Pre-Heaters.... Experiences, worth it or not?

[LS&A]

Hi, planning to use the Bongo in a region that has been known to get down to -27'C overnight. Was thinking whether it was worth looking at a pre-heater.

I'd be interested in any experiences anyone has or techie advice. Thanks.

[briwy]

Might be worth your while contacting the Russian Bongo owners. Ian can probably supply you with details.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Where abouts are you using it?...and I presume it's petrol???...we often get temperatures like that!
Cheers
Helen

[LS&A]

Nope, diesel...also a concern. I may have to also consider a tank blanket and fuel line warming system. I've previously used an X Trail and 2 out of the 5 seasons the diesel waxed, even with additives.

[helen&tony]

Hi
The fuel available locally is the main concern..that's why I asked what region. Over here Rompetrol use additives which, in theory, would work at the temperatures you quote. Our builder has seen the Rompetrol trucks coming from the same depot in Varna as all the other makes, but every petrol supplier will add their own additives...Rompetrol definitely say their Winter diesel is viable to quite low temperatures. This year I have found a supplier of Castrol additives, which quote viability of the fuel down to quite low temperatures. We probably can get the "real deal" Rompetrol in North Central Bulgaria, as it's close to the Romanian border, and 2 years ago , I'd drive to the local Rompetrol station , and it was yards better than the rest....last year, they didn't quote the day from which they put the additive in , so I stayed in. Last year, we hit minus 30, and the diesel taxis were still running...our usual habit is to get a taxi if we haven't got a clue whether the fuel is up to the task. SO...how do the taxis run at that temp?....The usual chap swears that he adds a good measure of urine to a tankful????!!!! ...however...the amount of rakiya consumed by the average Bulg during a lifetime probably adds the secret ingredient to the "additive"
Starting at minus 27 will be solely a fuel problem, as a pre-heater wont do anything for you...Normally, I find that if the temperature has been below minus 10 at night, normal diesel will cloud , and you'll not start until it has been over minus 6 for a few hours. Cloud point can be anywhere between plus 4 and minus 18 C...also, running will be affected by the amount of water in the diesel. My thoughts, from past experience, is that the position of the Bongo fuel tank is perfect for chilling. The underbody tray collects airflow, and concentrates it into a flat stream that nicely cools the bottom of fuel tank only a few feet from the rear end of it!....so, without deflecting the airflow away, you have to add wind chill from the forward motion. Three years or so back, I was travelling along nicely in the Bongo, and it started to cough and stall out...but I managed to keep it running, and it picked up...Oh doo-doo EXPENSE, I thought, but returning home an hour or so later, the temperature had risen 10 or 15 degrees, and the Bongo was running sweetly. At the time I felt it starting to fail, I prayed the problem was fuel!...the particular area is a dip in the road, always cold, misty and spectral in appearance...SO...it's cold, forward motion, air quality, and density that affects your running.
Without quality additives, you'll need to ensure warmer air at the intake, heated fuel filter, tank and fuel line heaters...an engine pre-heater won't do a thing for you!...except, maybe to enable you to be warm in the car....I use a good winter coat
I'll be testing with a vengeance this year, as I have purchased another diesel car, and a 6.5 KW diesel generator, so they'll have to start!...From next week, I'll start using additive , and filling the tanks...results after winter!...your best bet is a quality additive.....I've bought Castrol
Cheers
Helen

[LS&A]

Thanks for the reply. My mistake, being dull sorry, I should have explained the pre-heater I'm looking at is a fuel heater that is fitted in the fuel line before the fuel filter. It heats the diesel prior to it reaching the engine. It's made by the German company ATG.

One thing I won't be doing is 'passing' anything into the tank! Beside not imagining it working the thought of possibly touch bare metal makes me wince.

[helen&tony]

Hi
I'm pretty sure that the Castrol additive has a protection factor down to a pretty low temperature. The actual effect of these additives, from what I've read, is not so much stopping the fuel "gelling", but allowing the strands of "gelled" fuel to orientate such that they will pass through the fuel filter, because the fuel forms strands of waxy nature when chilled past cloud point, and they form a log -jam at the filter.
If heating anywhere, a fuel filter heater might help, and some model Jeeps have them as standard...I'm not too sure about their efficiency, but I'd go with additive. You can buy a fuel depresator from "Wurth" in the UK, which promises good protection, or Castrol, as I've bought.
Cheers
Helen