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11-15-2021, 10:58 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Stevenson WA
Posts: 363
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Power loss / fuel gelling? Sub freezing temps
Hello again,
2001 E350 7.3L Diesel
I had an odd power loss yesterday while up in Anchorage. Air temp was about 10F as a high. Van started fine and while driving to get parts for my other vehicle, the van lost its power. did not really seem to run ruff, not no power and it never died. I shut it down and restarted it, seemed good for a couple blocks, then it returned. Limped it home. Inspected things, installed a new filter in the filter bowl and new air filters while I was at it.
Today, in -1f it started fine and has no noticeable issue. I did have the block heater plugged in this morning.
The fuel I drained from the fuel bowl before swapping the filter seemed watery in appearance.
What do you normally do to prepare your vehicle for constant sub freezing temps? I have not ever experienced these issues in the lower 48. My old gas Range Rover is also pissed at me and is not wanting to start in these temps.
I am planning to drive the van back to Washington in December and need to figure out a game plan to deal with the cold temps for that trip. It gets pretty remote and I will not have plugins for the block heater on that trip.
__________________
Justin
2001 Van Haus E350 EB 7.3L Quadvan 4X4
1999 Sportsmobile E150 - SOLD
2002 Sportsmobile RB50 7.3L 4X4 - SOLD
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11-15-2021, 11:07 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
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I always use a diesel fuel additive (Opti Lube XPD) for my 7.3L, all year long. I'm not suggesting that fuel gelling is your issue, but a multi-purpose diesel fuel additive doesn't hurt. Kind of like taking vitamins.
Do you have a way to read any OBD codes?
Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
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11-15-2021, 11:35 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: boise idaho
Posts: 2,625
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Might look into in a hydronic coolant heater for the trip home. I can’t imagine there’s many outlets available along that journey to utilize.
__________________
"understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of your car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of your car, horsepower is how hard your car hits the wall, and torque is how far your car moves the wall."
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11-15-2021, 12:31 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
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When did you fill up prior to this?
Fuel suppliers adjust the blends to forecast seasonal temps. If the cold snap was usually early, the last fuel delivery to the station might not have been adjusted yet, and if you had the same fuel for a while, you would have missed any adjustments anyways. As mentioned, good idea to carry some fuel conditioner in cold climates.
__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
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11-15-2021, 04:06 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Stevenson WA
Posts: 363
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I just picked up some Diesel Fuel Supplement +Cetane Boost from https://powerservice.com/
No codes at the moment.
The van seems happy now, we will see...
I filled up last week while down on the Kenia. It "should" be winter fuel, but I did just top off the tank yesterday as a precaution in Anchorage. I have been in AK for a few months and have burned almost 9000 miles in that time. Going through plenty of fuel.
The hydronic system would be nice, but I am hoping not to have to add one.
__________________
Justin
2001 Van Haus E350 EB 7.3L Quadvan 4X4
1999 Sportsmobile E150 - SOLD
2002 Sportsmobile RB50 7.3L 4X4 - SOLD
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11-15-2021, 04:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,259
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Couple things to check:
1. Scan for diagnostic trouble codes
2. I had the air temp sensor go bad and it created a weird power loss condition when cold. Mine was a biit intermittent and yours, by running the block heater, you may have bypassed it's fail condition for that start. The Air Temp sensor is very easy to change and is located on the passenger side of the air cleaner assembly.
__________________
Ray
Beastie 3: 2002 7.3 EB Cargo: Agile TTB, CCV High Top, Custom Walk Through, Lots of stuff added. www.BlingMyRig.com
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11-15-2021, 04:21 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Stevenson WA
Posts: 363
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1der
Couple things to check:
1. Scan for diagnostic trouble codes
2. I had the air temp sensor go bad and it created a weird power loss condition when cold. Mine was a biit intermittent and yours, by running the block heater, you may have bypassed it's fail condition for that start. The Air Temp sensor is very easy to change and is located on the passenger side of the air cleaner assembly.
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I do have my scanguage plugged in. It showed no codes or pending codes.
I just had the dealer do an oil change the day before, so I immediately checked that air temp sensor. The last dealer that did an oil change left it unplugged. Everything else looked fine.
__________________
Justin
2001 Van Haus E350 EB 7.3L Quadvan 4X4
1999 Sportsmobile E150 - SOLD
2002 Sportsmobile RB50 7.3L 4X4 - SOLD
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11-15-2021, 04:28 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,259
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Cool. Re: ScanGauge - it is okay but it does not get down to the deeper codes. I am fortunate to have AutoEnginuity software and I have found codes in that software that my ScanGauge never displayed.
Maybe ForScan can show deeper stuff, too? I have not played w that.
__________________
Ray
Beastie 3: 2002 7.3 EB Cargo: Agile TTB, CCV High Top, Custom Walk Through, Lots of stuff added. www.BlingMyRig.com
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11-15-2021, 04:44 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Stevenson WA
Posts: 363
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1der
Cool. Re: ScanGauge - it is okay but it does not get down to the deeper codes. I am fortunate to have AutoEnginuity software and I have found codes in that software that my ScanGauge never displayed.
Maybe ForScan can show deeper stuff, too? I have not played w that.
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I will look into those.
__________________
Justin
2001 Van Haus E350 EB 7.3L Quadvan 4X4
1999 Sportsmobile E150 - SOLD
2002 Sportsmobile RB50 7.3L 4X4 - SOLD
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11-15-2021, 07:51 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
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A bottle of Howe's couldn't be too hard to find up there. Don't buy it from a truck stop, it will be 3x as much as at a farm store or truck dealer. Find a big commercial diesel truck dealer and buy it from the parts counter.
As CarringB said, winter fuel is supposedly usually treated but you never know.
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