How to SURVIVE THE WINTER with your DIESEL TRUCK!

[@Srtcuz]

The dog is a diesel fan, priceless! Lol

[@darkirondiesel]

Haha ya he loves it

[@touchofgrey8922]

Living and working in Calgary, I don't change my oil for winter. I run royal purple 15-40 year round. When I go to SK to visit my inlaws..I hope and pray I don't see -40. Lived and worked there for 30+ years and know how cold it can get. Seems to work for me, my 03 5.9 has 730 on it and still runs like a top. New truck is an 08 6.7. It's a princess, when we get a mind numbing -20 here in cowtown it sits in the driveway and I run a little V-6 gasser for work. I am now a huge believer in the additives. 6.7 was running like shit, so started adding $65/3.78l jug of CR injector cleaner. 6.7l running perfect again. Thanks for all the good tips. TOG out!!

[@rahulrane1658]

This man is amazing - so much knowledge. Always enjoy watching your videos. The truck sounds amazing by the way.

[@jaredportvlie6853]

Great video. Very informative. As a long time diesel owner and living in the northern area of the northeast, I would also like to add idling to the list. Leave the old iron turning if your only getting out for 20 minutes or less. They cool off very fast in freezing weather and you burn way more fuel trying to warm them back up. I use a turbo timer that allows the truck to run without the key in it for up to one hour. If someone breaks in the second they step on the brake to engage the shift interlock, the engine shuts down.

[@darkirondiesel]

That’s cool!

[@nativeoutdoors1780]

That's why Ford is pretty nice with the keypad on the door, you can lock it running and then just punch in the code and leave kinda nice

[@hunterbraniff346]

@@nativeoutdoors1780 my key pulls out of the ignition so I can just start it remove key and lock doors lol

[@nativeoutdoors1780]

@@hunterbraniff346 hey that's a more after abuse mod but still works haha

[@soapybawlz9160]

yea well my ignition is broken so i can just pull the key while shes running and lock the door and away i go

[@RIP_LIPPIN]

I love how the doggo is like yo we going for a ride I’ll be good and wait right here 😂

[@gageshiloh6760]

Instablaster...

[@waynejohnson3388]

Living in Northern Minnesota where -20 -30 -40 -45 weather can last for weeks l filly agree with your video 100%. Clean filters, good batteries, winter diesel with additives, I use Lucas fuel treatment year round, thinner synthetic oil, plugging in your truck and letting it warm up before taking off. I carry my generator in the back of my truck, and at work I'll go out and rip that over at last brake and plug into it. Or at least fire up your truck at lunch and let it run 20-30 min. I've just recently moved to the weekend shift so with the permission of my company owner he let's me pull around back and plug in on company power witch it super nice.

[@DavidBurgess-captainindustry]

Pro tip: a small generator is sending most of the fuel's heat straight out the exhaust. Point that exhaust outlet at your oil pan while the generator is running if you can do it safely. Or better yet, get the Webasto.

[@inuvialuitbeauty]

Living 100 km from the Arctic Ocean in Inuvik, NT. -30 to -40 all winter. Yup I run Mobil 0W-40 full synthetic. Plug er in past -20. I run Howes products with a little good ol 2-stroke oil. I’m running a 2012 2500 CCLB 6.7L fully deleted. Enjoy your videos man 🦾

[@darkirondiesel]

Thanks buddy! I admire you for living that far north haha 🥶

[@alsun35]

i live in alberta, same weather, my first gen will always start, but the heat is a whole other story lol.

[@scottloughry4368]

I’m a Amsoil Dealer. I use diesel all in one Amsoil additive. Love it

[@darkirondiesel]

Amsoil products are great!

[@scottloughry4368]

@@darkirondiesel Been using Amsoil for 25 years, won’t use anything else

[@landonhill700]

@@scottloughry4368 VP racing fuels Diesel AIO fuel conditioner is wayyyyyy better bro. Get two empty soda cans and put them upsidedown and put a tiny bit of each additive in the bottom of each and put a lighter to them. Watch the string of black come off of amsoil vs clean burn VP. I ran a test on all of the different brand diesel additives. VP was the only one that burned 100% clean

[@duramax2079]

@@landonhill700 do it with just diesel now lol and amsoil is by far a better product the lubricity improvement is twice as good

[@bobrewer177]

I totally agree with you bro, I keep treatment for the fuel and I always plug my truck in if it’s way below freezing and let it warm up in the am

[@darkirondiesel]

That’s good man, it’s the best preventative maintenance you can do!

[@scottleggejr]

Let it warm up. The other thing often overlooked is the hydroboost power steering pump/fluid used for steering box and brake booster. You need steering and brakes more than you need go-power.

[@wizard_of_poz4413]

Something that got shown and not told but definitely helps is to use high idle as often as possible

[@DavidBurgess-captainindustry]

Underrated comment. High idle not only warms the engine faster, but helps to prevent cylinder glazing and washing that results from low idle.

[@idahobuckaroo8348]

Good information. Regarding diesels in the winter, I use Howe’s anti-gel in the winter with Lucas’s Upper Cylinder Lubricator Injector Cleaner at 3oz. additive (each) to 10 gallons of fuel. The Lucas is used year round. This has been my diesel fuel management system for decades. I live in Idaho with cold winters, and this always makes all my Dodge Cummins pickup trucks start and run great all year long. Not to mention, this setup helps extend my truck’s injector life. Turbo blankets are another good idea I use to help with faster turbo spooling, lower EGT’s when towing (in the summer), and increase HP up to 50 when checked on the dyno. Changing the engine oil to a Full Synthetic (5W-40) is a great idea, but I would recommend it year round. I prefer the Valvoline since Cummins recommends it, and because it is a CK-4 rated oil made for Cummins specifications. Definitely agree with you on the engine block heater. Cummins recommends using the block heater when the weather drops below 25 degrees F which is the same time I start using Howe’s Anti-gel.

[@mrmotofy]

Check out project Farm and other additives testing. Howies doesn't actually perform that great...just sayin. I just found Fuel Ox. Tested very good and small bottle treats 120gal. Has additives created for and used by the military

[@idahobuckaroo8348]

@@mrmotofy Definitely, a valid point. Thanks.

[@mikeske9777]

@@mrmotofy I have always added Fuel Ox if I expect the temperature to be under 30 degrees F. I also have to say any anti-gel additive is better then none.

[@usafvet6766]

I Love you Dog. Very well trained sits there waiting for you to open the door. Awesome Dog. ! You should show him some more. !

[@darkirondiesel]

Thanks! He’s in my most recent video quite a bit! The one I uploaded yesterday.

[@usafvet6766]

@@darkirondiesel Awesome. 👍👍🇺🇸

[@bovellois]

1) The Cummins needs to work to generate heat, so it's a fine line between idling until it warms up and driving off. I drive slow and keep the rpm around 1200 for a few minutes, and avoid climbing steep hills. In no time the register blows warm air. 2) Get AGM batteries. They are expensive but they pack a punch, don't lose cranking capacity as the temperature drops, and have better longevity. Costco sells a set for the Dodge Cummins at a good price. 3) Battery blankets for conventional batteries: They use 80 watts per side, which is the same as an incandescent lightbulb. They get plugged in at the same time as the block heater. 4) Synthetic oil year around. Even 15W40 Amsoil Heavy Duty and Marine stays remarkably thin at very low temperature. Instead of throwing it away, install a bypass filter that will keep soot particle over 2 microns from going back in the crankcase oil. Soot particles under 2 microns don't cause trouble, they just color the oil black.

[@Donnyboy65]

I just bought a ram Cummins and this video taught me a ton

[@brichardson7884]

Great tips thanks! I live in SK too, haven't heard a few of these. Might want to put chapters in your next tips video

[@mrmotofy]

Project Farm has a vid on additives

[@dereckwhite5774]

Great information Canada and most helpful! Thank you 🙏🏾

[@simonlawson2772]

All great advice! Thanks from Northern Ontario! Another tip is to cycle the glow plugs a couple times before cranking. Could always cold start my 6.0 psd this way no matter how cold. Unfortunately not possible to do on my new 5th gen cummins

[@sam.fridayyy]

Actually, you don't have to cycle the glow plugs/grid heater! They stay on and keep warming up!

