# Another Cruze Diesel Cold Start Video -9F/-35F Windchill



## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

I don't think there is a long enough wait to start on these cars. On my truck the light would have been on for like 30 seconds.


----------



## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

Mine started up in similar fashion this morning (-15F/-40F wind chill) after sitting out in the cold for over 48 hours (without the kill). One cool thing that happened with mine was once I turned the key for like 3-5 sec, the car took over and started cranking without me having to keep holding the key forward. The DIC was displaying all sorts of text when this was happening, but the car kept cranking. I was impressed. 3/4 tank of fuel and about 4 oz of Power Service (white bottle) in the tank. This car is truly a BMF!


----------



## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

DieselMan33 said:


> I don't think there is a long enough wait to start on these cars. On my truck the light would have been on for like 30 seconds.


The newer trucks have a lot shorter wait time as well. My dad's '08 Dmax isn't much longer than the Cruze. Both are a lot shorter than his '01 Dmax was.


----------



## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

Cool. Another good video. 8oz of power service? Is that not a little much? 1oz treats 3 gallons. 

Also, those of you shooting cold start videos with your phones..... Shoot it landscape so there is a full screen video, not portrait

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

titanman2789 said:


> Cool. Another good video. 8oz of power service? Is that not a little much? 1oz treats 3 gallons.
> 
> Also, those of you shooting cold start videos with your phones..... Shoot it landscape so there is a full screen video, not portrait
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


1. No, 8 to 10oz. For added centane boost as stated on the bottles diections for 15 gallons of fuel. "Double dose" 

2. it was -9 you're lucky I got a video at all!


----------



## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

I looked on my bottle. 1oz treats 3 gallons

Is added cetane boost even necessary?

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## larry0071 (Dec 1, 2012)

On the Ford Power stroke diesel and Dodge common rail, the wait to start light will go off but the Ford glow plugs and the Dodge intake heater grid stays powered for much much longer. You can continue to wait past the light to help on really cold days. I bet the Cruze is similar. Just because the light went out doesn't say that you can't wait another length of time. I would often glow my Ford and wait a total of about 30 seconds and then cycle the key off and on and do it a second time before actually trying to turn it over. I'm also in Pa and I've never plugged in one of my diesels. Beaver County Pa is cold right now, that's for sure! 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

KpaxFAQ said:


> Car had sat outside overnight in brutal -35F windchill and is not plugged in...


Keep in mind that wind chill only affects how fast the car will cool off after running, not how cold the car actually gets while sitting. Once it cools down to the thermometer temperature it will not get any colder no matter how hard the wind blows:

Wind chill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

_"The rate of heat loss by a surface through convection depends on the wind speed above that surface. As a surface heats the air around it, an insulating boundary layer of warm air forms against the surface. Moving air disrupts the boundary layer, allowing for new, cooler air to replace the warm air against the surface. The faster the wind speed, the more readily the surface cools.

The speed of cooling has different effects on inanimate objects and biological organisms. For inanimate objects, the effect of wind chill is to reduce any warmer objects to the ambient temperature more quickly. It cannot, however, reduce the temperature of these objects below the ambient temperature, no matter how great the wind velocity."
_
Always use the thermometer temperature when refering to cold starts, not the wind chill temperature which is an aproximation based on the temperature "percieved" by warm human skin in those conditions.


----------



## Cruze2.0Diesel (Jun 30, 2013)

larry0071 said:


> On the Ford Power stroke diesel and Dodge common rail, the wait to start light will go off but the Ford glow plugs and the Dodge intake heater grid stays powered for much much longer. You can continue to wait past the light to help on really cold days. I bet the Cruze is similar. Just because the light went out doesn't say that you can't wait another length of time. I would often glow my Ford and wait a total of about 30 seconds and then cycle the key off and on and do it a second time before actually trying to turn it over. I'm also in Pa and I've never plugged in one of my diesels. Beaver County Pa is cold right now, that's for sure!
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


I second that, it was the same way on the 7.3 or even the 6.9 glow plug controllers. I use to test glow plugs with a battery charger, it takes about 5 seconds for them to start to glow red hot at about 70 degrees and depending on the glow plug about 30 seconds to pop one, after about 10 to 15 seconds the glow plugs should be cherry red from tip to body.


