Hello--I just bought a 2001 Ram 2500 with the 5.9L Cummins. This is my 3rd ram but first diesel. What are people doing as their "Best Practices" in dealing with cold temps (we can stay below 0F for a couple weeks at a time)?

I would be curious to know about:

1. Warm up time before driving, assuming cold start.
2. Fuel choice. Right now I'm running "Sunpower" biodiesel which is B99, but they change to B20 for winter. They seem to claim they use additives and that it has x10 the lubrication of standard diesel. This brand is our only choice for biodiesel around here (website is www.growsunpower.com if you are curious). They claim the B20 is good to about -30F, which is about the lowest we normally see (a -15F to -25F night is common). I can switch to #1 diesel once it switches over, but I like the fact that B99 is notably cheaper. Seems to run quieter too?
3. Use fuel additives (e.g. anti-gel or 2-stroke oil for lube) anyway?
4. The truck is my daily driver and my commute is 17 miles one-way, but as it is with the 30F temps in the morning, it takes 3/4 of the way to work to warm up (dash needle at the 190F mark and heater blowing as hot as it will get). Coming home, it heats up a little faster. Good/bad idea? I don't tow much, but when I do, I just gotta have me a Cummins!
5. It came with the factory 110V engine heater, but I won't have the option to use that once I'm at work and the truck is sitting out in an open parking lot. I normally leave for lunch, but I don't always do it. I don't want to waste fuel if I don't have to.
6. I did read the OEM owner's manual and know about cycling the ignition twice to warm up the intake heaters, but it's not cold enough for that yet.
7. Other things I should think about?

I was going to have my wife drive the truck to work, as her commute is only 3 miles, but I'm going to guess that is a bad idea because it will never warm up. If she drove the diesel to work, I would be driving a... well, let's just say something that is much more economical to drive.

 

Anyone? Surely I'm not the only diesel driver up North? I would also like feedback on engine oil recommendations. Amsoil is the local favorite, though I have not researched if they have something for this engine.

 

block heater does help..

the grid heaters come on any time the outside air temp is below 60*F that's what the wait to start or little amber light on the dash that looks like a coil is... when that goes out the intake has been heated enough to start the engine in extreme cold.

your truck with its factory fuel system also has a fuel heater that helps out

there are a couple ways to warm up quicker in the winter:

method 1: smarty programmer has a 3 cylinder high idle it can flash that will make your truck run on 3 cylinders during warm up and raise the idle (this is actually a cummins options from factory that dodge chose to disable) running on 3 cylinders causes there to be a load on the engine since the other 3 cylinders are making compression, but no power...so load makes the engine warm up faster.

method 2: winter front.



basically inserts that go into the grill and block the grill off thus blocking off 1/2 of the radiator (it still gets air flow from the bumper and below) which helps the truck maintain operating temperature and get there faster in cold temperatures. you can make them yourself, or buy them from various aftermarket sources.

 

Put a timer on your block heater to turn on a few hours before you leave in the morning, start it up, go back inside for a cup of coffee and you will have heat for your morning commute in no time. Blocking off the radiator with a winter front is a good idea, or a piece of cardboard works just as well. If your running Bio fuel, there is really no need to use any other additive for lubrication or cleaning, anything over B5 is really good for lube and it cleans the fuel system out pretty well but they do have a lower cloud and gel point so it might be in your best interest to add some anti-gel once it gets below freezing or mix with #1. Keep running the truck on the long drive, only driving 3 miles at a time w/o getting to temp is not good for your engine.

Oil is all personal preferance, some people swear by brand-x others brand-y but they are all good. Amsoil, Rotella, Delo, Mobile etc... For us up here in the North, i would go with a good synthetic, Amsoil or Rotella T-6. Much better cold flow properties and protection.

 

if you do cardboard...might want to paint it on all sides...cardboard tends to get a bit soggy when it gets wet...plastic would be a better choice.. or just buy one...they just clip to the honeycomb on your grill..nothing permanent or hard to install/remove.

 

Thanks for all the tips. I will end up blocking the grill. I may get a stainless insert for some interest and then just put a backing of my own choice behind it. I use cardboard in another one of our vehicles for grill blocking but agree it can get soggy. Luckily, not much gets soggy at -30F!