Could'nt start the BX again today!

[JerryG]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

I agree with you LOUIE44. If a tractor won't start at that temperature, I have no use for it. Something is wrong with that tractor or it has been designed wrong.

 

[Junkman]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...............Without electricity I don't know how you could apply heat safely. Maybe a propane powered space heater of some sort?

Good luck and keep us posted, Rogue! )</font>

An old fashioned way to to get heat into the engine is to build a charcoal fire in a small enclosure such as a metal garbage can cover. After you have the briquettes burning well and they have a red glow to them, slip the metal cover with the glowing coals under the engine. Make sure that there are no flames and that you aren't putting this on a wooden floor. It might help to tarp the front of the tractor to keep the heat in. Stay with the tractor to make sure that everything is safe. Also have a fire extinguisher handy. After about an hour, the engine will be warm enough to start. Do not close any doors, because of the carbon monoxide problem. Make sure that you have fresh air to breath. When I lived in NH back in the 1960's, this is what I would have to do to get my '55 Chevy running..... It didn't like cold weather.... That is how I got my first Corvair.... it didn't like to shift when cold, but it always started and no more hot coals..... Did you know that Kingsford Charcoal was originally part of Ford Motor Company???

 

[TresCrows]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

You need a block heater. You also need to charge your battery. If the battery is weak it will try to start but it just kind of chufs. In that kinda cold diesels are on the edge anyway so a strong battery is a must. Really, a block heater is needed as well before you ruin the machine. I agree, a light bulb will do nothing much. J

 

[r0GuE]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have purchased the block heater for installation but it is too cold to do this right now.)</font>

I will certainly get a block heater now. I only need the machine maybe 8 times in a winter, so I had not planned on doing this just to promote good lubrication etc. However, with the machine becoming unreliable, something has to give.

For now I will use a small electric ceramic space heater on the end of a long "electrical extension" of some sort. Next year when I have electric in the shed, I will be able to flip a switch and start the tractor heating up if I think I will need it in a few hours.

I probably could stand a new battery, this one is about three years old and I noticed the terminals were corroding... Anybody have a good method for dealing with corroded terminals?

 

[DK35vince]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Anybody have a good method for dealing with corroded terminals? )</font>

Clean the terminals up real well and cover them with plenty of grease. Works good for me.

 

[Junkman]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

[quote................Anybody have a good method for dealing with corroded terminals? )</font>

wire brush them and get the corrosion off.... then clean the terminal ends with a battery terminal brush. When both are clean, reinstall and tighten... place a light smear of Vaseline on the terminal ends to keep moisture out and you should be good to go. If you need a new battery, I have found that the Walmart 1 year warranty battery for $29.99 is the best buy. Take the old one along with you for the trade in and save a trip back to the store. Sometimes you will have to spend an additional $10.00 for the 2 year warranty battery because the size you need isn't available in a 1 year battery. Get the largest cranking amp battery that will fit into the battery cavity. Measure before you go to the store. If you don't have a battery terminal brush then buy one also when you are there.... they are only about $2.00 and well worth the investment. As for the little felt washers that go under the terminals, they don't work as well as the Vaseline does especially if you get it all over the terminal using a Q-Tip.

 

[JWE]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

Rogue- I tried starting my BX this morning after it sat in a unheated garage overnight. I have a block heater but I did not plug it in just to see if it would start. It started the first try but it sure did rattle and knock for the first minute or so. It was 9 degrees outside (maybe a few degrees warmer in the garage) when I started it.

I wanted to see if I could scrape some of the ice off my driveway before this evenings snow. No Luck! The ice is fused to the concrete, like a weld on metal. I hate to use calcium chloride or rock salt but I had to use some in this case. The salt didn't work at all but the calcium chloride seems to be doing the trick.

John

 

[cpicton1]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

You can use a solution of baking soda and water to clean off battery corrosion. You should also use it to neutralize the acid on the battery case and the entire battery compartment. You can soak the ends of the cables and terminals in the solution and after the green stuff has softened use a wire brush and a terminal brush to finish cleaning them. If you plan to keep the battery you are cleaning be sure that you don’t get any of the baking soda solution inside of the cells. It will neutralize your battery. You can buy spray cans of battery terminal protector at auto parts stores but the grease and Vaseline also work well.

 

[frank_f15]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

i agree with u 100% my b2400 with 5 year old battery sits in unheated garage, no block heater or anything. temp here has not gotten above 8 deg for the last 3 days down to 0 or close to it everynight, i just hit the glow plugs for 10 sec. let off and hit them aging for 10 sec. and then start, no more that 2 sec of crank before it starts and runs fine.

 

[Junkman]

Re: Could\'nt start the BX again today!

If he uses baking soda and water, he won't have to worry about the corrosion..... he will be dealing with the ice.... too cold this time of the year and that is why I didn't suggest that to him... Personally, I prefer to use dish-washing liquid to clean everything up and then use the baking soda to neutralize afterward. The dish-washing liquid will break down any grease and dirt and it flushes clean.. a clean battery is a happy battery... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif