Technical and economic aspects of starting a selected power unit at low ambient temperatures

The article presents research on the impact of a 359 compression-ignition engine starting at low ambient temperatures. This engine is used in vehicles such as STAR 200, 244, and 226. The purpose of these tests was to determine the amount of wear depending on the ambient temperature and the number of starts, as well as to compare the wear at start-up with the wear occurring during tests on the dynamometer (long-term test for reliability) and wear occurring during the operation of the engine in the vehicle, and the impact of the number of starts and ambient temperature on diesel engine for the life of the vehicle to be repaired. The results of the author’s research showed that a minimum of the number of starts at low ambient temperatures has an impact on the number of kilometers driven by the car during operation to replace the cylinder liners (engine repair). Apart from the Polish armed forces and armies of other countries in which this type of vehicle is still used, the direct recipients of the research results are also other entities from the logistics transport sector for which further use of this power unit especially at low ambient temperatures is of fundamental economic importance.