-28

[Corax]

-28 in Banff yesterday and Scout started up no problem. It wasn't always that easy though, here's what we've done to make it happen:

- Installed an inline rad hose heater, yesterday he was plugged in for 8 hours before start up but I bet I could have got away with 4-6 hours
- Installed a manual glow plug switch. I give the glow plugs an extra 3 seconds of juice after the normal 4-5 second automatic glow plug operation. Don't do it any longer than that or you'll burn the glow plugs out.
- Got a tune up that cleaned out the injectors. This seemed to be pretty key, he is starting far better this year compared to last winter. Summer operation has been improved as well.
- Using a fuel conditioner that includes a cetane boost. At the moment I'm using a petro-labs product that I got from CVI in Vancouver when I got the tune-up but I can't find it in Alberta so I'll probably have to switch to something else.
- To start up: plug him in for several hours, let the automatic glow plug system do it's thing, give them another 3 seconds with the manual switch, throttle at full, turn the ignition and voila, lift off. Give the glow plugs another couple of seconds of juice if he runs a bit rough (not more than that) and away you go.

I've started the van easily at -17 one morning without being plugged in but this was after he was running the day before so the block would have retained some heat. But without being plugged in -15 to -20 should be doable with a bit of patience I would think. Warmer than -15 is never a problem.

This morning it's -42 but he hasn't been plugged in and I'm not venturing outside anytime soon to bother trying...