[@robbyworld9456]

First winter for my new 3.0 thanks for the info

[@ronaldbabbitt6318]

Excellent information! I have an Air Dog and I have haven't had any problems in 1 year of running it on my lmm, until this last week! Cold -17 0 8 for days and she was starting running fine until frame rail and fuel filters got packed with Snow! So I got my Air compressor and blasted out all the snow and hit it with a hair dryer and Truck stopped stalling! Got hot Shots Secret on the way and new Air Dog fuel Filters on the way! Thanks 💯🏁☠️💨

[@tellthetruth9649]

New Diesel owner. Great information!! Thanks.

[@antonazidumas]

Thank you for this! I live in weyburn and yeah this is very helpful!

[@wipatriot510]

Great advice and tips from the "Great White North"... I've heard it said that Saskatchewan is so flat, you can watch your dog run away for 3 days...;)

[@darkirondiesel]

Haha yup it’s quite flat. If you go a bit north it’s not so bad though. Lots of hills and trees.

[@blownbird97]

Great info, although living in FL, I don't need to worry much about it. There are a few days I get to do a cold start and the truck sounds like a jet warming up.

[@VancePeiffer]

Nice video, this helps a lot - Minnesota

[@zxej6879]

We run 5w40 synthetic year round in our diesels. The engine runs quieter and smoother. My house is in the California gigh desert. The coldest it gets is 15°f. But I do travel to cooler places. In the 1980's, I lived in Colorado. The nighttime temperatures were -5°f. But had a few cold snaps that got down to -30 or so. Gasoline or diesel engines performed so much better with synthetics. When I drove over the road trucks back in the 90's. Just adding even 1qt of 5w40 synthetic. Would make a noticeable difference. On a 2200 mile trip, I saved over 7 gallons of fuel. Since I kept a personal notebook, I had the records to compare. The company gave me a fuel bonus. So that little bit of extra fuel economy, paid me a little more.

[@REWYRED]

I have a '19 Ram with the Cummins and so far where I am it has not been colder than about -15°C. I plug it in around -5°C but have it on a WIFI controlled outlet so it can automatically turn on a few hours before I need the truck and I can control it manually. 3 to 4 hours of block heater use is usually enough that the truck will start itself without running the grid heater preheat cycle (pushbutton start). Also it's been said not to leave the block heater on while your truck is heating up or is hot, it can cause premature failure of the heater element.

[@darkirondiesel]

That’s cool, I should get a wifi controller outlet

[@tigerexpress2799]

All good info here. 👍 Not a diesel truck guy but TDI car

[@colinbussiere-nichols8524]

This was great! I live in maine and I’m looking to buy my first diesel soon. This really helps!

[@abrahamrodriguez4850]

Just seeing this video now, good strong 💪 advice thank you 🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@lyleconway6795]

Beautiful third Gen! You need rear inner fenders to protect her. And the fass pump will thank u 💪🏻🤘🏻

[@lgrw9883]

Canadian winters are definitely tough on our diesels

[@FireBosspilot]

Battery blankets on my 09 3500, they work!

[@minimalself]

Check transmission lines for rust spots!

[@falcon8553]

Always enjoy looking at a clean engine bay

[@Corsario-tf4bq]

I had a few VW Jettas TDI [ Diesel ] The older models 1987, were really hard to star in winter, it was so bad in Montreal, that when it really got cold i used to let them run all night, so not to have problems starting in the morning. I had block heaters but no place to plug . Then my next VW TDI was a 2006 model, WOW , what a change ! I don't know what VW did , but these cars were starting at - 40 C sleeping outside. The question is why truck manufacturers that offer Diesel engines don't copy starting systems like VW had . It is to bad that VW cant sale their Diesel models in North America anymore, they were cheap to run and the engine lasted forever, I had one go over 1,000,000 Km [ Made in Germany engine of course ]

[@wilmamcdermott3065]

Fuel additive. Been using 2cycle mix oil lubes and cleans injectors

[@ryancornelius1007]

I'm in upstate ny and a new diesel owner, as everyone knows the ram cummins has that bs grid heater bolt issue and I'm looking into either the banks intake horn or deleting the heater grid all together. Some guys say it will start no problem but some say spend the money on banks.

