This morning i was in northern maine where it was wicked cold (snowmobiling) truck sat over night where the temps reached -35 F static, not windchill. Unable to plug her in so she had to prove herself, she wasn't happy but fired right up, sounding like 310 angry stallions trying to get out of that block, snorting a giant cloud of steam and smoke. I was a believer in the whole truck, but so many people on this site seem to be fighting nothing but gremlins in some of these engines. I was on the fence once, I love the cummins but dislike the rest of the dodge package, but my duramax proved herself to me. I am a believer now.

Maybe those words will make everone go out and kiss their duramax emblem, believe me if my lips wouldn't have frozen to it i would have this morning, it was f-ing cold!!!

thas good that your fuel didnt gel....did you use any additive?

thats awful cold!

I buy my fuel from a tractor trailer service garage, in the winter it is there arctic blend, good to -40 f apparently. I also heavily medicated it with power service, then the first stop this morning i bought some diesel 911 ($10 for a quart, but up there i guess they got ya by the short and curlys!!!) never needed it, but i did have it.

You are right though, I was definitly concerned about the start up, but far more concerned about gelling. I don't understand though how there is not enough fuel returns to heat the tank up alittle. Truck engines do it, yet i realize they are burning lots more fuel, so therefore moving more fuel through there system, but they carry nearly 300 gallons, that is a lot of fuel to heat, and even in the coldest days there tanks will be warm to the touch. We only carry ~30 gallons, that seems resonable to heat to me.

That is awsome to hear. This website is full of a lot of bad news so its good to hear a positive every now and then. I was amazed at how smooth mine started at -10F but -35!! Fricken sweet man.

good to hear. some nights i forget to plug in my truck. but it only gets into single digits here. starts right up every time. my truck i guess was a success story. Only problem my truck had was injectors at 125xxx miles.

-14f Is the lowest my lb7 has seen and fired right up without the plug. It was pretty funny when my dad was looking at me because his jetta TDI wouldnt even turn itself over!:p:

Good to hear bud!. I love my Duramax . Its a great truck, Most of us post so often with litle problems or upgrade questions, And we forget how great these trucks are!

Chalk one up for the Power Service I guess. There was a lot of talk on here that it might have more of a cause than a help with gelling. -35? Yuck.

That is a great... these trucks are awesome!!

-35F is friggen nuts!!!

imo, all the problems you see here on the site are the only ones that complain. Look at how many members we have, lots. my guess is the member to complaint ratio is low.

Mine fired off this winter at -13 after sitting all weekend. I know what you mean about it not being pretty, but it did. Dad has a work truck that is a Ford diesel (6.0) and he said that when it gets below freezing, it has to be plugged in or it won't start. Even above freezing, he has to cycle the glow plugs 3 times before trying to start it.

same way with our work truck. its a 97 ford super duty. it doesnt even have to be that cold to have trouble. now that the block heater has gone out on it, damn it takes a long time to get started.

Ford = Junk

i use Power Service also,have yet to plug my truck in. no problems.

My first Diesel ever the day I picked it up off the lot it had sat for a week in minus 20 to 30's .The sales guy went out and started it -23 it started first try. http://blog.boomerphoto.com/ That evening I drove a hour into the city the cab stayed warm couldn't get it hot no winter front at the time and the pollen filter in the cab heater was almost plugged solid.the drive was about -25 or 30 plus wind chill. Parked it overnight at a friends no plug in and started it at 530 am in calgary AB it started first turn of the key.according to the whether channel it was -40 at that time .I am a true GMC believer always have been and now I'm a true DURAMAX believer

Doesn't really get lower than the teens here in the winter anymore, but she fires up without the plug on call without hesitation. I've tried plugging it in, but don't see a big difference, faster crank time maybe by a slight bit, but truck never has hesitated to start. Can't say that for my 6.5L plugged in right beside it, don't get me wrong, its a great work truck, but cold blooded.

awesome!!

I know how it is, I go to school in upstate NY so it gets cold here too. And thats REAL upstate NY, as in 20 minutes from canada; not these clowns from albany or syracuse and say they are in "upstate NY". :p: :D

So far its been -19 here this winter. 2 years ago it got down to -25 for a week or so. I have no place to plug my truck in, but she always fires right up. Pretty impressive the cold weather starting ability of these trucks. :cool:

ben

Now I cant complain about my ole 6.5 cause it started everytime I turned the key faithfully no matter what the temp (lowest no plug was -13*). It was a little rough at times, but my Duramax is a champ, -20* and didnt even struggle or whine at me! Sounded like it turned over three to four times and I had fire. It shook for a minute trying to get the heat into the cylinders, but after five seconds it smoothed right out.

On a side note, one of these days I am going to get that block heater cord replaced:idiot:. But thus far it has started like a champ since the day I bought it!

So far I love my new to me truck. No complaints about the truck, just the dealer I bought it from.

Tony

Same here. I was i Mich. snowmobiling and it was -25 below with a -50 windchill and it fired right up.I used Amsoil Cold Flow in the tank and i didn't have it plugged in.

I used to own an F-250 and that thing would need to be plugged in almost immediately below freezing and not a chance at starting it when it got to about -18 or so without being plugged.
Now this year I have had -27 and my Duramax fires right up (white smoke) without being plugged in. I had been plugging my truck in or so I thought this winter until I realize my ground fault plug would always trip so I eventually said screw it and don't plug it in because the GM just fires up!