Warm up time

   / Warm up time #1  

Clint S

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
1,035
Location
Parish NY
Tractor
555DTC Farmall 200
I am always harping on my father to let the tractor warm up longer. Diesel engine. Take yesterday, about 65 degrees outside , gets on starts up, backs up out of garage, sits for 1 minute and takes off. There is still black smoke billowing out of exhaust and a few misses. By the time he gets a few 100 yards down the road it is cleared up and fine. Should he let it warm up longer before he takes off or am I crazy. He is better in the winter about letting it warm up. I usually let it idle 3 to 5 minutes minimum before I even get on above 50 degrees sometimes 10 minutes plus in the winter . In the winter also I have a lower hose heater and blow the 100k salamander on the center of the tractor for 15 minutes or so if it is below 10 degrees out. Also have dryer vent to put on the stack so it can sit inside and warm up.
 
   / Warm up time #2  
Kind of funny because I have trouble getting my sons to let the tractors warm up and cool down enough. I let mine warm up to a minimum of two bars before moving out of the barn and it will be at about four before working them.
 
   / Warm up time #3  
I normally drive around at a lower rpm until it comes up to working temp. This helps warm the hydraulic fluid too.
Cool down is important too, especially with a turbo, or if the tractor has just been worked hard.
 
   / Warm up time #4  
if you search diesel cold start on YouTube, you will see an amazing variety of "techniques"...some of which would make most of us cringe. So many temp gauges don't show the actual temp, but based on my experience with boat diesels, I wouldn't want to put a serious load on a diesel until it showed coolant temp of at least 160 degrees. For many of us, idling a diesel inside a smallish garage sort of forces the issue, get outside or choke. I try to run just over idle for awhile, usually heading somewhere without any attachments running. Then I go up to 1500-2000 rpm for a little bit, without load, then go to work. But how much time that represents really is a function of outside temp.
 
   / Warm up time #5  
From my Manual:

KUBOTA M8540
OPERATIONS INSTRUCTIONS


STARTING/STOPPING


 Set the transmission parking brake if not engaged, just to the right of the gear shift.
 Depress clutch and place gear selector and HI/LO range in neutral.
 Set the throttle lever at ½ position.
 Start engine and release clutch.
 Check “IntelliChecker” dash to make sure there are no warnings.
 Let it run to warm up to operating temperatures. (Check Manual for cold weather starts and warm up periods.
 STOPPING: Allow the engine to idle three to five minutes to allow turbo charger to cool down before turning engine off.

If you only run the engine for a short time or if you are doing mild loader work or something, the cool-down period will be shorter.
 
   / Warm up time #6  
I usually let mine warm up just above an idle for 5-15 minutes in the winter and colder weather. I have a block heater and it is stored in the garage. I start it, put in the lowest gear and just above an idle back it outside so I don't smoke myself out of the garage.
 
   / Warm up time
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks guys I guess it is not so bad, he never works it until it is warm. We keep it in my garage he lives like an 1/4 mile up the road so by the time he is there it is warmed up. Just puts up the road. He is better when it is colder out about warming it more.
 
   / Warm up time #8  
Should he let it warm up longer before he takes off or am I crazy. He is better in the winter about letting it warm up.

You're crazy. Letting it run for a minute to get the engine oil moving isn't a bad idea, but any more than that is just wasting fuel.

JayC
 
   / Warm up time #9  
Kubota manual is pretty clear about letting the engine warm up 5 minutes in temps above 14 degrees. On a summer day, that length of time seems excessive but they talk about
"seizure and breakage" if not warmed up. Seems common sense would dictate a very light load until the temp gauge gets to normal. Drew
 
   / Warm up time #10  
Our renters keep two or three of their tractors, 7000 and 8000 Series John Deeres and I can hear them start; never heard one started and pulled out without a significant warm up, same with combines etc.
 
 
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