hard starting in cold weather

[bbwithdrawls]

I have a 2005 L3430 ,last year and this year its hard to start in weather around 40 degrees and below ,during warm weather its starts right up even after sitting a couple weeks , I have replaced the battery with a new higher cranking amps battery , this is new fuel batch so it shouldn't be a summer blend gelling

I suspect glow plugs , my lights show them coming on for about 3-4 seconds then off , i do this several times and usually end up wearing down the battery , while cranking i get white smoke

so i end up waiting for it to get to about 45 degrees and after recharging the battery it will start , its just when it set for a week or 2 and its cold out ,

this thing should start in 0 degree weather!

so a couple questions ,

#1 how to test if glow plugs are operating and working correctly ??
#2 if i have to use a fuel treatment which one?

thx in advance

Mark

[DIXIEDOG]

To check the glow plug operation you need to test for voltage approx. equal to your battery voltage when the key is turned to the glow plug position. If you have approx. 12 V there unhook the wire going to each glow plug and using an ohm meter test for resistance on each plug...not sure the spec for your exact tractor but Kubotas BX call for a resistance of 0.9 ....if you see 0 then you have a short and your plug is gone and needs to be changed.

If when you tested your glow plug wiring you didn't have approx 12V you need to check out your wiring going to the plugs...could be the wire or the switch.

I feel your pain on the cold start issue, my father's 2 yr old BX1860 is doing the exact same thing. Annoying as heck, I've got to tear into it next weekend. Sure stinks working on units that are almost new, my old International fires up right away every time and just keeps on chugging no matter what...his Kubota has been in the shop more times in 2 yrs than I've checked the oil on my ancient International.

[namesray]

my b7800 is doing something simular. about 40*f or below hard starting and sputtering and white smoke shortly after. mine has 800 hours on it (engine valve clearance adjust time) and i spoke to my dealer about it and he asked if it was starting hard, sputtering, or smoking at all. i said yes, but only on a cold start. he said probably just the valve adjustment and they would do a compression check with the valve adjustments. not sure how many hours on yours or how long ago valves were done, but just sharing my experience.

[leonz]

I have a 2005 L3430 ,last year and this year its hard to start in weather around 40 degrees and below ,during warm weather its starts right up even after sitting a couple weeks , I have replaced the battery with a new higher cranking amps battery , this is new fuel batch so it shouldn't be a summer blend gelling

I suspect glow plugs , my lights show them coming on for about 3-4 seconds then off , i do this several times and usually end up wearing down the battery , while cranking i get white smoke

so i end up waiting for it to get to about 45 degrees and after recharging the battery it will start , its just when it set for a week or 2 and its cold out ,

this thing should start in 0 degree weather!

so a couple questions ,

#1 how to test if glow plugs are operating and working correctly ??
#2 if i have to use a fuel treatment which one?

thx in advance

Mark

Hello Mark,

When Adjusting The valves the Diesel engine HAS TO BE COLD for 24 to 48 hours prior to doing the measurments and adjustment of the Valve Train.



About your tractor issues I will very strongly suggest that you pull the battery and charge it fully and take it somewhere to have it load tested and I think you will find that you have a bad cell or two and that is the majority of your issue from what you have been describing.

You cannot go bad with Seafoam or a diesel treatment of some type.

The big issue for diesel engines is algae and water and adding a RACOR diesel
fuel filter will be money in the bank and you can filter down to 2 micron and
you will have no issues with fuel quality due to water and algae as you can use several thousand gallons of diesel fuel befor having to change the filter cartidge UNLESS the Diesel fuel has a lot of water in it where the cartridge filter will swell and plug WHICH is what it is designed to do. The diesel fule filter has a centrufuge int he base which spins the dirt and water out of the fuel stream and it settles in the bottom of the Polycarbonate Bowl of the fuel filter assembly which can also hbe purchased with a 12 volt thermostatically operated heating element in it to heat the fuel fou you

[bbwithdrawls]

thank you , all good advice so far ,

I only have 260 hrs on the tractor Im hoping valve adjustment is a bit premature, Im going to test the battery and check all the connections then check the voltage to the glow plugs

anybody got a picture or location of the glow plugs ??? Im pretty sure i can find them , just wanting to make sure , i use sea foam for all my gas engines , ill grab one for diesel

thanks again

[bbwithdrawls]

To check the glow plug operation you need to test for voltage approx. equal to your battery voltage when the key is turned to the glow plug position. If you have approx. 12 V there unhook the wire going to each glow plug and using an ohm meter test for resistance on each plug...not sure the spec for your exact tractor but Kubotas BX call for a resistance of 0.9 ....if you see 0 then you have a short and your plug is gone and needs to be changed.

If when you tested your glow plug wiring you didn't have approx 12V you need to check out your wiring going to the plugs...could be the wire or the switch.

Ok checked voltage before the key turned on, 12.72 volts , when glow plug on 12.56, when it turned over 12.44 , i put a new connector on the pos battery cable and it started right up , course it was 50 degrees yesterday , ill wait n see and try again later when its cold again , so to test the continuity you have to pull the plugs yes ??

[DIXIEDOG]

Ok checked voltage before the key turned on, 12.72 volts , when glow plug on 12.56, when it turned over 12.44 , i put a new connector on the pos battery cable and it started right up , course it was 50 degrees yesterday , ill wait n see and try again later when its cold again , so to test the continuity you have to pull the plugs yes ??

No you unhook the wiring going to each plug and you test continuity between the post the wire hooks to and a good engine ground. You are testing for a shorted glow plug.

[terexguy]

I have a 2005 L3430 ,last year and this year its hard to start in weather around 40 degrees and below ,during warm weather its starts right up even after sitting a couple weeks , I have replaced the battery with a new higher cranking amps battery , this is new fuel batch so it shouldn't be a summer blend gelling

I suspect glow plugs , my lights show them coming on for about 3-4 seconds then off , i do this several times and usually end up wearing down the battery , while cranking i get white smoke

so i end up waiting for it to get to about 45 degrees and after recharging the battery it will start , its just when it set for a week or 2 and its cold out ,

this thing should start in 0 degree weather!

so a couple questions ,

#1 how to test if glow plugs are operating and working correctly ??
#2 if i have to use a fuel treatment which one?

thx in advance

Mark

Check all your fuses, on my 3130 if my dash light fuse or others are blown the glow plugs wont work either

[Grateful11]

Last Winter our L3940 didn't want to start except with a lot difficulty. It started fine at 50 degrees and up. Come to find out the glow plugs weren't working at all, at least it was under warranty.

[kcender]

I had a similar problem last winter with my L3240.The light in the dash indicated the glow plugs were working but they really weren't.It was fixed under warranty and turned out to be a bad connection on the relay for the glow plugs.The relay is located under the dash covering on my tractor.There are three relays but I can't remember which one was for the glow plugs.Something else you can easily check.Hope this helps.