[@darkirondiesel]

If it gets cold where you live trust me do not get rid of the grid heater. Also, the banks heater is nowhere near as powerful as the stock grid heater. I recommend the BD Diesel killer grid heater upgrade kit instead.

[@mandavaler]

For older diesel owners making sure all your seals are good is a huge thing to easy starting in winter.

[@paulmaxwell8851]

Hey, I'm an older diesel owner (I'm 63) and my seals are just fine, thank you very much!

[@darrylm3627]

Good to know about diesel for winter 👍!!!

[@jrarseneau7589]

Hey Kyle, Just go south for the winter....😆

[@MrJmoo123]

I plug my truck in every night during winter. Even if it’s 45 out. Less warm up time the better

[@ESLinsider]

Total neub here, if you plug that block heater in does that affect the tank at all? Do you need something for the tank or is that it?

[@MrJmoo123]

@@ESLinsider no the block heater is strictly a block heater. Add a anti gel additive to the fuel in the winter and you’ll be good.

[@kevinfournier1665]

Man you do great videos love your work keep it up !!

[@darkirondiesel]

Thanks brother!

[@6.5L-tow-truck]

With my 6.5 Detroit diesel when it’s -40c I start it at 5:30 and leave for work at 7:00

[@andrewyoder9440]

Great tips! Love your videos

[@darkirondiesel]

Thank you!

[@kyles234]

Best thing is an Espar or Wabasto heater. I use mine year round and the coolant is 150F before it even cranks over.

[@mikedee1]

I had one on my 07.5 Cummins. At -20 C instant warm air. Amazing device.

[@robertsheffey1647]

Would it help not build up condensation if I took the gas cap off when parked in my garage on those cold nights, or would that in some kind of way be harmful to the tank ? P S Your videos are excellent, and very very interesting and informative.

[@4g63tpowered]

What tires you use is the real question. I agree with everything you say though. Waxing of diesel is the beginning of gel. For once I think my 12v is in this category. Been down for a turbo rebuild for over a month they said 2 week turnaround. So I never treated it. Now I'm so worried I barely sleep

[@tobiasbergkvist7294]

how can you only have 6750 sub? you got a solid follow from me. real good vids mate, keep it up! greeting from Sweden

[@darkirondiesel]

Thanks buddy!

[@guymiller6891]

Just bought my first diesel I Ram 3500. What about the radiator fluid do I need to add any more antifreeze or is it already good from the factory?

[@kerrydemings857]

Thanks a million very informative.

[@masseymm]

Maybe not a problem out west but every fall I get my Ram oil sprayed with Krown. My additive is Archoil 6400 and I run 5w 40 Rotella T6 all year round which was recommended to me by the dealer if I wanted to switch to synthetic.

[@Hotshotrobbie]

Just wanna say something. My dad drove rig his whole life. Always told me a diesel will take for ever to warm up as they run off compression not ignition / spark / fuel. How I found this out was when I got my first diesel I went out and started it up and he said what are u doing ? I said letting the truck warm up. He said you don’t do that. U drive them and get on the throttle a little bit for a couple mins. Has worked for me ever since 8 years ago.

[@grumpy1311]

Even with a good engine warm up, if it's real cold out the, trans fluid temp does not go up much unless the vehicle is moving. When the fluid goes from -4° at start up, to 130° run temp , that is quite a swing .

[@jcpage305]

In situations like that i set the parking brake and let the truck warm up while in drive.

[@nativeoutdoors1780]

My trans warms up even in idle in park, on my 2008 super duty

[@masonmyette6985]

Wish I knew about this earlier haha, I really want an edge cts3

[@Lonewolf23-26]

That’s a nice truck man I have an 03 long box been a great truck I live in upstate ny been doing these things for years. I even have the same headlights on mine as well love the look of em an they work nice too! You sell that grill or where did you get it? It come in red? 😂 another time I suggest that I do as well is if you live in a place that uses salt use fluid film on the battery terminals and grounds as well as on the frame an brake lines will save you a ton of headache

[@WeTheDylan]

Thanks man, super helpful.

