What's your warmup time?

[Tom_H]

What\'s your warmup time?

I usually let the block warm up at idle for 10 min. or so or until the thermostat valve opens and the temp. gauge moves to the 20% or so mark. How many of you warm up first? Does anyone just crank and go with a diesel?

Even though it's summer, lately I've been plugging in the block heater an hour before cranking; then I just crank and go. It saves a little time on the clock, though I wonder if it really saves any on the engine life. I also wonder if it is overall any more energy efficient to use an hour of electricity vs. 10 min. of diesel fuel at low r.p.m. I also wonder whether I'm just warming the coolant and thermostat, but not actually warming the entire block sufficiently.

What are your thoughts?

 

[frank_f15]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

I think you might be missing the point on warm ups, true in cold weather a warm block will help with starting, But the warm up is more imprtant for the hydraulic fluid to warm up before doing any work. during the summer i only give it a min. or two, but during the winter i will give it 10 min. then cycle all hydraulics and give it a few min. more. on really cold days (0 to 10 deg) i usually give it more, start it up and go have another cup

 

[Tom_H]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

There are a lot of truckers who, even in summer, warm up their rigs before throttling to higher r.p.m. Many truck and bus drivers will not shut their engines down (even in summer) if they anticipate being at a stop for less than half an hour or for some, an hour. I've always heard that in a diesel it's not good to bring the engine from cold or even standard summer temperature up to operating temperature in a short time i.e. that it's not good for expansion and contraction rates of pistons, cylinders, rings, head, block, gasket, head bolts, etc. I've heard this all my life from so many people that it is difficult for me to believe I've "missed the point."

 

[Ewang207]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

The manual for my new L3130 states that the purpose for warming up is to allow sufficient time for fluids (oil) to circulate and reach every part. This cannot be accomplished with a block heater. It also lists reccommended warm times according to outside temperatures.

 

[Theowegian]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

I have a L3130. I typically wait for one or two engine temperature bars before loading it up. Often, tho I have to move it someplace to warm it up, like out of my machine shed. But for real loads, like mowing or FEL work, I always wait for four bars, then let her rip!

I do confess that I shut it down often and restart, like when hooking up PTO shafts or taking off the FEL.

dwight

 

[RoyJackson]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

I always give my 790 a few minutes to warm...summer and, if necessary, more time in cooler weather.

I never operate at PTO RPM until the temp gage is reading normal operating temperature. This is in the lower part of the "green" section...which is where my Deere typically stays.

 

[r0GuE]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

I start it, give it a crack on the throttle to get it above the rough zone, back it out of the shed and lift the deck. Then I get off and hit the deck guide wheels with a shot of break free and kick them for a spin. By the time I'm done with that, I go half throttle, and wait 10 sec or so, then wide open for a sec or two, then down to just above idle for deck start. Then I throttle up to 80% and go at it.

After you surpass that of a mechanical miscreant and begin to take good care of your tractor, I believe there are diminishing returns (greatly diminishing) to all the little nuances of tractor care (a great example being a man plugging in a heater core before starting a tractor in the summer).

Not poking fun, just expressing a newfound personal opinion, which I think we might all at least partially agree.

Still, it’s sometimes fun to try to outwit tractor fate (like me lubing my deck pulleys). I'd bet a majority of us will be in a hole before our tractors are shot. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[JWE]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

I warm my BX2200 up until the temp gauge starts to move (summer and winter). No scientific reasoning behind it. That's just the way I have always done it.

I agree with Rogue, I will probably be in the grave before the tractor wears out.

John

 

[Boomerang1]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

Some truck drivers don't shut off their engines in the summer because they don't want the inside of their cabs to cool down. A diesel engine in a a truck will actually get hotter after it is shut down. Also don't let a diesel engine idol at low speed because it can't produce enough heat to keep from sooting. In most trucks, when you hit the resume switch for the cruise, the rpms will raise to a preset high idol. If you hold down the switch, you can set any rpm you desire up to full throttle.

 

[Tom_H]

Re: What\'s your warmup time?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I believe there are diminishing returns (greatly diminishing) to all the little nuances of tractor care (a great example being a man plugging in a heater core before starting a tractor in the summer).

Not poking fun, just expressing a newfound personal opinion, which I think we might all at least partially agree.)</font>

We all bring to life's new situations, the experiences of our past. Maybe I'm a little gun shy, or more like "bank account" shy. Let me explain. In 1980, Volkswagon introduced a mid-year pickup model of its diesel Rabbit. The engine was a converted gas engine: cast iron block, aluminum head. I was one of many for whom the engine just didn't seem to work. The block and head expanded and contracted at differing rates. After a couple of years VW came out with new head bolts made of some exotic alloy which was supposed to alleviate the situation, but it didn't. They said to always warm the thing up slowly in order to avoid problems. I always did so, but still, in 166,000 miles, that thing suffered 3 blown head gaskets and two cracked blocks. All 5 events happened at the same spot: the right front corner at the head bolt hole. I heard of others who experienced the same fate, while I've met still others here on TBN who never had a problem. The fact that I drove it in everything from -10 to +120 degrees may have had something to do with it, as well as with my cautious feelings about the effects of temperature.

Anyhow, I do baby my Kubota. No way do I plan to have 5 major engine jobs in 13 years again. I know my 'Bota has a quality "real" diesel engine, not some pretend gasoline retrofit. Using the block plug isn't so much to prevent a catastrophe, but just a substitute for warming up by running the engine. I do warm up to avoid wear and tear. Using the heater in its stead is just a little experiment in saving time, fuel, and chronometer time.

Apparently, there are others who do always warm up, regardless of the season. Anyways, that's just what I wanted to find out-how many of you do.