----------



## kmacleod (Oct 15, 2010)

I've got nothing on this. The temp was 15F in the garage. Outside it was -12F. Car started right up. Took a little longer to warm up. I have been buying "winterized" fuel. ( I have not checked what the blend is).

Glad to see the car is starting up for others outside in the subzero cold!!!!!! (food for thought in the future)

Ken


----------



## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

titanman2789 said:


> I looked on my bottle. 1oz treats 3 gallons
> 
> Is added cetane boost even necessary?
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


Higher cetane is beneficial for cold starts. Doubling the white bottle dose gives you the same cetane boost as the single dose of grey bottle.

Common rail engines prefer higher cetane as well with their precision injection systems. A cetane number of 51 or higher offers no added benefit. You never know what youre getting other then its 40 cetane or higher. I want to be guaranteed Im as close to 50 like Europe as possible...

the short answer is, no not absolutely necessary but can help!

ymmv....


----------



## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

larry0071 said:


> On the Ford Power stroke diesel and Dodge common rail, the wait to start light will go off but the Ford glow plugs and the Dodge intake heater grid stays powered for much much longer. You can continue to wait past the light to help on really cold days. I bet the Cruze is similar. Just because the light went out doesn't say that you can't wait another length of time. I would often glow my Ford and wait a total of about 30 seconds and then cycle the key off and on and do it a second time before actually trying to turn it over. I'm also in Pa and I've never plugged in one of my diesels. Beaver County Pa is cold right now, that's for sure!
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App





Cruze2.0Diesel said:


> I second that, it was the same way on the 7.3 or even the 6.9 glow plug controllers. I use to test glow plugs with a battery charger, it takes about 5 seconds for them to start to glow red hot at about 70 degrees and depending on the glow plug about 30 seconds to pop one, after about 10 to 15 seconds the glow plugs should be cherry red from tip to body.


I posted the video over at tdiclub and their members advised me to do exactly that. They said dry humping the car on start like that isnt the best thing for the fuel pump


----------



## Cruze2.0Diesel (Jun 30, 2013)

KpaxFAQ said:


> I posted the video over at tdiclub and their members advised me to do exactly that. They said dry humping the car on start like that isnt the best thing for the fuel pump


I'm not sure about that on the cruze, it has an electric pump in the tank that sounds like it would circulate fuel pretty good with key on. That might be true on an older diesel with a mechanical lift pump.


----------



## Cruze2.0Diesel (Jun 30, 2013)

KpaxFAQ said:


> Higher cetane is beneficial for cold starts. Doubling the white bottle dose gives you the same cetane boost as the single dose of grey bottle.
> 
> Common rail engines prefer higher cetane as well with their precision injection systems. A cetane number of 51 or higher offers no added benefit. You never know what youre getting other then its 40 cetane or higher. I want to be guaranteed Im as close to 50 like Europe as possible...
> 
> ...


At what temp do you start to add your anti gel additive? do you use the cetane boost all the time?


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Thanks for posting the video. I am enjoying all these videos. Mine started just like normal today but it was above zero.


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

KpaxFAQ said:


> They said dry humping the car on start like that isnt the best thing for the fuel pump


Dry Humping... LOL! First time I've heard that one!


----------



## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

KpaxFAQ said:


> Higher cetane is beneficial for cold starts. Doubling the white bottle dose gives you the same cetane boost as the single dose of grey bottle.
> 
> Common rail engines prefer higher cetane as well with their precision injection systems. A cetane number of 51 or higher offers no added benefit. You never know what youre getting other then its 40 cetane or higher. I want to be guaranteed Im as close to 50 like Europe as possible...
> 
> ...


