Cold weather, short trips and the V3

[lancaster,pa]

My driving habits have changed a bit recently. I am doing numerous short distance stops before settling into my regular driving itinerary.

I have not been using the system on automatic until I get to the longer driving distances (wanted to avoid the purge and run sequence after each of several stops). About the time I am ready for the longer stretch of my daily driving, my truck and the V3 are warmed except for the oil in the filter (water circulation through the V3, tank and lines has everything up to temp, but since I was not running the V3 in automatic mode, no filter heat).

My question is what will happen when I do go to auto with the system warmed but the filter cold. I assume the oil will not be able to push through the filter and bypass back to the tank and that cycle will continue until the oil in the filter gets warm enough to allow pressure through it. Oil will probably start moving through filter and towards the engine as it thins but will probably not be near the temp it would be in normal operation. Wondering if that whole process will damage anything or put my engine at risk from low oil temp.

I have tried starting out on auto and going about my short stops (the system does not come on because it's not warmed enough) and then just before the auto system should come on, I switch it off and continue my short stops. When I am ready for the longer portion of the driving and ready to switch to auto, the oil in the filter is somewhat warmed.

Any thoughts on a better way to handle this? Also any thoughts on colder than usual oil going through filter towards the engine? - Patrick

[Vegistroke James]

Hello- I'm a little confused are you turning the system on manually in the morning for the short trips and then switching to manual mode after the truck is warmed up? Whether you turn the system on manually or you allow the system to come on in auto mode, the truck still requires a specific amount of time to warm up properly and not to mention the oil system is using the time that it takes the truck to warm up to warm up the oil. Consequently both usually come up to spec within 30 seconds of one another. Now what Jason and my self do around here is to leave it in Auto mode and when you need to go into a place real quick just switch the system into off mode then when you get back into your truck just flip the switch back into auto and go about your business. If its extremely cold where you are (20 degrees or less) please use good judgment on using this method for periods longer than say 5-10 mins or so!

[Jack_Toepfer]

Sorry Pat, I have a couple beers in me, but I think I can help.

For short trips... depending on ho long I stop :

1. Short stop, with a bunch of short trips - leavethe truck running.
1. Short trip, long stop - just shut off the V3 before it turns on in auto mode, so you don't waste the fuel during shut down.

[lancaster,pa]

Hello- I'm a little confused are you turning the system on manually in the morning for the short trips and then switching to manual mode after the truck is warmed up? Whether you turn the system on manually or you allow the system to come on in auto mode, the truck still requires a specific amount of time to warm up properly and not to mention the oil system is using the time that it takes the truck to warm up to warm up the oil. Consequently both usually come up to spec within 30 seconds of one another. Now what Jason and my self do around here is to leave it in Auto mode and when you need to go into a place real quick just switch the system into off mode then when you get back into your truck just flip the switch back into auto and go about your business. If its extremely cold where you are (20 degrees or less) please use good judgment on using this method for periods longer than say 5-10 mins or so!

James,
I don't use the manual system at all. I have used two approaches to get through my short hops without having to go through the purge/run sequence.

My first approach was to start out with the system off. Then I would do my short stops. When I was ready for the longer distances, I would switch the system on to auto (system and engine usually warm enough by this time to come on quickly). My concern here was that the truck and the V3 would be up to temp from all the short stops I made, but the filter would still contain cold oil because the heater jacket was never on during the short stops (system was in off position).

My second approach was to start out in auto doing my short stops. Watching the engine temp gauge, I would shut the veg system off just before it would come on automatically (wanted to avoid the purge/run sequence). When I was ready for the longer distance driving, I would switch the system on to auto. My thinking was that since the filter heater was on during the short stops, the oil in the filter would be somewhat warm.

The problem with my short stops is that I never know how long they will be. I don't feel comfortable switching the system off not knowing how long it may be before starting again.

Looking for the best way to handle short stops in the beginning. Would like to avoid the purge/run sequences. Concerned about shutting down with veg in my lines because of uncertainty of time until next start. Wondering about a system and engine up to temp but cold veg in filter.

Kinda hard to explain. Hope I did better. Thanks. - Patrick

[lancaster,pa]

Sorry Pat, I have a couple beers in me, but I think I can help.

