DF Winter Starting

   / DF Winter Starting #1  

TTTTTT

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
305
Location
Bancroft , Ontario
Tractor
Dong Feng 354 (Oct 2008)
Was at the cottage this weekend to try the plow mod which will have to wait a bit. It was about -17 C. and was probably about -20 C. overnight. The DF wouldn't start but would turn over a little with a boost. (no external block, rad hose, pan heater yet.) used the pre warm manifold heater on these engines. There are glow plugs that are not wired in. Took the lead off the manifold heater and after cleaning the paint off the glow plug bus bar held the wire to the bus bar (put a 20 amp fuse in instead of the 10 amp after blowing the 10) and did the pre heat a few times for about 20 sec.s each and she fired right up to my joy. I will now permanently wire it to the glow plug bus bar as for colder climates it should be. I guess they wire to manifold heater because that is all that is required for most climates where these are shipped. As for general operation, the hydraulics were functional with in about 15 min. (at -20 c.) which I thought was good. The next morning it had warmed up to about -6 C. and with 2 20 secs glowplug bursts it started right up. The hydraulics were functional almost right away. These tractors have a common reservoir for hydraulics, and gear. I have universal TDH in it. Everything worked well tractor wise. The 4 WD and locking rear diff was a lifesaver to get out of a few tight spots and the manual gear box hi and low worked well. I'll try to post a video my better half took soon. Hope this helps anyone with winter starting issues.

Dave
 
   / DF Winter Starting #2  
As long as one of the preheaters works, that's what counts. No glow plugs on my Yanmar, just ThermoStart (similar to your intake heater). The day I sold my Yanmar, the temp was -7F. The buyer was highly impressed that it fired right right up, as if it were just another summer day. To be fair, it had an oil pan heater too.

So that leads me to believe that there's something wrong with your intake heater. It's a pretty simple device, so the problem has to be either fuel or electrical. At least you now have the luxury of waiting for warmer weather to troubleshoot

//greg//
 
   / DF Winter Starting
  • Thread Starter
#3  
As long as one of the preheaters works, that's what counts. No glow plugs on my Yanmar, just ThermoStart (similar to your intake heater). The day I sold my Yanmar, the temp was -7F. The buyer was highly impressed that it fired right right up, as if it were just another summer day. To be fair, it had an oil pan heater too.

So that leads me to believe that there's something wrong with your intake heater. It's a pretty simple device, so the problem has to be either fuel or electrical. At least you now have the luxury of waiting for warmer weather to troubleshoot

//greg//

There is power to the manifold heater as I used the same line for the glowplugs and there was a little spark as I touched the lead. What if any should be the sound when preheating with the manifold heater. I had read there is a sound of fuel igniting. When I did mine there was nothing I could hear. There is a connection on the other side (left side in pic)(ground?). Could it be that simple. As you said when the weather is warmer I can check it out and take apart as necessary and troubleshoot.

Thanks Dave
 
   / DF Winter Starting #4  
Hi Dave,
The manifold pre-ignition igniter on my Kama 554 gets hot and sets off the fuel drip when activated (via key switch). On mine, after about 20 seconds or so, I heard a distinct sound which sounded like the fuel igniting inside the manifold to provide the hot air for the intake.
Mine looks like this:
Rob-

 
   / DF Winter Starting #5  
I've no personal experience with the heater specific to your Jinma, so I'll describe to you the two I know. The ThermoStart on my Yanmar was silent. I believe there are at least two different types of these intake heaters; the air heater and the flame heater. Pretty sure my Yanmar was an air heater, which means Rob's is probably a flame heater.

On the air heater, fuel from the return line gets warmed up - but not quite to the point of ignition. The heater warms an air/fuel mixture that gets sucked into the cylinder on the intake stroke. Because it's already pre-heated, compression ignition happens more easily. On the flame heater, there's a little "whoosh" - then the intake stroke sucks the burning air/fuel mixture into the cylinder. It too speeds up compression-ignition in an otherwise cold air/cold fuel/cold steel environment.

Given a choice, I take the air heater. Don't know if there's anything scientific abour this. But my logic is that the air heater is easier on the upper cylinders. They're going to be cold and pretty dry in the first place - so I'm thinking that an a heated fuel-air mixture might preserve more cold engine upper cylinder lubrication than would the open flame type.

//greg//
 
   / DF Winter Starting #6  
I have a Farmpro really a Jinma. I have glow plugs but have not looked for them and don't know if I have another heater installed. How would I be able to tell. And where are the plugs located?
 
   / DF Winter Starting #7  
The quickest way to tell is to watch your amp gauge to see the draw when you move the key to the "H" position Of course my one-piece gauge set-up has no amp gauge but I can hear the relay (that I installed- blowing fuses) click. The glow plugs are on the intake manifold side with a brass flat bar connecting them. -Ed
 
   / DF Winter Starting #8  
The DFs with Changchai engines use a preheater in the intake that has an electic heating element just like a small space heater. No fuel is used for preheat.

Of course supplemental heating (water jacket and/or oil, per your preference) in colder climates for sure.
 
   / DF Winter Starting
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks Chip for the clarification. I will check to make sure it is working. The glow plugs for sure I know will work.

Dave
 
   / DF Winter Starting #10  
I've never checked to see what the preheater draws, but it is a 12V 400 watt unit, which if I remember correctly (Volt X Amp =Watt) I'm thinking it should draw about 33 amps, you should definatly be able to tell the load is there when you turn the key backward to the preheat position (not like jinma where it is just before the start position). The amp meter should jump to the negative quite noticeably if it is working.
 
 
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