[@rickhoop3472]

Great video thanks for all the knowledge great info...

[@asablack1364]

Could you do a video on your Rig’s suspension? Thanks for posting.

[@darkirondiesel]

Yeah sure I could do that

[@wilmamcdermott3065]

Oil change fuel filters block heater tires

[@farmalllover8217]

Nice video. How do you keep your truck from rusting from the salt?

[@oddball0022]

Salt becomes ineffective at a certain temperature so a lot of places further north don't use it, and snow by itself isn't any different from rain, so there are some places up really far north in Canada that don't use it, alaska doesn't use salt either.

[@darkirondiesel]

They use a lot of salt where I live though, mainly at intersections. I just try to wash it every couple days

[@justinnorton8799]

I give my 6.7 about 30 seconds its not gonna hurt it a bit just don't floorboard it till she's about 160ish. I have the oil analyzed every other oil change and comparing to other 6.7s mines doing better than the others. I'm letting her sit for ac20min warmup is just burning fuel. I live in ny where it gets cold but not near as cold as you maybe hit -10F but never plugged it in surprised duramax and powerstroke still use glowplugs grid heater imo is more reliable and works better.

[@fjb4932]

1"58. Every auto parts store, hardware store, electrical store sells a female cap fot the male end of the electrical plug in. Keeps it clean from snow / ice. Or...just let it hang and corrode. ☆

[@fernandourias9507]

Thank you my friend good video

[@jreid4491]

Ive got a fully deleted 17 ram & she hates staying warm below 0°c. When it gets below -15°c I block off part of my intercooler. It seems to help keep a bit more heat in the engine and keep everything closer to operating temp.

[@darkirondiesel]

If your truck has a hard time staying warm in 0°c somethings wrong bro, maybe the thermostat needs to be replaced. Super easy job on a Cummins.

[@ryancornelius1007]

N that's a bummer about the oil I just did an oil change and put rotella 15 40 in it lol.

[@curtiscolton6844]

Going to plug in heater to extension cord . First time. How long should take to get it heated up? Or tell if it is working. 2001 Chevy 2500 hd. 6.6

[@plowboy6636]

Warm up - high idle or not? I have 2018 Cummins

[@jasonschlesinger5343]

Great video!

[@ontimelogistics7774]

Awesome vid ty

[@DavidBurgess-captainindustry]

Good video overall, but a couple of points need correcting. First, checking battery voltage can be an ok indicator of state of charge, but tells you nothing useful about the condition of the battery. Highly sulfated batteries or batteries with dead cells can show a normal voltage but won't provide the cranking amperage you need. At a minimum, use an electronic battery tester, or better yet, do a proper load test so you don't get disappointed trying to start your diesel on a cold day. Second problem here is the perpetuation of the myth that your diesel engine needs a long warm-up time. While it's true that you don't want to drive it hard before the oil is up to operating temperature, idling is not the answer, and will do more damage to an engine in the long run (especially in a diesel) than restrained driving while cold. If light driving while cold is not an option, then get a Webasto or use a high idle, which is less damaging than a low idle. But don't take my word for it. Check out this video by Adept Ape, or search for similar advice by Scotty Kilmer, Mercedes Source, Engineering Explained, etc. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqfJfpSiasuFm6M

[@makingithappen5178]

The easiest way is to pour in a few liters of kerosene, if it is summer diesel in the car. I know, I live in northern Sweden. About 20 km south of the Arctic Circle.

[@darkirondiesel]

Thanks for the advice!

[@makingithappen5178]

@@darkirondiesel Jeupp.

[@matthewg1887]

Thanks for their vid bud

[@aalphachannel471]

don't remember if you mention draining and replacing your coolant

[@gerardorodriguez8834]

Recommend a good delete def and ejer valve for my 2500 Cummins 2017 thank you

[@darkirondiesel]

Check these guys out. And get the kit with EFI Live 👊🏻 shrsl.com/3te1m

[@michaellevenduski7263]

Great videos bud.

