Diesel WD40 Start?

[Mr. Flibble]

Looking around the net I have seen reference to starting a Diesel with WD40. This is generally sprayed just past the air filter - and apparently is even better if there are two people working - one to spray, the other to crank, but you can use a single long blast and start on your own.

The purpose?

For old Diesel engines that have run out of fuel to get them going again. With the hand operated fuel pumps on the Delica's I don't think we need this. The other potential option is as a subsitute for starting ether. Given our Delica's have glow plugs we DO NOT want to use starting fluid as it will damage the engine.

However, if you were in a pinch, would WD40 work for assisting a Diesel start given that it would work as a lighter fuel and be more prone to ignition?

What say you?

[thedjjack]

Lots of people use it to start diesels in the winter....Lots of people also rebuild their motors. Most the time the people are the same.

It is too explosive and could explosive the motor.

[jessef]

You don't want to use anything in the winter like this.

Good glow plugs, batteries and diesel fuel will get you started.

If not, then a block heater/oil pan heater may be necessary.

Down to -20/25, these machines will work.

Once you get past the -30 mark, it becomes very difficult and taxing on the engine/starter.

Past -40, you can leave it parked and stay at home or drive a gas vehicle. Unless you have a 24V diesel engine (one's used around the world in extreme climates)

[Mr. Flibble]

This does give me cause for concern however. I was thinking about in in regards to how I like to go backcountry skiing/camping. And, while it does not happen often I was concerned that I might come back to the Delica in the middle of nowhere in -40 weather, where of course, a block heater would have nothing to plug into.

[Tinytoy]

Cambodian Tire sells 900watt tiny gen-sets for cheep. Lug one with you, If temp drops that bad a block heater only draws 400watts, coffee pot draws??? Brew a Java and plug in van! Win win

[FalcoColumbarius]

This does give me cause for concern however. I was thinking about in in regards to how I like to go backcountry skiing/camping. And, while it does not happen often I was concerned that I might come back to the Delica in the middle of nowhere in -40 weather, where of course, a block heater would have nothing to plug into.

A great big tarp to drape over the vehicle and a tiger torch to heat the ground under your carriage. Use Caution.

[thedjjack]

The old timers tell stories of starting small fires and pushing the vehicle on top of them to get them going.... crazy old timers!

(Just make sure your generator starts at -40! and propane is not a fan of -40 either!)

[FalcoColumbarius]

I'm not much of a fan of minus forty, either. One thing I have that would be of great assistance in such an instance is an ignition timer. I push two buttons and the hazard lights flash four times and then the engine starts and runs for twelve minutes and shuts off. Three hours later the hazards flash four times, the engine starts and runs for twelve minutes and shuts off. This will carry on until either I cease this function or the MLB runs out of fuel. Having said that, in an extreme situation such as -40c ~ I think the practice is to leave the engine running at 1,100RPM all night.

Falco.

[jessef]

I agree. Small portable generator. Use if for heat inside and a block heater. That's what I'd do.

Unless you can fork out the loot for an Espar or Webasto coolant diesel fired heater.

[Manitoba deli]

In my experience, WD-40 does work as a cold starting aid, and is not destructive like ether or other starting fluids. WD-40 was recomended to us by the specialists at Case-IH (agricultural division) in the mid 90's. The new Case-IH combines were delivered in January from the plant in Racine Wisconsin to the dealership I worked at in Manitoba, when temps were -30C or colder. The combines had summer fuel in them, and there was no time to warm them up or plug them in. The specialists at Case-IH assured us that we could not only start, but run the diesel engines safely on WD-40 (no substitutes). It was a 2 man job as one mechanic would man the controls, and the other would sit up in the engine bay with 2 cans of WD-40. The one mechanic would start the engine and drive the machine while the other continously sprayed WD-40 directly in the intake. These were $300,000 machines, and were brand new, we were skeptical at first, but the factory specialists explained that the properties of WD-40 were almost identical to the injection system cleaners we used, except the WD-40 had better lubricating qualities, and diesel engines are safely run on these cleaners for 1/2 hr or more. Some guys I know that still work for the dealership say that they still do this, except that the diesel engines on today's combines use a grid heater in the intake rather than glow plugs, and this heater has to be disconnected first. Care would have to be taken on smaller diesel engines not to over rev the engine with a continuous spray, but rather with controlled bursts. The WD-40 method works well and I have used it when fuel gelling, or no fuel is combined with an excessively cold engine. If fuel is not a problem, and cold temp is the only concern, I prefer using a controlled flame (from a propane torch) directly in the intake while cranking. These are the methods that have worked for me over the years.

