Considering a Diesel in Cold Weather

876 Views 23 Replies 7 Participants Last post by DieselDrax, 1 d ago

Trisky

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

Hello everyone,

making my first post as a potential buyer of a diesel colorado.

I live in northern Saskatchewan where temperatures of -35°C are guaranteed and -40°C happens maybe a week or two in February. I drive 8km to work 4 times a day (home for lunches) and travel South to the city (360km one way) maybe once a month and on holidays. I also haul water for my house once a week that’s about 6000lbs total for a distance of 6km.

I am mostly looking for the better fuel mileage and towing of the diesel but I am concerned about the short trips causing emissions issues and cold weather damaging the turbo due to ice build up from the PCV. I’ve read about rerouting the PCV to a drain line from the engine instead of into the intake manifold and that’s something I would be fine with doing. I also have a heated garage I can store the truck in for the winter, and I’m able to leave it plugged in at work all day.

Do any of you have experience with the Diesel in conditions like I have? Any suggestions? Really open to any input here as I’m still considering buying a used diesel colorado. I haven’t lined one up for purchase yet.

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DieselDrax

· #2 · 2 mo ago

Trisky said:
I drive 8km to work 4 times a day (home for lunches) and travel South to the city (360km one way) maybe once a month and on holidays.

That is a hard no-go for any modern diesel, unfortunately. The turbo ice issue seems to be limited to people that park outside and don't have a good catch can. I'm at 94k miles and live where it gets below 0F in the winter but I park in the garage that never gets below freezing and haven't had any issues with the cold.

Those short trips are going to mean the DPF reaches 100% full quickly, the DOC will never gets up to full temp, and if a regen were able to start it would have no chance of ever completing because of those extremely short trips and you'd end up in "keep driving" (DPF > 100% full) or limp mode. If you did a longer (50+km) drive every week then you might be able to avoid short-trip issues with the emissions but it's not guaranteed.

The other problem is those short trips are going to create a LOT of condensation and acid in the oil because the oil will never get up to temp often enough to boil them off which means your oil change interval is also going to be very short due to contaminated oil.

That driving routine is going to be hard on any vehicle, but it's going to be extra hard on a modern diesel with a DPF and SCR. I love my truck, but they're not for everyone for one reason or another. Your use case is the perfect example of pretty much the worst thing you could do to just about any vehicle, but especially a diesel.

Sorry!

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Trisky

Discussion Starter · #3 · 2 mo ago

DieselDrax said:
That is a hard no-go for any modern diesel, unfortunately. The turbo ice issue seems to be limited to people that park outside and don't have a good catch can. I'm at 94k miles and live where it gets below 0F in the winter but I park in the garage that never gets below freezing and haven't had any issues with the cold.

Those short trips are going to mean the DPF reaches 100% full quickly, the DOC will never gets up to full temp, and if a regen were able to start it would have no chance of ever completing because of those extremely short trips and you'd end up in "keep driving" (DPF > 100% full) or limp mode. If you did a longer (50+km) drive every week then you might be able to avoid short-trip issues with the emissions but it's not guaranteed.

The other problem is those short trips are going to create a LOT of condensation and acid in the oil because the oil will never get up to temp often enough to boil them off which means your oil change interval is also going to be very short due to contaminated oil.

That driving routine is going to be hard on any vehicle, but it's going to be extra hard on a modern diesel with a DPF and SCR. I love my truck, but they're not for everyone for one reason or another. Your use case is the perfect example of pretty much the worst thing you could do to just about any vehicle, but especially a diesel.

Sorry!

Thanks for the reply!
That’s kind of what I was expecting to hear. No long warm up periods with short distances make for the worst scenarios. I hadn’t considered the oil change interval in the post because I’m used to doing them early on any vehicle up here.

Smokinthereefer

· #4 · 2 mo ago

The new diesels with DEF really become a problem in the cold. There are heaters to thaw DEF when it is frozen, but when really cold -25c and below the heaters can't keep up. Many,many,many issues up here in Canada with these modern diesels. I keep mine in a heated garage, and don't drive it when below -11c, more of a summer truck for us. I drive an old Toyota pick up with 420,XXX kms, has never let me down, its a shame that my Canyon will never last as long, but Toyota never had a Diesel in the mid size here, so for towing we got the Canyon because it was the only option. For work I have to drive a full size Silverado, it is just too big for off road trails thru the woods, and too big for anything I need around home.

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ogdin3

· #5 · 1 mo ago

If your willing to delete it your good to go. Got mine done in Saskatoon.

PooShivers

· #6 · 1 mo ago

Manitoban here. If you're not putting on 30-40k kms/year, or need to tow more than 5000lbs regularly for long distances, this motor will cost you more than the v6. You really have to turn that odometer on these to make it worth while. Oil changes are $150 CAD, delete and tune is $2500, replacement turbo for the cold weather icing is $2500, based on your description of location you're likely dealing with less than ideal fuel and injectors are $1500-3000 depending on the route you go. Very quickly it becomes expensive to save money on fuel.

DieselDrax

· #7 · 1 mo ago

PooShivers said:
Oil changes are $150 CAD

Oil changes are no more expensive than the V6, if someone is paying someone else $150 to do oil changes then they're getting ripped off. I haven't had to deal with anything else you've listed.

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ogdin3

· #8 · 1 mo ago

My oil changes are just under 60 bucks.

PooShivers

· #9 · 1 mo ago

DieselDrax said:
Oil changes are no more expensive than the V6, if someone is paying someone else $150 to do oil changes then they're getting ripped off. I haven't had to deal with anything else you've listed.