Well the only time I bought the power service was for a long winter road trip. Cheap insurance that i wouldn't get stranded in whatever wind chill comes from -15f driving 80 mph into a 30 mph headwind. I don't use any additives when I'm at home. Been outside all night in as low as -12f and started with no problem. 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

KpaxFAQ said:


> Here's my cold start video make this morning. Running Giant Eagle Get-go Diesel with 8oz Powerservice White in tank. Car had sat outside overnight in brutal -35F windchill and is not plugged in. No block heater if I wanted to.
> 
> -9F/-35F Windchill Cruze Diesel Cold Start - YouTube
> 
> She runs a little rough for 10 seconds before stalling, then fires right up on the second attempt. I'm impressed.


This is so much better than 30 years ago you can't even imagine. Back in the 80s used to have to carry a blow torch and an extra battery to get my VW diesel started in extreme cold.


----------



## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

Cruze2.0Diesel said:


> At what temp do you start to add your anti gel additive? do you use the cetane boost all the time?


The white bottle power service has the anti gel and half the cetane boosting properties of the grey summer formula bottle. It says on the white bottle to double dose if you want to double up the cetane boosting function. 

As far as starting goes, you could be right about that with the aux pump. I am going to see if cycling and waiting makes any difference next time its this bitterly cold. 

Titanman, Im of the school of thought that modern fuel has the proper additives and decent cetane in many cases but the kicker is, I dont know when it doesnt. There are times it does not. Being a tinkerer and liking to play around I said screw it and started going with routine powerservice treatments. Is it overkill? Probably. Can it hurt? Not at all!


----------



## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

Blue Angel said:


> Dry Humping... LOL! First time I've heard that one!


I suppose it's hard to do a "first" around here so I'm honored!


----------



## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

That's true. You never know with modern fuel. That's why I only fill up at major brand name fuel stations, not mom n pop stations. Where I live I only use Shell. A noticeable decrease in fuel economy must mean there is some sort of blended fuel in the pump. 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

It was a chilly 68 degrees in my garage this morning. Not sure I can add to this conversation...


----------



## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

Eugene_C said:


> This is so much better than 30 years ago you can't even imagine. Back in the 80s used to have to carry a blow torch and an extra battery to get my VW diesel started in extreme cold.


Yep, had a VW Rabbit back in the day in Cheyenne, WY when temps often got well below zero. I had new glow plugs (they burned out quickly), 2 batteries and using ether and it sometimes wouldn't start...otherwise, that was an awesome car and quick. It would get 50+ mpg on flat road trips and I thought I would never see that bettered by an American produced diesel, but the Cruze does it.

MY rabid Rabbit was awesome in the way it powered up hills at speed, passing all the lesser 4 cylinder cars trailing a cloud of black smoke. You could almost hear it saying, "Hyooooooo, Silver...away!" Well, in the movie they trailed dust, but you get the picture!!! I love my Cruze!


----------



## DieselEnvy (Jun 22, 2013)

Mine is garage-kept (unheated and detached). Wish I had a thermometer in there to check this morning.

Pittsburgh was -9 deg F this morning when I left for work. Engine started right up, very nearly to normal. However, I did fill up on Saturday afternoon (Giant Eagle Get-Go), and "double dosed" (8 oz.) of Opti-Lube XPD (_not "Winter" flavor_).

Parked at work (outside exposed to wind), and when I left this afternoon at roughly 4:30, (+3 deg F locally), the engine fired right up again nearly normally...maybe a wee bit slower cranking...but almost negligible difference.


----------



## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

Mine was in the garage the last two days. Temp outside was -11 last night and my garage stayed around 9. Fired right up today with no problems. Being exposed outside is what is killer.


----------



## farmallgray (Nov 28, 2013)

So is it better to leave the key in the run position (even after the glow plug light goes out) before cranking? Will the glow plugs get hotter? Or is it better to turn the key back off and cycle them again?


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

farmallgray said:


> So is it better to leave the key in the run position (even after the glow plug light goes out) before cranking? Will the glow plugs get hotter? Or is it better to turn the key back off and cycle them again?


The glow plugs stay on after the light goes out, so if you waited a few seconds more, things would warm up more. I am not sure how long they stay on though.


----------

