Barneyhunts said:
Is it a good idea to run an idle tractor and maybe move it around, as opposed to letting it sit in the off season? Might apply to any machinery.
Thanks
This is contrary to many, but I am 100% absolutely against that. It is a sure fire way to take decades off the life of the machine.
If you are not going to run it long and hard so that the entire machine gets up to operating temperature for 45-60 min (minimum), don't bother turning the key.
If you start the machine, idle it or even just run it around the yard, it will collect moisture in the fluids fast and at a higher level than you might imagine and they turn acidic. Mufflers wear out, oil gets diluted with both fuel and water, you can even glaze the cylinders in extreme cases. Yuck, it's a mess. Just dog down the clutch peddle and every other month put a 2 amp charge on the battery for 5-6 hours. (Gas engines can use fogging oil - diesels no. They will burn the oil as fuel...)
Some folks use em all winter and that's great. Using them drives off the moisture, fuel and combustion byproducts that are generated by light use, starting when cold etc. Using them also means maintaining them. I've seen the guts of many an engine that was started and idled for 15 min every weekend over the winter and they are much worse than ones that are allowed to sit.
Winter equipment is like a hibernating bear. Don't wake it unless you are prepared to deal with it!
jb with the contrarian view....