Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
152 Driving and Operating
Cold Weather Starting
If you plan ahead for cold weather,
starting and driving your vehicle
should be no problem. The following
tips will help ensure good starting in
cold weather.
Oil gets thicker as it gets colder,
which slows down the engine
cranking speed. The diesel engine
functions by the heat of
compression (and glow plugs when
cold), rather than through the use of
spark plugs as in a gasoline engine.
So, your engine must crank faster
than a gasoline engine before it will
start.
To be sure the engine can turn fast
enough to start, use SAE 10W-40
viscosity engine oil when prevailing
temperatures drop below 0 °C
(32 °F). See the oil quality and oil
viscosity recommendations. Using
the proper viscosity oil will make
starting easier down to -23 °C
(-10 °F). When prevailing
temperatures drop below -23 °C
(-10 °F), the engine block heater
may be needed for starting. See
Engine Heater0154. Maintenance Items to Aid Cold
Weather Starting
Since the basic principle of diesel
engine ignition is based on
compression, the diesel engine is
somewhat harder to start than a
gasoline engine when the
temperature is below freezing.
To help prevent hard starting
problems, special attention should
be given to following normal
maintenance items:
1. Neglecting to have the fuel filter and water separator
serviced can be one of the
major contributors to hard
starting. If water is permitted to
accumulate in the primary filter,
it will freeze and make starting
the engine impossible.
2. Make sure the fuel tank vent is open.
3. Always refuel at the end of a day's operation. Moisture will
condense in an empty tank;
therefore, the tank should be filled before leaving the vehicle
standing for an extended
period.
Do not use starting aids in the air
intake system. Such aids can cause
immediate engine damage. See
Fuel for Diesel Engines 0206.
Stopping the Engine
When stopping the engine, take the
following steps: 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Move the selector lever to the P position and make sure that
the shift indicator shows P.
4. Allow the engine to idle for approximately 3 minutes.
5. Turn the engine control switch to the ACC or LOCK position.
Do not shut down the engine
immediately after driving the vehicle.
Otherwise, a seizure or other
failures may result.
