Life is short - I want an HDJ81! (1 Viewer)

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Hello all!

I have been watching, researching and test driving the diesel 80 series trucks(mostly on the BC coast) for several years, and definitely want to own one...

A primary concern of mine is with running one as a daily driver through the colder 1/3 of the year here in Calgary.
Dipping down into the -20's to -30's celsius is not unusual from November into March.



Can any HDJ81 owners in a climate similar to Calgary, help clarify for me how the 4.2 diesel might run, daily, in the depths of winter?
- Is it a challenge, or not such a big deal?
I am aware of the different oil grades that are better suited to cold, etc...

I am also interested in the steps that can be taken - ie from the 'Winter Package' as a starting point, and more, to keep the whole system starting and flowing in our ridiculous low temps.

Thanks very much!
 
Hmmm, I thought somebody might have diesel cold climate experiences to share...

I am coming at this from the gasser side of things - my current ride is a 2000 4Runner, manual w/ bilstein HD's & OME springs and a bit of a lift. Love the ride in this car, and decent fuel consumption as well.

My desire to go diesel comes from wanting even better fuel mileage, as well as the option to look at bio-diesel or vegetable oil usage as well, in the warmer months, anyway.
 
Yeah sorry, I don't go to the calgary chapter news too much, feel free to post on the normal swamp donkey page, but we are a bit more old school there so we are not too familiar with the 80 series diesel. I think Charla and her followers from Calgary abandoned this Calgary Chapter page when she moved to Edmonton. Anyway my experience with the older diesel is that as long as you run 0W 40 oil it starts fine in the winter, make sure to have block heater pluged in once it gets even a little cold (the newer diesels like my dodge have no issues without plug in even up to -20) and just make sure you keep up on maintenence and you should be good. Maybe try posting on the edmonton page here on mud as there may be a few that run the HDJ80 as well. The Vancouver coastal cruiser guys have a lot of diesel 80s but they don't get the cold weather. your other option is to post this question on the diesel page here on mud, you will get a lot of people responding from all over the country in all sorts of cold climates.
Cheers and good luck, pretty sure you won't be disapointed
Deny
 
Hey, I have an HDJ81 in Grande Prairie that i bought in FSJ. It has the winter package, meaning came stock with dual batteries, and 24v starter, heated fuel filter and rad blind. PO put in battery blankets and an oil pan heater.
For a 20+ year old diesel I am very impressed with the way it handles the deep cold. Left overnight unplugged at -36 she started, wasnt happy, but she started. That said, i've done everything in my power to relieve the cold stress: installed a block heater, and a webasto. I am pulling the battery blankets to put in a battery tender, and moving my webasto and cellular remote switch to an aux battery.
 

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