Cold weather can be brutal on diesel engines, but with a few smart habits, you can keep your Perkins-powered equipment running strong all season long.
Diesel engines rely on high compression temperatures to ignite fuel, making them harder to start in cold weather than gasoline engines. Starting a diesel at 0°F (-17°C) is five times more difficult than at 80°F (26°C), due to factors like gelled fuel, cold cylinder walls, and reduced battery output. Cold weather preparation is essential.
Do:
Use winter-blended diesel to prevent gelling.
Store full fuel cans in temperature-controlled areas to avoid condensation.
Drain the fuel filter daily, ideally at shutdown, to prevent water buildup.
Top off tanks at the end of the day. Less air = less condensation.
Don’t:
Don’t ignore the fuel filter; it’s the number one spot for gelling.
Don’t forget to drain the water separator on storage tanks.
Do:
Change fuel filters before the cold hits. That makes it less likely to freeze and avoids the need to do the job in the cold.
Keep spares on hand - it’s easier to swap than thaw. It’s often easier to replace a frozen one than it is to thaw it.
Do:
Switch to a lighter-weight oil for better cold-start lubrication. A cold engine needs adequate lubrication especially when it’s started.
Don’t:
Don’t go lighter than your engine manual recommends—it could reduce protection when hot.
Do:
Test coolant with a hydrometer - The glycol in your coolant is there for a reason, it doesn’t boil off and it lowers the freezing temperature of the mixture
Don’t:
Don’t top off with plain water. Always use a proper water/glycol mix every time.You do not want water to freeze in your engine or radiator.
Do:
Do pay attention to temperature gauges and avoid overcooling which can be caused by long periods of idling or excessive airflow.
Don’t:
Don't store diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at below freezing temperatures. DEF is about 50 percent water and will freeze.
Don't worry about DEF in the tank on the machine, the system automatically circulates engine coolant to thaw it so it’s ready for use when the machine warms up.
Do:
Park in a sheltered location when possible.
Use engine block heaters or battery warmers in extreme cold.
Don’t:
Don't use starting fluid unless the engine is equipped with a factory installed kit that precisely controls the amount used. Simply spraying starting fluid into the air cleaner carries a high risk of causing a fire or even an explosion.
Don't ignore your battery. After a hot summer that encourages corrosion and fluid evaporation the added strain of cold weather starts can kill a battery.
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Want to learn more about Perkins engines maintenance? Each Perkins engine has its own Operation and Maintenance Manual (OMM). This provides all the information you need to keep your engine running
