That was interesting this morning.

"KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs" (kusabisensei)
11/24/2013 at 15:52 • Filed to: None

First time I've ever had the E300 parked out in the sort of cold (25F), and forgetting to plug the block heater in (because I know this car has, *ahem*, issues, starting in anything below 40F). Pictured is the culprit in question.

Would. Not. Start.

I take that back. It would turn over just fine, but my theory is that the fuel didn't have enough winter additive (anti-gel), and the thing was trying to pump wax. Dump anti-gel into the tank, shake it, and it eventually got up to the injection pump.

Then came the cloud of white smoke, and it finally was running. Quite undignified, but still funny.

I didn't shut the engine off for four hours after that, since I drove home from my grandfather's house in Alabama.

DISCUSSION (6)

wacopalypsenow > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/24/2013 at 15:55

When is the last time you replaced fuel filter?

davedave1111 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/24/2013 at 16:05

As I discovered the one year London actually got cold enough that I should have used antifreeze, if you need to thaw out an engine bay a bunch of plastic soft drink bottles full of hot water from the tap will work wonders. If it's really cold you might need to refill them with hot a couple of times, but it'll bring the engine bay and block up to a bit above freezing without any trouble.

M54B30 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/24/2013 at 16:50

This is my first winter in South Dakota and I feel your pain - my 530 answers my cold starts with a nice "tap tap tap Tok Tok Tok" for about 20 seconds. Bad enough for me to buy some heaters and keep the garage heated 24/7. Can't buy a block heater since it's an aluminum engine.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > wacopalypsenow
11/24/2013 at 17:10

In March. It's less than a year old, and generally has ULSD run through it (because I'm not keen on frequent replacements with B20 being run through it)

wacopalypsenow > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/24/2013 at 17:20

Do you use any of the anti-algae (slime) stuff. I'm friends with a mechanic who maintains a fleet of Sprinters (all diesel) and he says that without anti-algae additive he can't keep the diesel flowing when it first gets cold

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > wacopalypsenow
11/24/2013 at 17:30

It probably could use some. Likely the plan would be to dump it in right before the next filter and prefilter change.

So there is likely more stuff to be run through the tank in rather short order.