had a problem. i also tow my enclosed equipment trailer all winter long without issue.
Cummins specifically advises against the use of fuel additives. If you want to get the real skinny go to the Cummins web sire and search out their recommendations. Letting a diesel sit or idle for long periods of time is hard on them. Keep up on the filters, oil,fuel,air use the correct grade of oil, and don't skimp on the quality and you should be able to get 350k out of it with no sweat.
It routinely gets quite cold for extended periods up here, (-40F) but my routine stays pretty much the same. I plug my truck in to run the block heater and the oil pan heater. I also use a timer to avoid wasting $$$ on my electric bill. No fuel additives for me, and I have never had a problem with fuel gelling. As mentioned before, using high volume fuel stops is a good idea, as it will be fresh winter fuel. I use my high idle and exhaust brake to help warm up the engine a little faster. Since my truck is DPF equipped I try not to let it idle too much, but have not had a problem yet.I find my truck likes synthetic oil a lot, even more so in the winter. Starts much easier. I run Shell Rotella T 5w40 syn year round, and Fleetgaurd filters. Change my oil when the dinger goes off, usually between 4000 and 7500 miles. Change my fuel filter every other oil change. My fuel goes through a visible water seperator, but it is good practice to drain your water seperator often. The manual suggests daily, but it will depend on the quality of fuel you get.
I use 6 oz of Amsoil Cetane Boost and 6 oz of Amsoil Diesel Conditioner per fill up. Change the oil every 6000 miles and and fuel filters every 2nd oil change, I use Amsoil 5w40 synthetic oil. I plug it in at 32'f.
Glenn & Karen
'06 F350 4X4 Lariat CC LB DRW (nice hips)
'09 Victory Lane 38SRV Toy Hauler
'02 HD Road King FLHRCI KRUZN
'04 F150 XLT Super Crew Our Toys
Locate the fuel filter. On the bottom of the filter canister you will see a small drain valve. Place a can under it and open the valve to drain any water.
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