[nimbius]

As a diesel engine mechanic by trade some of the stuff these professional drivers endure in these temperatures is just unreal to me. Performing a predrive check in -60f weather is insane to me.

We got an old logging peterbilt from yukon in our shop once. Definitely driven, definitely well maintained. Popping the hood there was a big orange sticker near the radiator warning us "DO NOT FILL UNDER 60C." It stumped us for a bit until we found out truckers in the north sometimes never run engine coolant because it may freeze up. Pretty surreal.

[swader999]

My friend is a heavy duty mechanic working diamond mines up north above artic circle. He gave my kids a slide show of all the crazy stuff he's worked on. Super human will power and constant problem solving. Grown men breaking every week up there.

[dtgriscom]

So, if it's cold enough they leave out the coolant, converting it to an air-cooled diesel?

[Neil44]

I bet they have beefy air to oil coolers as well. Still, I'm surprised that the engine can take any sustained load without water as there would be no cooling around the cylinders.

[h2odragon]

There's still fluid coolant in the system: air.

[cjbgkagh]

Wouldn’t temperature difference be a problem?

[pjc50]

Difference between what?

[cjbgkagh]

The inner part of the engine and outer parts, running coolant would even out the temperatures but without coolant some parts will become much hotter than others and could warp or create stresses that the engine was not designed for. I assume these people know something that I don't and I guess diesel engines can be quite forgiving.