How I start AIR COOLED tractors W/O Block Heater

[Bradlyk]

The other day I had to move my 2WD Deutz D10006 to get the manure spreader out after not being started for 4 months

So I got all my starting weapons out (Jumpers,ether...) and before I left the neighbour asked me what I was doing so I told him and he told me " To start a cold air cooled tractor without block heater get a 5 gallon pale of boiling hot water and splash it on the motor" So I got myself a pale of hot water and got to my trusty old 2wd Deutz and splashed the water on it and jumped off and got comfortable cause I thought this might take a while..

To my suprise the starter turned 4 times and she came roaring to life ... Wow that took me by suprise


The point of this post is for people without a block heater to learn how to start their tractors easy

[Mace Canute]

That's a very good tip which most people would never think of.

It reminds me of the old Allis Chalmers WC we had. It never had any sort of block heater and when it got really cold and we needed to use it, we would pour a teapot full of boiling water (well, it was boiling when we left the house with it) over the carb. That, along with someone on the hand crank to augment the starter would usually make it fire. If not, sometimes a second pot of hot water was needed.

[brokenot]

What happens if it doesn't start?

If we move equipment outside after a pressure wash without blowing everything dry, we end up with frozen and stuck starter drives, control cables, governor linkages, etc. On Monday, I went out and replaced the timing belt and 2 bent pushrods in a customer's F4L Deutz. Not because they splashed water on it intentionally, but because they shut it off, and then it got a good dose of snow on top of the engine because of a missing cowling. The warm engine melted some of the snow, it ran down and got inside the belt cover...and then froze again. When they cranked the engine, a chunk of ice wedged between the belt and crank pulley, and the belt snapped.

There are starting aids for the air-cooled Deutz available like intake heaters, and heating elements for that thread into the oil pan to warm up the oil. If you didn't want to go that route, why not use a small knipco heater and some ducting to carefully warm things up for a few minutes?

[Bradlyk]

We don't usually do that we usually put a heater in the engine under the cover and let it be for a few hours.

But we didn't have time to wait so we just started it up and let it warm up to remove water and dry everything up

[wetstuff]

Would not a propane weed killer firing into a length of stove pipe with a 90 pointing up to the block act like a 'field salamander'? Similar, more expensive units, are used to pre-heat aircraft.



Jim

[Craig Clayton]

I have watched older film footage about starting air cooled aircraft bush planes engines. When they land on the frozen lake as they are setting up camp the engine oil is drained into a 5 gallon pail. In the morning the same 5 gallon pail is put on the wood stove. They pour it through the engine twice, as the tent is coming down and off they go.
Craig Clayton

[Bradlyk]

That sounds like a good idea but wouldnt be the fastest thing :P

[crashz]

We have had a set up called the life line. Its a generator, battery charger and slamander all in a cart. Pull it towards the "patient", place components accordingly, let it run for an hour, and come back to start up. Started all of the snow equipment for over 20 years like this. Usually it was me doing the start up while my father and his guys came in to work.

[Joe Flow]

I used to have to get diesel trucks going in very cold weather. One thing we did was put some charcoal briqets in an old hupcap or garbage can lid, light them and then set them under the engine. Relatively quick, high heat and no open flames.

[Bradlyk]

Thats actually a good idea never thought of doing that