[@brentinchley4798]

K so I’m getting a 2022 ram 2500 6.7. I’m a noob to the diesel game but have always loved them Any tips for a noob?

[@citysurvival3257]

What about for def for 17 ram 2500

[@artiedelimitros9443]

Just subscribed great video! At 10:00 when you say warm up for 20 minutes should the truck be at a high idle?

[@darkirondiesel]

High idle is better because it will warm the engine up faster, basically you just want the engine to be warm before you start driving hard. If you are high idling then 15 min would probably be enough time. It also depends how cold it is outside.

[@JamesMasterPlaster]

Sweet thanks man🤗🤺👍🏋️‍♀️

[@boblawrance7095]

great video, i was wondering what kind of fuel addictive's would you use for winter and summer?

[@asideofjake]

Hot shot's secret is objectively the best for lubricity and anti-gel

[@Nomder100]

I bought a 2006 f250 power stroke 6.0 without a block heater. So what's good to help it start this winter? This is my first diesel

[@rsmith8338]

It seems everyone has different opinions on letting your truck warm up. Most say it’s bad to warm up an emissions equipped diesel because it clogs up the emissions sitting and idling when the emission isn’t up to operating temperature.

[@brian3.2]

In my emissions intact vehicles I warm up until the coolant is at least 50°, then I drive my automatic in manual trying to keep the rpms at 1500 or less until the truck warms up. I do however live where I don't need highway acceleration for 15 miles. By that time the temps are high enough to ease into it.

[@nunyobizkneez]

thanks for the video! new cummins owner and learning TONS from your channel! When warming up, I get conflicting info, manual says dont idle for long periods, others say 1-2min and drive easy, then other people say 10-15min and drive easy. If I idle for 5-10min with the RPM's above 1k to get at least up to 100deg coolant temp then drive easy, would that work also? From my understanding with long idle times, cylinder glazing seems to be the biggest/costly problem that comes from doing it.

[@jasonschlesinger5343]

In my experience and opinion, I currently have 2 Hyundais that have GDI gasoline engines. They take forever to warm up at idle. I have driven a 2006 VW Jetta TDI and have noticed it stays cold until you drive it. I believe you should start the car, clean the snow off and start driving (as long as you can see, as in interior is not foggy). I find the GDI engines and TDI engines warm up faster under gentle load.

[@jonathanherb3752]

I’m entering my second winter with my ram 2500. Depending on how cold it is, is how I determine how long I idle. If I can, at least 5 mins for warmup and gentle driving. Otherwise I try for whatever the remote start cycle is.

[@wilmamcdermott3065]

My 04 cummins starts at minus 35 ran 1/2 hr min

[@greatlakesadventures1430]

Cummins don’t have glow plugs ?

[@kissy371]

I have a question I have a dodge Cummins but I don’t have a outside outlet or away to run a extension cord so what do I do

[@bertone6996]

Hi just subscribed...cheers from Toronto from ...un Italiano in Canada ...

[@darkirondiesel]

😂

[@wilmamcdermott3065]

Less wax in winter fuel

[@joesosasr.3150]

I never had or driven a diesel vehicle in my life, and I just purchased a 2018 ram 2500. My question is how long would you say I can leave my truck parked in the garage before I may start having issues with my truck? Will the DEF be the biggest problem if I don’t drive my truck?

[@konigstiger8518]

DEF usually goes bad after a year. And it's best to run it every once in a while.

[@Crodgers88]

How scared should we be about the dreaded grind heater bolt dropping into the engine

[@anglegrinderlover994]

what about northern quebec, we get to -50 like once a year ;_:

[@crookedriverranchman]

Great video but please put a coat on that great dog :)

[@MechanicMark613]

I have a 2006 Dodge 5.9 Cummins, What brand diesel additive do you use?

[@darkirondiesel]

I use a locally made one called 4plus

[@candisully8209]

great video

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

You have your short haired dog out in -15 F weather?

[@matthewmorrison2970]

me watching this even though i live in florida

[@darkirondiesel]

Haha ya your lucky it’s warm all the time

[@noahdaniel5346]

Awesome video, what brand are your mudflaps? I’ve been trying to find some like that and am struggling.