Extreme Cold Operation

Just moving to the Yukon. Drove up the Alaska Highway a few days ago. This morning I started up in -30C (~-21F). In advance of the trip I did manage to install an oil pan heater (125W). This was plugged in overnight. It started but very reluctantly after quite a bit of cranking and firing of one cylinder. I had to use a battery charger as well.

2005 Jetta Wagon. Am using Power Service and have ordered a frost heater and thinking about a battery heater also. Battery is original so am thinking it may be a good idea to replace that now even though it was just tested OK and has been performing in warmer weather.

My wife has lived up here many years and says it is in general a bad idea to operate vehicles below -40C (-40F) because it can damage seals and shaft boots.

Any suggestions, thoughts, cautions, tips, or experiences on operating your TDI in -30C or below?

I had an 1976, as I recall, Diesel Rabbit. While in Canada I woke up to -27C and while it did take a little extra effort, it started and I was the first car out of the parking lot. In fact when I left, no one else had been able to get their engines started. I had very low power for the first mile or two. I don't think you will have much trouble as long as you allow the glow plugs time to heat up. Maybe cycle them an extra time.

You will find a frost heater will help immensely, and since you said you needed a battery charger to get it going I would be replacing the battery, just to be safe!!!

I lived 10+ winters in haliburton Ontario, saw a week straight at -35 to -40 C mornings, and with the frost heater alone the car fired right up, ran rough and lower power for a few km's, you could feel that the oil and tranny was stiff!!, never had any issues with CV boots or seals though, but I am sure with your battery heater frost heater and oil pan heater you will have no issues at all!!!!

Let use know how it goes, I like videos of diesels starting in the cold!!!


Paul
Sent using my iPhone!!

gvan said:

Just moving to the Yukon. Drove up the Alaska Highway a few days ago. This morning I started up in -30C (~-21F). In advance of the trip I did manage to install an oil pan heater (125W). This was plugged in overnight. It started but very reluctantly after quite a bit of cranking and firing of one cylinder. I had to use a battery charger as well.

2005 Jetta Wagon. Am using Power Service and have ordered a frost heater and thinking about a battery heater also. Battery is original so am thinking it may be a good idea to replace that now even though it was just tested OK and has been performing in warmer weather.

My wife has lived up here many years and says it is in general a bad idea to operate vehicles below -40C (-40F) because it can damage seals and shaft boots.

Any suggestions, thoughts, cautions, tips, or experiences on operating your TDI in -30C or below?

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I've operated mine at -35F. It was OK, just sort of stiff driving. Start out real slow and work your way up to speed, letting things acclimate.

If your vehicle sits outside the FrostHeater is almost mandatory. Better yet, get it inside a garage and use the heater on a timer when its real cold.

Use PowerService, but if the fuel is local, its probably mostly for your own peace of mind and to make sure any stray water/ice is kept at bay. Carry some Power Service 911 in the cargo kit.

Best battery you can get, which for the most part, is the OEM one.

I'ld get rid of the pan heater. Lots of them have come loose, landed in the skid plate and smoldered/caught fire.

Buy a Panzer Plate ASAP.

I carry Sorrel boots, wool socks, Carhart type insulated coveralls, bomber hat, and real good gloves in the trunk all winter. More emergency stuff if I have to go remote.

Common sense. Sometimes its best to stay home!! -40F w/wind is dangerous.

gvan said:

Just moving to the Yukon. Drove up the Alaska Highway a few days ago. This morning I started up in -30C (~-21F). In advance of the trip I did manage to install an oil pan heater (125W). This was plugged in overnight. It started but very reluctantly after quite a bit of cranking and firing of one cylinder. I had to use a battery charger as well.

2005 Jetta Wagon. Am using Power Service and have ordered a frost heater and thinking about a battery heater also. Battery is original so am thinking it may be a good idea to replace that now even though it was just tested OK and has been performing in warmer weather.

My wife has lived up here many years and says it is in general a bad idea to operate vehicles below -40C (-40F) because it can damage seals and shaft boots.

Any suggestions, thoughts, cautions, tips, or experiences on operating your TDI in -30C or below?

Click to expand...

Where does your car stand on the glow plug recall and what glow plugs are currently in it?

Congratulations on the move up North!?

Frost Heater and a battery blanket will be your friends. I've got both installed on the car but the cool thing (sorry for the pun) is you can put both items on a power bar and run one outlet through the front bottom left grille as per Fitzski's instruction. http://www.fitzski.com/jetta/#zerostart

Install the Frost Heater. Placement of the Frost Heater is right next to and below the battery, so the battery should stay warm too. I would also use the winterfront made for the VWs. This will help keep the heat under the hood on cold windy nights and keep the car warmer when driving. I'd forgo the battery warmer.