For short trips... depending on ho long I stop :

1. Short stop, with a bunch of short trips - leavethe truck running.
1. Short trip, long stop - just shut off the V3 before it turns on in auto mode, so you don't waste the fuel during shut down.

Thanks Jack. Never sure as to how long my stops will be (could be idling for quite a while). Your second suggestion (switch system off just before it comes on automatically) may be the best for me. Enjoy your beers!! - Patrick

[greasyX]

Two key setup

I have in the past,locked my X while running, gone to do errands and when I get back use my spare key to get back in(I keep it in my wallet,neat little holder for key).I also live in a area that everybody knows each other,so most would not touch my truck,atleast not more then once...............I think at this time double key is good for 5-10 minutes,and any more I would worry about wet stacking.....within a longer time I have gone from Auto to off,left it running,and locked it to use second key later......hope that helps.greasy

[EX ON OIL]

Lancaster, I have a V2 and my temp switch is still under the hood. I wait til temp is up to normal then flip the switch from off to auto. For the next mile or so the green light comes on and off at maybe 10 second intervals. That is the filter heater warming the filter. After that all is good. EX.

[lancaster,pa]

greasyX,
"within a longer time I have gone from Auto to off, left it running, and locked it to use second key later."

When you go from "auto" to "off" and leave it running, are you doing this just to allow it to idle on diesel rather that veg? Thanks. - Patrick

[lancaster,pa]

Lancaster, I have a V2 and my temp switch is still under the hood. I wait til temp is up to normal then flip the switch from off to auto. For the next mile or so the green light comes on and off at maybe 10 second intervals. That is the filter heater warming the filter. After that all is good. EX.

EX ON OIL,
That's what I get with my V3 when the engine and V3 are warmed but the filter is cold because I was running with the system switched off. Just wanted to make sure that was not doing any harm. I'm assuming you have not had any problems operating that way with the green light going on and off (would think the pump just bypasses the filter and sends veg back to the tank until filter warms sufficiently). Thanks. - Patrick

[greasyX]

Yes,I idle on #2 as too not worry about wet-stacking.If you have a RPM control you may not need to switch,but I would suggest 1200-1400 RPM....greasy

[lancaster,pa]

Yes,I idle on #2 as too not worry about wet-stacking.If you have a RPM control you may not need to switch,but I would suggest 1200-1400 RPM....greasy

Thanks, - Patrick

[billman]

I have an 02 Ex. If I sit idle in cold temps with the v3 on, the idle will ramp up as it does when warming up. Is this what you meen by idle control?? As far as wet stacking goes...... can you elaborate for a first time greaser?? I usually turn the Ex over in the morning in auto mode and find that 15 minutes later I am running on vo..... Is this bad?? Sorry if I have too many questions. I am just trying to make my investment last.
Thanks

[Jack_Toepfer]

Time plays little role in the switch-over time for the V3. A working engine will produce much more heat than an engine idiling for 15 minutes. I've noticed switch-overs vary from 1.5 miles after little idiling (summer) to 10+ miles (old filter) in -3* temps (lately in Buffalo)

I think that if I changed out my filter (again) I could switch-over in a couple miles in these temps. I don't think the filter is getting hot enough, if it has very cold, dirty oil in it.

[lancaster,pa]

Time plays little role in the switch-over time for the V3. A working engine will produce much more heat than an engine idiling for 15 minutes. I've noticed switch-overs vary from 1.5 miles after little idiling (summer) to 10+ miles (old filter) in -3* temps (lately in Buffalo)

I think that if I changed out my filter (again) I could switch-over in a couple miles in these temps. I don't think the filter is getting hot enough, if it has very cold, dirty oil in it.

Jack,
10 miles seems pretty far to go. I started a thread on insulating filter (the part the heater band doesn't cover) with Armaflex recently. Might be worth a try, I believe it helped my system. Also, I've noticed that if my filter is not hot enough, the green light will flicker on and off until the oil is hot enough to allow a steady flow through. Can't remember who just now, but someone else with a V2 mentioned this also. - Patrick

[Jack_Toepfer]

It was a dirty filter. 20 miles yesterday before it would turn on. Then 20 miles back... seemed like the damn thing would turn on just as I was pulling into the driveway.

New filter last night. Back on in 2.5 miles... in 10* weather.
I'm down to 5 filters... bought the case in Aug, and 1 came with the kit.