That was meant partially as a joke about moving south. Funny that the first guy to dispute that lives in TN. -25? I suppose if absolutely everything was in perfect brand new working order maybe. Perfect compression, injectors, plugs, relay, intake heater, etc. I still doubt it, when they were brand new they never started below 0, if that.
Mine did it just a few years ago with well over 100K miles at that -25 temp. My truck is far from the ideal "perfect" you seek.
It starts every single year at temps below 0 degrees without being plugged in. In fact, it rarely gets plugged in.
And if they did start they would chug and hammer and sound like it was going to fly apart. Seeing as how maybe 1% of trucks fit in the perfect brand new condition it doesn't matter much to me.
Of course they chug at really cold temps. Engine oil health and type used has quite a large effect on how much chugging and romping it does.
However, your 1% estimation is a gigantic exaggeration.... considering there are tons of 7.3L PSD's on the road that start daily in colder climates with temps well into the single digits or below zero without being plugged in.
I remember back when the dealer sold them new around here they had them plugged in during winter. I can still here the salesman in my head, "You can test drive a Powerstroke but only one of those two that are plugged in." I know salesmen don't know jack most of the time.
Again no one denies these trucks will romp and chug when you start them in very cold temps. Oil gets cold, that's no secret. These injectors fire using oil pressure, again no secret there either. However, they should start unless you have something broke. Not perfect.... broke.
Which is precisely the point I was trying to make with my first post in this thread. The truck is supposed to start at those temps. Since it's not, something is most definitely broke. Since it starts with the block heater, 99.9999999999% of the time it's a problem with the glow plug system. Get the glow plug system back in normal working order, and the truck should fire right up at 20 degrees.
With a HPCR it will just start either way. With a mechanical it will just start either way. Why waste my time and money trying to maintain a HEUI so that it will start good, when I can buy a Duramax or Cummins and not have to worry about anything and it will just start? It's a no brainer. My dad has a 6.4 now and he can't get over how it starts. He still has a 7.3 and he hates it now, used to say they were the best thing since sliced bread. Funny how you love something until you try something better. When I first went to Cummins, I never understood why I wasted my time for so long with that HEUI.
If you want to mess around with HEUI, that is your choice. I'm done with that overly complicated abomination.
Who cares?
Everyone has their preference. Of course a newer 6.4L or 6.7L PSD will be monumentally easier and quieter to start in the dead of winter. We all know the advantages of CR over HEUI in terms of injection quality. However, we all know the advantages of not having an EGR valve, DPF, or having to use DEF fluid. Checkmate.
oke:
In other words, for every argument you have about how superior the new 6.4L and 6.7L engines are, there is an equally valid argument to tout the superiority of the older 7.3L's. But at the same time, it's a ridiculous argument because no one wins. It's like every guy in this thread whipping his cock out to see who has the bigger dick, only everyone's gay for doing it, so everyone loses.