I see a US flag beside your name. That's probably why. Canadian exchange rates aren't 1:1 to US. Also, we live in a pretty harsh climate.

PooShivers

· #10 · 1 mo ago

ogdin3 said:
My oil changes are just under 60 bucks.

I did T6 changes for a little bit and I'm just not comfortable with the weight/viscosity changes in the long term. I'm on mobil 1 dexos 2 diesel and genuine Ac Delco filters. Also $143CAD (specifically) is $105USD. Since poster is in a similar climate and uses the same currency, I responded with what works for us here.

DieselDrax

· #11 · 1 mo ago

PooShivers said:
I see a US flag beside your name. That's probably why. Canadian exchange rates aren't 1:1 to US. Also, we live in a pretty harsh climate.

See the Canadian's response just above your reply here. Midwest winters are also quite harsh, often times we see temps below 0F (-17C).

PooShivers

· #12 · 1 mo ago

DieselDrax said:
See the Canadian's response just above your reply here. Midwest winters are also quite harsh, often times we see temps below 0F (-17C).

Yeah, that's fairly cold. We deal with -40 to -50c, I think DEF freezes at -12c. It makes a pretty substantial difference on the systems.

Don't get me wrong, the fuel economy is awesome on these trucks!!! In this climate, if you consider all the factors, you need to make the most of it to really reap the benefits is all I'm saying

DieselDrax

· #13 · 1 mo ago

PooShivers said:
I did T6 changes for a little bit and I'm just not comfortable with the weight/viscosity changes in the long term. I'm on mobil 1 dexos 2 diesel and genuine Ac Delco filters. Also $143CAD (specifically) is $105USD. Since poster is in a similar climate and uses the same currency, I responded with what works for us here.

T6 is a much better oil than any dexos2 oil (many of us have the UOA to prove it), also the 5w40 viscosity of T6 is just fine and falls within the factory specs. The person you just quoted is also from Canada and pays $60...

Regardless, the OP knows the 2.8 is not a good choice for their use and likely has moved on to other vehicle options.

ogdin3

· #14 · 1 mo ago

If you want to stick with dexos 2 you can get Motomaster 5w30 from Canadian Tire that shell makes for them, on sale its 6.69/liter. Mobil 1 esp is 8.66/liter on sale.

Smokinthereefer

· #15 · 1 mo ago

DieselDrax said:
See the Canadian's response just above your reply here. Midwest winters are also quite harsh, often times we see temps below 0F (-17C).

I read about your DEF issues you had last winter when you were idling around and DEF codes popped up because your heaters couldn't keep up with the frozen DEF lines .
You also park inside, so your less likely to have a turbo with bent fins from ice hitting compressor wheel.

There is an option to delete here,but costly, and if you blow an injector, turbo, cracked piston..... Warranty is void.
The 2.8l is not an engine I trust enough yet to have faith that it is going to last 300kms without major repairs. Time will tell.

bigoilbob

· #16 · 22 d ago

DieselDrax said:
Oil changes are no more expensive than the V6, if someone is paying someone else $150 to do oil changes then they're getting ripped off. I haven't had to deal with anything else you've listed.

I either do my own (easy) or, if I'm long term camping in another state, buy oil/filter (carry it with me on our trip) and pay $25-30 labor. Colorado non transmission fluid/filter changes are easy. The cartridge oil filter works especially well. I'm X picky about spec oil and filter, and want what I want.

vap0rtranz

· #17 · 2 d ago

Smokinthereefer said:
I read about your DEF issues you had last winter when you were idling around and DEF codes popped up because your heaters couldn't keep up with the frozen DEF lines .

My local tech basically said the same. Subzero temps are less of an issue with the DEF tank and its more an issue with the DEF lines because the tank has the heaters but the lines are exposed. My tech said that when I came in with DEF codes after Midwest cold snaps.

So what do the big diesels do when driving across Canadian ice roads? Are they all deleted or pre-DEF? Or do those big rigs have heated DEF lines?

I'm thinking of something like heat tape that I use on exposed water lines around my farm in winter...

DieselDrax

· #18 · 2 d ago

vap0rtranz said:
My local tech basically said the same. Subzero temps are less of an issue with the DEF tank and its more an issue with the DEF lines because the tank has the heaters but the lines are exposed. My tech said that when I came in with DEF codes after Midwest cold snaps.

So what do the big diesels do when driving across Canadian ice roads? Are they all deleted or pre-DEF? Or do those big rigs have heated DEF lines?

I'm thinking of something like heat tape that I use on exposed water lines around my farm in winter...

Your tech must not be aware that the DEF lines also have a heater in addition to the tank heater. Pardon the crappy pic, I had to replace my DEF line over the winter because the heater failed, this is the cross section of the DEF supply line; Outer protection tube and the DEF supply line inside with 2 heating elements (copper colored wires).

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vap0rtranz

· #19 · 2 d ago

Evidently!

What is the picture? When you made a cut through a DEF line?

So it's the inner fluid line encased in electricially heated copper wires and then an outer rigid tube? Trying to get an idea of what this cross section's components are.

DieselDrax

· #20 · 2 d ago

vap0rtranz said:
Evidently!

What is the picture? When you made a cut through a DEF line?

So it's the inner fluid line encased in electricially heated copper wires and then an outer rigid tube? Trying to get an idea of what this cross section's components are.

Yup, exactly right. I didn't remove the inner tube from the outer to see if the heated wires are spiral wound around the tube or if they're straight, I was mainly curious about what was inside.

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