--Nate

I leave my frost heater plugged in all night long. It starts like the middle of summer when its -45C with the temp gage up at 1/4 position. I left it plugged in for 4 days in the company parking lot when away on a trip and when I returned , the temp gage was sitting at the normal warmed up position with the outside temp at -30C daytime high a while back. These frost heaters work great.

Cycle the GP's a few time. Diesels are fussy in the cold; though TDI's are THE best starting diesel motors out there. Cycle the gp's a few time and it should fire off after a few cranks.

I had the glow plug recall done but I don't know what glow plugs are in it. I got the letter for the glow plug re-recall, but am very far away from any dealer, so that may not happen for a while. Below -20C it starts very rough. Lots of cranking and seems like it only fires on one cylinder for a 15 or 30 seconds. (Seems like forever) Won"t keep running without starter engaged to help it along, but finally the other cylinders fire. Lots of smoke of course.

Have the oil pan heater (125 W) and battery heater. Frost Heater is at the PO and anticipate this will help immensely. Thats a 3 hr drive from here, though but should get down there this week to pick it up.

Fingers crossed that all will go smoothly (literally!) once the frost heater installed. Ran fine in -40C a couple days ago but wasn't starting out in that.

Have the Panzer Plate installed. Drove up from Mexico in December. Mexico to Yukon, the aluminum skid plate was a good call. Rocks, ice, curbs, etc. glad I put that on.

Frostheater should be a big advantage. While not the Yukon, we have temps here well below 0C and anywhere from -10C to -40C is not uncommon. At that temperature, I keep outside cars plugged in all night, and sometimes all day at work. Starts up fine with little/no smoke and heat right away. These are a must have in cold climates. What wattage did you get, 1000w?

Frostheater will work out well and you might also consider a trickle charger for the battery. Not only will it warm it, but it will keep it charged.

Just started mine....out at work according to our weather station it is -47*C.....

I have a 1500W Frost Heater....started without the glow plugs even coming on!! In fact...Water temperature was 161*F, now that drops too 100*F as soon as the coolant circulates....

In fact....the whole car was covered in whore frost....EXCEPT the whole hood and the front half of the front fenders....even keeps the tranny above zero!!!!

So mildly put....get down to canadian tire or part source and pick up a frost heater, and 6' of 5/8" heater hose....total cost is a whopping $85. Best investment for cool weather!!!!

Not too mention blocking off all grill openings....I used bodymans sheet metal and built plates for the lower 4 openings....and then used foilback and stuck that in between the VW grill and what limited rad area there is....by the looks of things, 80% of the air flow through the rad comes from the 2 middle grills on the lower facia.

nate379 said:

Frostheater will work out well and you might also consider a trickle charger for the battery. Not only will it warm it, but it will keep it charged.

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Ya might as well wire it up when you're doin' the frost heater. Nothing starts a car like a warm fully charged battery.

I don't cycle the glowplugs (I know...call me crazy).

I use Power Service diesel additive and keep the driver's door slightly open while warming up the glowplugs. After the GP light extinguishes, I watch the overhead dome lights. Several seconds later, they will go from dim to normal. That's when the glow plugs stop heating, and that's when I hit the starter.

It's worked for me.

100% of the time. For 9 years. Temps as cold as -30F.

Good luck. I hope you have the same success.

Never needed to cycle the glow plugs either. Last week I started the car in -25c, car cranked over maybe 1 second longer than normal and idled a tad rough for about 10 seconds and that was it. I can't use my Frostheater at work (no AC hookup).

FYI, the pre-glow lasts for 23 seconds and the after-glow lasts a full four minutes. That is on my PD, and I think the ALH's are the same. So when my 5 second GP light goes off I wait an extra 10 to 15 seconds before cranking since the GP's are still on.

Yeah, I've found waiting helps a little too. Although, nothing beats having the Zerostart plugged in all night or at work. At 10F this morning car started like summer and instant heat for the way to work. Plugged it in at work, too! We'll see how they do overnight, low -5F tonight with wind so it is going to be tough. We only have a one-car garage and two cars so one car will be in and one car will be out.

"I had the glow plug recall done but I don't know what glow plugs are in it. I got the letter for the glow plug re-recall, but am very far away from any dealer, so that may not happen for a while. Below -20C it starts very rough. Lots of cranking and seems like it only fires on one cylinder for a 15 or 30 seconds. (Seems like forever) Won"t keep running without starter engaged to help it along, but finally the other cylinders fire. Lots of smoke of course."

You had the glow plug recall done and you can still start the car at -20!! That is pretty good.

The symptoms you describe above are exactly those which the glow plug recall created in my 2005. I highly recommend you have the warranty work done on the recall at your earliest convenience. Save your battery and starter motor! Mine will now start almost instantly, then run fairly smoothly without smoke after an overnight soak at -20 . Before any recall work it was started a few times at -30 but it hasn't been that cold this winter (so far).

Use will also be a factor. I did several hundred miles a week of highway driving as part of work and never had issues with cold starts until this past winter where a combination of battery age and lower highway use caught up with me.