Warm up time

[shine]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke. Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

[Raw Dodge]

I dont think you'll hurt it,as long as you dont move it before it has oil pressure.Takes about 3-5 seconds to get that.Bring the rpms up nice and slow,and just enough rpm to move without any lugging or hydro strain.(probably 1300-1600rpm)then move it slowly so as not to load the hydrostat pump or engine,and no worrys.Ive been doing this same thing with 2 hydro steiners,and a ford 1910 for 20+ yrs,and no issues yet.The best thing you can do is run a full synthetic 5w40 diesel oil,so the cold starts are easier,and you get oil pressure faster.

[shine]

Thanks for the input Raw Dodge, I allready use syn. 5w40 thats got to help.

[TripleR]

A lot may depend on how cold it is.

I keep my tractor in an unheated barn and always let it run for about five minutes before operating anything including FEL. My sons often borrow my tractor and just start it up and take off, so far no problems, but who know what effect it will have in the long run.

I am interested to see other opinions too.

[BigD23]

Normal start up for me is to get it started then keep it just above idle while I get other items ready for the chore at hand...Time varies of course but it does give the tractor time to get up towards working temp.

Don

[brandoro]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke. Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

That's what I do as well, I don't think it will do any harm as long as you feather the controls to keep pressures down.
I don't believe in excessive idling in any case, takes a long time for things to warm up with no load. I do believe in operating/driving things gently until they have a chance to warm up. I think you are fooling yourself if you think the engine being up to temperature means everything else is too.

[LBrown59]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke.
1* Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

1*There is a big difference between working / operating a tractor and just driving it a couple hundred feet or so.

1*I keep my tractor in an unheated barn and always let it run for about five minutes before operating anything including FEL. My sons often borrow my tractor and just start it up and take off, so far no problems, but who know what effect it will have in the long run.

2*I am interested to see other opinions too.

1*So do I.
2*My building is about 150 or 200 feet from the house.
I go start the tractor up and drive over to the house and park it by the back door an go in and have a cup of coffee or something while it warms up a little.

When they say to let a tractor warm up before operating they are talking about working the tractor under load .
Moving an enpty tractor that's not doing anything else isn't considered working under load.

[Thomas]

When I had my B7100,started let run above idle than check for leaks etc. than 10 mins later of to play,w/L2800 I let temp gauge rech warm mark than off to play.

[Chilly807]

I agree with the other guys, starting in itself is the hardest thing it'll ever do. Once it's running, wait maybe 15 seconds for oil to get through the engine completely, then gently move it if you have to and let things warm up.

I was once told that each start is equivalent to adding 20-30 running hours on large diesel engines (10,000 horsepower). That's with the engine pre-heated to near running temperature and with a pre-lube pump running before the start is initiated !

So, when we crank it up in -20 weather, it's taking a toll. It's also why I insist on a block heater for cold weather. I'd like to find an inexpensive 12vdc oil pre-lube pump to add, but I'm thinking I'll wait until the warranty has expired. Not ideal, but it'll have to do.

Idling is hard on an engine too, it builds sooty carbon deposits and contributes to fuel dilution of the lube oil due to incomplete combustion. Low cylinder temps are bad news for good combustion conditions.

I'll let an engine idle unloaded for a couple of minutes once it's up to working temperature, but no more. Warming it up before you load it is a good idea, of course.

Chilly

[brin]

I never let my New Holland TC- 29 sit and Idle more than a few minutes...right out of my owners manuel..." Avoid prolonged operation at etiher high or low engine speeds without a load on the engine. Even with my JD - 3020.. I avoid excessive idling, I agree I think it leads to build up and not good in general. No where in any of my manuels for NH or JD do I see any warning to warm anything up excessively.