Do the trucks start in the cold?

[rangerroy]

Just curious about the trucks starting in the cold it's 10 below here and i was wondering about the apu do they have engine heaters hooked to them or do you leave your truck running and how does that work with your fuel bonuses and keeping warm seen alot of trucks on the side of the road today.

[PA]

with treated fuel and a good battery the truck will start in the cold

[Malaki86]

It may not start as easily as it would on a warm day, but like the last poster said, it will start.

[kboomarang]

Winter blended fuels and additives are the key as are good batteries, block heaters and proper up-keep, my company over-rides idle time when the weather gets below zero allowing us to still get our bonus, its cheaper to let them run than get a service call to get them running.

[mbadriver]

If they are a bit worn (compression not what it used to be) it may need a little help. Only chicken ***** companies have fuel bonuses. It's just another recruiting tool of how much extra money you can make. Good luck on collecting.

[GMAN]

I usually keep a can of starter fluid in the truck. It can help get things going if needed. The truck should start in any case.

[steelhauler2007]

My truck always started in the cold,it was me that had a hard time getting started.

[kboomarang]

I can assure you I don't work for a "chicken ****" outfit, nor do I have to, I have no problem meeting the fuel goals they have set, which are eased in the winter months. With the cost of fuel these days your kidding yourself if think only "chicken ****" outfits are looking at ways to cut those costs. I take in an extra $100.00 a month and their happy too.

[RottsATruckin]

It’s -12 F here today (Eastern IA) my truck has been sitting for 2 days, it was DEAD, it took me an hour to get the APU to start with a jump from my pick up, then I let the APU run for 2 hours to charge the batteries and warm the radiator fluid, then it started right up.
I’ll just let it run (the APU) whilst I’m home.(nowhere to plug in the engine heater)
No worries about fuel bonuses, I always get them, ours are more based upon adhering to the fuel routing than actual mileage/usage.

[wildkat]

Is -35C (-20something F) here today...Day off, but still like to run the ole Espar & start 'er up just to be sure. Ran the Espar for 2hours & she fired right up.

[Douglas]

Not to get off topic, but how do you save fuel? (Try to keep it in high gear as much as possible, making less stops, letting it coast a bit while stopping instead of braking instantly?) :?:

[Windwalker]

Not to get off topic, but how do you save fuel? (Try to keep it in high gear as much as possible, making less stops, letting it coast a bit while stopping instead of braking instantly?) :?:

"GEORGIA OVERDRIVE", and only drive with a "TAILWIND".

Actually, driving habits have a lot to do with fuel consumption. I know guys that consistantly get better economy if they use their foot rather than on the cruise control. I've done it too, especially when going through hills. Also, how you go through traffic lights helps too. Time it so that you don't have to come to a complete stop and you save on fuel.

As for starting, I've gotten my truck started at -23 F. But, it did take an amount of starter fluid and then seemed to take forever to warm up enough to run decent. Another thing that helps is to have an "ANTI-GEL" additive in the tanks along with the fuel. I've seen guys have the block heaters plugged in, and the engine starts... Only to die off when they touch the throttle. Engine was warm enough to start, but the fuel was gelled.

[wildkat]

Not to get off topic, but how do you save fuel? (Try to keep it in high gear as much as possible, making less stops, letting it coast a bit while stopping instead of braking instantly?) :?:

Driving habits are the major cause of high fuel consumption... speed & excessive idling are the greatest causes of lowering fuel mileage.

My truck for instance, is a 379 long nosed Pete, I have a 550 twin turbo Cat, 373 rears & 18 speed. I pull extended length (overall 102 ft), with GVW of 117,700 lbs.

My unit:




At 62 mph I am at 1350 rpm, that gives me an average mpg of 6.2. If I drive with rpm over 1450 I might as well pur my fuel on the ground. I put on a massive amount of miles, average of 16,000/month (our HOS are different up here ) & fuel is incredibly expensive (over $4.00/gal). So good fuel economy is mandatory. I watch guys roar down the road at 75 mph & then whine about their fuel economy. I just shake my head.

Idle time is another major blow to fuel economy, I have an Espar heater with a bunk heater, unless it is below -30, I DON'T idle...ever. If I'm waiting somewhere for longer than 10 minutes, my truck is shut off, I start my engine heater, it will keep the engine at operating temperature for 2 hours even at -30. I have less than 1% idle time on my engine.

Most who know me know that my regular run is in the Canadian Arctic, where fuel can be over $6/gal, so guess what, ZERO idle whenever possible.

There is alot of controversy about whether cruise control improves fuel economy or not...IMHO, it greatly improves fuel economy, UNLESS you are always on big hills, etc. I use mine whenever practical to do so, as it helps to keep the truck at a steadier speed & reduces fatigue.

[Double L]

Actually cruise control does improve fuel milage. When my dad drives the cruise is always on and the milage is high up there and he has a large car Freightliner Classic XL. When my step mom drives she is always on the fuel and messing with the cruise and fuel milage is BAD!!

[Orange Andy]

Someone mentioned earlier, and i agree that when in hills, especially continuous, rolling hills, a driver can see further ahead than his cruise control can, and actually begin coasting near the crest of a grade, and get his foot out of it earlier. Sure, you will drop 2 or 4 mph near the top depending on grade, and your gross, but that is free distance that the driver can see, but the cruise cannot. Just like driving down a dip into a saddle. Your cruise stays disengaged until you are partway up the other side, but a driver could have added a couple mph very cheaply, going downhill, to coast up-hill, while the cruise would be hammer-down full at that point.

My opinion is that in rolling hills, like hiway 10 thru AZ, NM, TX, you can imporve your mpg by driving the truck. Also, at night my mpg drops because I cannot see grades, and plan accordingly far enough ahead. Took me a while to figure out why I got better mpg in daylight hours over the same route, and at the same speed, with no wind. :?

But that cruise sure is nice when flying east across Nevada and Utah though!