Any body have any tips to help these trucks cold start ? My truck was ok last year. I bought new battery's in late 2012 and this winter so far it has been worse. Any idea to what I can change ? I've checked all the connections and there clean/tight

 

I start my truck all the time when it is sub zero. The biggest thing to do is PLUG IT IN! This alone will guarantee that your truck will start at any temp (I start my truck up at -40 no problem). The rule of thump up here is when it hits 10 above, plug in for 2 hours, and ever 20 degrees colder it gets, add 1 hour plug in time (-40, plugged in for about 5 hours....or all night). Everyones winterization package goes by different standards. Our shop up here runs the standard 4 plug winterization: Block heater, Oil pan heater, Tranny pan heater, and trickle charger (1.5 or 2 amp).

Block heater should be standard on your truck, and will help immensely by itself for when you have to start in the cold. Don't forget to check your coolants freezing point before it gets cold. A #53 block isn't the only way to get a cracked block, frozen coolant expands, cracked block

Oil pan heater is a always nice, and almost a must on powerstrokes up here (since they fire their injectors with oil, when it is really thick, they don't like to start). 5W40 full synthetic also helps with keeping your oil pressure down on initial startup.

A lot of people forget about their tranny fluid. It needs to be warmed up just like everything else when cold. I know it made a nice difference with my NV5600 shifting when extremely cold (but my clutch fluid still feels almost solid, hard to depress the clutch).

And last, but not least is a trickle charger. People very on how they go about this, some just stick a pad heater under their batteries to keep them warm and from freezing up (batteries will freeze in extreme cold). But a trickle charger is by far better, because a well charged battery will never freeze, not to include it ensures that you have the most CCA on startup.

Specifically for the VP44 24 valve cummins, good fuel pressure is always a must for a good cold start. Also make sure to use some kind of diesel treatment, to keep your fuel from jelling up. Finally, a good working VP44 injection pump makes a huge difference for cold startup. I helped a fried change his, he went from cranking for 10 seconds to get his truck to start to 1/2 a second and his truck is purrrring

And if you don't have a plug in, there is about only 1 thing that you can do, cycle your grid heater a few times before trying to start it up (it is hard on the truck though, starting it up when it is so cold you have to cycle your grid heater more than once) I hope something I said helps with your cold start.

Stay warm

 

A lot of good advice there. I'd like to add a few things I have learnt over the years.

- Cold batteries yield less power. Battery blankets will help keep the chill off your batteries giving you more cranking power. They don't consume much power either. Blankets combined with the above mentioned trickle charger will give you lots of cranking power when you need it.

- Circulating Block heaters will heat your engine more thoroughly when properly installed. The difference won't be as great on an inline compared to a V engine, but it will make a difference. I run an Espar on my truck, as I'm not always somewhere I can plug in. They use the trucks battery power and diesel fuel to warm your coolant. Expensive, $1300ish, but worth it if you experience cold climate a lot.

- Clean fuel filter(s). Diesel gets think in the cold, and a dirty filter doesn't help. I always change mine late fall/early winter. This, combined with fuel conditioner, I've never had a gelling problem, even down to -40.

- Battery connections. More than just at the battery, check where it grounds to the block, and to the starter. They shouldn't, but can loosen and reduce the power getting to the starter. Although your batteries aren't old, it doesn't guarantee they are still good. Many places will test them for free.

 

All good advise thank you. I just noticed I only have 870 cca

 

Try mashing the pedal to the floor while cranking it!Helps me start it in 15-20?
Don't know if it hurts anything,but never crank for more then 10 seconds,fries the starter