3040 cold start problem

[CliffJ]

I have a 3040 w/ 175 hrs. It has been miserable to start when cold since new. If its colder than 35F it will not start unless I use a heater. I use a magnetic oil pan heater, that works great. The glow plugs stay on for 4-5 seconds before turning off. I've replaced the relay two times. The new relay(s) stays on the same amount of time (seems too short a time). Could this be an injector problem? I wish they had service manuals. Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[George2615]

I have a different brand tractor but also have a glow plug timer that only stays on 4-5 seconds. My tractor is an 04. My friend has the same tractor as me but is an 06. His timer stays on close to 10 seconds. I found if I cycle my ignition key to recycle the timer 2-3 times before cranking it starts right up. You might try that or check with your dealer to see if they have a timer with a longer cycle.

 

[Lgim]

I assumed that the poor cold weather starting is a product of where it was built. My 3040 has 300ish hrs on it in just under 2 years. I have had problems - more inconvenience really, when it was outside in the fall on early mornings 10 degrees C. I turned it on glow plugs shut off, spun over didn't fire, shut the key off, glow plus again, fired up.

Twice now (in 2 years) I left it outside in the fall rather then putting in into the heated shop. By the time I got around to putting it inside it was -20 C and it hasn't run for a month or so. It has a heater in the bottom rad hose that circulates coolant. I plug it in for a couple hrs and it fires up better then in the summer. My guess is that the coolant warms the fuel a little bit which makes the difference.

Might be worth the price of a coolant heater

good luck
Gary

 

[JDeerekid]

I have a larger Montana than you a 4340C and my glow plugs stay on for roughly 10 - 15 seconds. When its real cold around 10 degrees or below I cycle the glow plugs a couple times and it starts right up. I would contact your dealer and see if there is a replacement or upgrade that will allow them to stay on longer. My tractor is outside but under a roof and I have not had any problems starting in cold weather.
Maybe installing a block heater would be good for you. I am going to install on when I get around to it.

 

[CliffJ]

The two new timers were suppossed to be the improved version (stay on longer). Tonight it is 23F, the tractor is in an unheated shop (with out elec). I cycled the glow plugs ten times before trying to start it. No Luck! They dont even get warm to the touch. They are getting battery voltage, maybe not enough.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

try installing new glow plugs?

 

[Lgim]

I just looked in the service manual,
Glow plug timer Heating time is 6.2+-0.7 seconds.
Relay continuous rating is 1 minute
Glow plug inspection - .55 ohm resistence betwean terminal and body.

So unless you have a bad glow plug I would say its doing what it is supposed to. - which isn't good enough.

Just a thought to get it going - what would happen if you applied power with a jumper wire across the timer for say 30 seconds. - can't be good for the glow plugs or wires, but desperate times...

 

[JimmyBean]

Hi, just my two cents. I think I would look at fuel quality also. Do you use offroad diesel? Most of it is not treated unless you pay the extra. Try mixing your diesel with 20 % kerosene. This is the recommended rate per the manual. You can also just use the additive for diesel to keep it from gelling at low temperatures. I was mixing filtered used motor oil with my diesel all summer and when cold weather started I had to cut the mix way back because of hard starting. I was up to a 50-50 mix all summer with no notice of starting or performance issues. Now that we are in full Pa. winter here, I only put maybe a quart of oil to 5 gallons of diesel. I learned of this and did the research on the internet. Most of the over the road truckers do this on a regular basis. Even read articles of our military using motor oil when diesel was in short supply. The diesel engine is a great invention that was developed to run on vegetable oil, then the big oil got the idea petroleum was much more profitable for them....lol. Veggie oil can be burned straight in the summer but winter should be made into bio diesel. Keeps it from gelling in winter months. Anyway, try adjusting your fuel for cold season and see if this helps the startups.
My 5740C sits in my unheated barn and never refused to start. Sometimes turns a few times more when in the teens F. but always starts. I do sometimes cycle the glow plugs twice if it doesn't start on three or four turn overs. Hope you find your problem.
Jim T.

 

[George2615]

Just my two cents also, I think its time you check the glow plugs for proper resistance as LGIM said. I couldn't find the thread post but someone else had burned out their glow plugs by trying to start the tractor while a battery charger was hooked up in high boost / jump start mode. Seems it put too much voltage to them. You will have to disconnect the buss bar that ties them all together so you can check them one by one.

My tractor was only 2 years old and I had to replace mine. One was shorted to ground, one was open circuit, leaving only one working and that wasn't enough to get mine to fire. I'm past 2 years again but the new ones I installed are still working.

 

[alltoys]

Mine is cold natured as well. Drops below zero and it is tough to start. I have a lower rad hose heater and a stick on Oil Pan heater. Both plugged in for -40 so the thing will start. One cycle on the glow plugs starts every time.

Only thing is the motor has to run for a half hour at about 1200 rpm to heat up the hydraulics so they will work. It is also hard on fuel at these low temperatures.