How To: Prepare Your Diesel For Winter (Winterize)

Prepare your diesel for winter to help it run strong through the cold months. Consider the following tips and tricks to get your diesel ready for the winter months. Precautions like checking glow plugs, testing block heaters and changing fuel filters can help with the reliability of diesel engines through winter and cold weather months.

View the full job and shop supplies here: oreillyauto.com/winterize-your-diesel

Supplies Needed for This Job:
1. Safety Glasses: orly.cc/4e7cFKz
2. Gloves: orly.cc/3YKu3QZ
3. Batteries: orly.cc/40wQfO2
4. Fuel Additives: orly.cc/3EJlxKc
5. Engine Oil: orly.cc/4hoDext
6. Glow Plugs: orly.cc/3EwtPoU
7. Fuel Filter: orly.cc/4gvs6h0

0:00 Welcome Back
0:17 Test the Battery
0:40 Test Glow Plugs
0:55 Block Heater
1:26 Fuel Gelling
1:53 Change Fuel Filters
2:14 Motor Oil

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Transcript:

[hood open]
Start by having your batteries and alternator tested.
The heat of summer can weaken batteries, and weak batteries often die once the cold sets in.
In addition to that, a bad alternator won’t keep your batteries charged.
O’Reilly Auto Parts will test them both for free… so stop by before it gets cold to make sure they’re strong enough to make it through winter.

If your diesel has glow plugs, it’s important to check them before it gets too cold.
Since they’re designed to help with cold starts, it’s not likely you’ll know they’re failing… until it gets cold and your vehicle won’t start.
Check out our video on how to test your glow plugs [link].

As extreme cold sets in, be sure to use your block heater.
If your vehicle isn’t equipped with one, it’s a worthwhile investment… especially if you live in an environment that gets sub-zero temperatures.
Like glow plugs, you probably aren’t going to know your block heater isn’t working until you need it to work.
You can test it with a multi-meter to make sure it’s functional.
Just clean the prongs on the plug… then attach the leads of your multi-meter to the prongs.
The manufacturer will specify the optimal output in ohms.

In extreme cold, it’s possible for diesel fuel to gel.
Different diesel fuels reach this point at different temperatures, usually between thirty-two and eighteen degrees Fahrenheit.
Using an anti-gel diesel fuel additive in the winter can help keep this from happening.
There are also additives available for emergencies when your engine won’t start because of iced or gelled fuel.
Know the manufacturer’s recommendations for the chemicals that are ideal for your engine.

The most common ice or gel point for diesel fuel is at the fuel filter.
Changing your fuel filter or filters before winter doesn’t guarantee you won’t get frozen fuel there, but starting winter with clean filters and draining the water separator helps minimize the risk.
Check out our video on how to replace diesel fuel filters [link].

Also, consider using a lighter-weight engine oil during winter… preferably synthetic oil.
Conventional, heavier-weight oils thicken up in cold temperatures, which can affect its ability to flow.
Be sure to follow manufacturer’s specifications for the engine oils you use in your vehicle.