WorldWide Drilling Resource

16 NOVEMBER 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® When Chilled to the Core, Groundwater Supply Can Help: Part I Information Provided by Groundwater Supply Co., Inc. Why must operators take such extreme care when starting and warming a machine's diesel engine in cold weather? Starting large diesel machines in frigid weather can place a lot of stress on the machine’s engine and hydraulic system. It is not good for diesel en- gines to be running slow and cold. An engine running in this state does not burn fuel cleanly. Not only does this cause high levels of emissions from unburned fuel, but it can also cause carbon deposits in the engine and an accumulation of moisture and sludge in the engine oil. Neither condition bodes well for engine economy or long-term health. Properly bringing a machine up to operating temperature will help reduce maintenance costs and extend machine life. Before starting any piece of diesel equipment, in hot or cold weather, operators should always conduct a thorough preuse inspection to make sure everything is in good working order. This is especially true for the fluid levels. All controls should be in their neutral positions, the parking brake should be applied, and any energy lock-out levers should be in the locked position. Depending on the machine, an electronic self-test may be completed for onboard monitoring and control electronics. Some diesel engines use preheaters to create the heat needed to support combustion. If the self-test is successful, the engine preheat system should be initiated, at which point the preheat indicator light should become illuminated. Some machines may begin the preheat cycle automatically, or a set of sensors may control the need for preheating. When an operator first turns over the engine, the fuel and air mixture in each piston chamber will only ignite when enough heat has been generated within it. This may take several minutes, because the heat generated by compression is first sucked up by other nearby engine parts. Once the machine's engine has started, operators must take care to bring the operating temperature up slowly in cold weather. During those first several minutes, the gauges and indicators must be monitored. If something is not right within the engine, it will be revealed through the warning lights or gauges showing values out of the normal operating range. The first combustion event will occur in each cylinder at different times. At first, the engine will run very rough and a large amount of unburned fuel will go up the exhaust stack as black or white smoke. The cylinders, which are firing slowly, will begin to warm up the engine block around them, and eventually the other cylinders will begin firing. During this time, operators must not let off on the starter too soon. If this happens, the engine won't continue cycling. However, if the starter is held down too long, unnecessary wear will be placed on the starter motor. When it is very cold, there needs to be a balance between increasing engine temperature and increasing engine revolutions per minute (rpm). If it's kept too low, the engine will struggle to build internal heat. If rpm is increased too quickly, there can be uneven heating of the engine block, which can stress internal components. At these temperatures, trying to push the warming process too quickly is not good for the engine. A diesel engine will only run smooth and efficiently after all engine components have reached a minimum block temperature, and even then it is not at its best. When a machine has been sitting in extremely cold temperatures, it takes much care and effort to get it up to operating temperature. All components need to be properly warmed, which takes time. This is one reason why preheaters are an efficient tool. The engine will warm first and with it, the engine oil as it circulates. A cold running engine will operate under duress as cold metal parts expand as they warm. This is why the operator must keep the engine speed low to start with, then slowly increase the speed to about one-third of full rpm. It should take several minutes - and the larger the engine, the longer it should take. A diesel engine will not warm properly even at one-third throttle without a bit of work to continue the process. The machine should be moved slowly forward and back- ward in a straight line, but no work should be performed at this point. When operators move the machine, it must be done with care as every other part of the machine is still at the frigid ambient temperature; the transmission, final drives, drive shafts, bearings, oils, lubricants, and seals must also be slowly warmed through movement. The Webasto Thermo Pro 90 has been specially designed for use in heavy-duty machinery and commercial vehicles. Features such as altitude adjustment, Arctic Start, and seamless heating control provide engine-off preheat to make these vehicles operational in extremely cold conditions. Fuel savings and low energy consumption make a valuable contribution to both cost savings and environmental protection. When combined with hydraulic fluid warmers, Webasto coolant heaters can also be used to heat hydraulic fluids. This provides an ideal solution for engine preheat, operator comfort, and increased productivity. The combination of preheat and hydraulic heating system will eliminate cold starts, reduce maintenance costs, and have vehicles ready to go when workers arrive at the start of the day. Groundwater Supply Co., Inc. supplies the Thermo Pro 90 Heater Kit . This kit provides operators with the supplies they need to increase productivity, while properly warming diesel machines in cold temperatures. More next month! The Thermo Pro 90. Courtesy of GEFCO, Inc.