Re: Cold weather and the 524TD

["Ron J" <ron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would definately get a block heater installed if the weather goes below
freezing.  Worked on my diesel pickup years ago..

Cheers
Ron J
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Marcell Graeff" <m.graeff@domain.elided>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 4:04 PM
Subject: Cold weather and the 524TD


> "On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 13:06:10 -0500 "Melinda Vasil" <mvasil1@domain.elided>
> wrote:
> Subject: Cold weather and the 524TD
>
> Last November, I purchased an '85 BMW 524TD.  My problem is - this does
not
> seem to be a good winter car (so far, in my experience).  I wondered if
you
> had problems starting your 524TD in cold weather?  Any tips on this would
be
> greatly appreciated.  It seems anytime the temperature dips below
freezing,
> my car just refuses to start.  Any suggestions??  Thanks!"
>
> Melinda,
>
> A professor of mine at the Syracuse University School of Architecture (in
> wintry upstate NY w/ lake effect snows)  had one of these rare (in the US
at
> least) turbo-diesel 5-series.  He drove it 60 miles each way commuting
from
> Ithaca to Syracuse every day, so it must have been a reliable winter
highway
> cruiser for him.  He had it into the 300K+ miles before the engine needed
a
> rebuild and he traded to SAAB 9000 Turbo.
>
> You mentioned that it refuses to start everytime the temp dips below
freezing.
> I have heard that diesel fuel tends to have quite a bit of water content
or
> maybe it attracts moisture which then condenses into liquid water in the
fuel
> tank. Kind of like brake fluid is hygroscopic and that is why you should
> change it every 2 years. The first thing I would suspect is that the water
in
> the diesel is freezing in the fuel lines and blocking the supply to the
> injectors.  For this reason, I  believe that diesel cars generally have a
> fuel/water seperator which needs to be periodically emptied to prevent
this
> freezing situation.
>
> Perhaps some others on the list with diesel experience would have some
more
> insight on this issue.
>
> Marcell Graeff
> DiNISCO DESIGN
> 1995 525iT
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