weather is getting colder, worried

[84fordforme]

I bought a 84 ford diesel this summer, it has a 7.3 swapped into it. It usually starts right up when its cold. Right now its about 40 degrees outside, after sitting for a while, it will start up after a few seconds of cranking. I am worried about it starting if it drops below freezing to 10 or 20 degrees. Those of you guys who have owned a idi and drove it during the winter, how did it do? Thanks for any advise or predictions.

[TEXCRAWLER]

I always kept mine pluged in all night and never had any problems w/it starting or running good. Take an extention cord w/u to work also.

[84fordforme]

thats a good idea, thanks for the reply, i guess the two questions i have are, the colder it gets, assuming everything is still working and the fuel is not gelled up, will it just have to crank longer to generate enough heat to start?
(such as at 10 degrees 10 seconds of cranking, then at 0, mebey 15), and the other is, how long does it have to be plugged to heat up and help it start? thanks again

[TEXCRAWLER]

I wouldn't know anything about the fuel freezing or turning to sludge or gell. The coldest I ever had my IDI was up at Lake Taho Northern California at 0 degrees and just pluged it in all night. Some people my think I'm a nut but sometimes when you run out of fuel you have to use a 5/8" open end rench to bleed off the air in your lines going to your injector, I used a small amount of gas down into the intake and it would start right up, but for a few seconds it would sound like your engine is about to throw a rod, but it wont. Always keep that wrench and a little bit of gas w/u if you should run out of fuel befour you can switch your tank over.

[84fordforme]

i never let either tank get below 1/4, so im not worried about that. I plan to take my truck up to the mountains, im not sure if there will be a plug in where my truck will be, guess ill have to stick a generator in the back..

[TEXCRAWLER]

probly wouldn't hurt

[vitalidle]

Also wouldn't hurt to use some diesel fuel additive with anti-gel for the winter months even though diesel fuel has the winter blend probobly in your area.

[84fordforme]

yea, i just changed my fuel filter, it was rusty and god knows how old. I am running stp fuel injector cleaner right now, and i just bought a thing of cetane booster with antigel that says it aids in starting, so we'll see. Im curious to hear from anyone who has driven their idi in the cold months or up in the mountains? but thanks for all the advise guys!

[spburns]

Originally Posted by 84fordforme

I bought a 84 ford diesel this summer, it has a 7.3 swapped into it. It usually starts right up when its cold. Right now its about 40 degrees outside, after sitting for a while, it will start up after a few seconds of cranking. I am worried about it starting if it drops below freezing to 10 or 20 degrees. Those of you guys who have owned a idi and drove it during the winter, how did it do? Thanks for any advise or predictions.

All the suggestions posted so far are, as we Englishmen say, spot on old chap - first and foremost the heater typically needs at least a couple of hours of being plugged in to be effective (I've used a timer and usually set it for 3 hrs). The older ones are fussier in the cold, and as a rule of thumb, if it's cold enough to freeze the pumpkins you need to plug 'em in. And yes, either use winter diesel or an antigel additive - there's tons of them on the market and it's cheap enough. One other thing - the old ones (up to '93, the IDI's) can be given a quick shot of ether in a have-to-start situation, but don't ever try it on a Powerstroke. Damn near blew myself up with my '96 and then spent several hundred bucks replacing everything on the air intake side!

[84fordforme]

I have heard bad things about ether, is WD 40 a better idea? thanks for all the advice, it is supposed to be 29 degrees out tommrow, i am leaving my truck out and unplugges to see how it starts tommrow, this will be the first real test of how it does in sub freezing. If it doesnt start, i will just drive me 300zx tt thanks for all your guy's help!