Jason

[djelica]

I prefer using a controlled flame (from a propane torch) directly in the intake while cranking. These are the methods that have worked for me over the years.

Jason

This is very interesting. Can you elaborate?

What do you mean exactly by "directly in the intake". How would you do it to a frozen 4M40 with lots of fuel on board?

Cheers, dj

[Manitoba deli]

On the 4M40, you would remove the hose or pipe from your intercooler to the intake manifold (the one that goes to the engine) Aim the flame of a torch directly into the intake while some one cranks. This provides immediate heat to the combustion chamber and will help ignight the engine. Army trucks in the 70's had a similar method for cold starting on their 6X6 trucks with cummins engines (maybe others too). on these trucks, there is an igniter in the intake, diesel fuel is manualy pumped through an injector on to the ignigter. There is a guage on the dash to ensure you are pumping the fuel through the injector at the right pressure. It starts a fire in the intake manifold which you let burn for a few minutes. You then crank the engine over sucking in all the heat. The results are a diesel engine that will start at almost any temperature without beig plugged in. The propane torch will give you the same results, but requires two people. Propane gas can also be used as a starting fluid like ether, but I don't recomend this as it is destructive. Fuels like ether and propane will cause the precombustion chambers on an indirect injection system to crack, and will result in hard starting in all conditions. German engines such as Deutz and the English made David Brown diesels also used a similar diesel fired intake heater, but with a drip feed system, for cold weather starting.

Jason

[djelica]

Hey, thanks for you detailed reply Jason.

dj

[Mr. Flibble]

On the 4M40, you would remove the hose or pipe from your intercooler to the intake manifold (the one that goes to the engine) Aim the flame of a torch directly into the intake while some one cranks. This provides immediate heat to the combustion chamber and will help ignight the engine. Army trucks in the 70's had a similar method for cold starting on their 6X6 trucks with cummins engines (maybe others too). on these trucks, there is an igniter in the intake, diesel fuel is manualy pumped through an injector on to the ignigter. There is a guage on the dash to ensure you are pumping the fuel through the injector at the right pressure. It starts a fire in the intake manifold which you let burn for a few minutes. You then crank the engine over sucking in all the heat. The results are a diesel engine that will start at almost any temperature without beig plugged in. The propane torch will give you the same results, but requires two people. Propane gas can also be used as a starting fluid like ether, but I don't recomend this as it is destructive. Fuels like ether and propane will cause the precombustion chambers on an indirect injection system to crack, and will result in hard starting in all conditions. German engines such as Deutz and the English made David Brown diesels also used a similar diesel fired intake heater, but with a drip feed system, for cold weather starting.

Jason

That is what I thought - unlike ether it lubricates and probably won't ignite with the glowplugs. Plus, it burns at a lower temperature than Diesel, but not as low as Ether. Not something I am planning to use on a regular basis, but given that I carry cans of WD40 in the back of Starbug 1, it could come in really handy on a trip back to the van in the wrong conditions!

[FalcoColumbarius]

That is what I thought - unlike ether it lubricates and ...

WD40 is not a lubricant, it's a cleaner.

When I was a cycle courier we had issues with crap off the road getting onto our chains and consequently derailing them. So we used WD40 on the chains several times in a day and that problem went away but every weekend we would get together to pull the bottom bracket and the sprocket set off to re-grease them as the WD40 would be doing it's job and cleaning everything, including the grease (good grease cutter). I don't doubt that WD40 would be good for cold starting a diesel, I just suggest that it not be considered as a lubricant.

Falco.