COLD winter questions. Kerosene as an additive? Whats winter diesel?

[Omineca]

Just flipping through my manual and it states

*If ambient temperature is below -15c (5f) it is advised to mix winter diesel with Kerosene. 20% Kerosene added.

I don't think I have winter diesel, I just get whats available at the pump at the gas station. How can I tell if the gas station sells winter diesel? Whats winter diesel? I know it sounds like I'm asking stupid questions but I've never owned a diesel anything before.

The tractor barely started the other day (-15c) let alone the 400 RPM idle. Took about 3min to get to 900 then I up'ed it to 1500 as the manual states. I think there is summer oil (either 10w30 or 15w-40) in the crankcase which is probably the cause of the low idle at start. I will change out to 5w30 or 5w20 and see if the problem persists. Is there a product I can buy like heat tape that I can attach to the oil pan? How easy is it to add a block heater? I have an inline coolant plugin/heater but that doesn't help much.

Also, I remember watching a video a while back about some guy who had a similar problem (different make tractor) and he solved his issue by advancing the timing a couple degrees. If I remember correctly, originally the tractor was set back to meet certain emission laws.

Keep in mind I live in Northern Canada where it gets cold and stays that way for a few months so anyone with experience with COLD climates please give me some pointers.

Here is a video of a 0c (32F) cold start, just imagine what -15c (5f) was like.

Thanks.

 

[haroldy]

The inline coolant heater should solve any winter starting problems,,,sounds like yours is defective..I have started my mf 1020 at minus 25c using inline heater for an hour or so. most service stations regularly change with the weather ,, just make sure you buy at a well used station

ps:: there is no timing with a diesel

 

[Danno1]

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Heaters:

Kat's



You can also aim a hair dryer or heat gun into the intake while trying to start it.



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[buickanddeere]

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Heaters:

Kat's



You can also aim a hair dryer or heat gun into the intake while trying to start it.

Going to be heating that manifold a long time to make any difference.
It does would like the existing heater is failing to warm the engine. Wouldn't be the first time a tank heater wasn't plumbed properly or had the tank at the wrong height.


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.........

 

[Katahdin]

ps:: there is no timing with a diesel

Yes there is, fuel injection pump timing, for example.

Omineca, you may be familiar with Irving diesel fuel. Irving (a Canadian company) refines all of their fuel for winter use. I would be more concerned with diesel fuel brands imported into Canada that were refined in or around the Gulf of Mexico. These brands are more likely to mix in winter additives to prevent them from gelling in cold temperatures.

 

[Stargazer]

or a elec milk house heater/tarp over hood.
hyd tran more prob start at rear and blow 2 engine with cover on. or dipstick heater in hyd check stick.

 

[oosik]

I lived in a small village - Glenallen - in Alaska where winter temps were consistently -20deg F daytime and dropping to -35 to -45deg F at night. We used an inline tank heater on all our vehicles and only had problems when the heater did not work. There is something not right with your inline heater. An inline heater should bring the coolant fluid up to 50 deg F within four hours even at -35 deg F outside temps.

Winter diesel is a more refined product that has a higher cetane rating. Cetane rating is to diesel as octane rating is to gasoline.

 

[Omineca]

I talked to the dealer who is also a mechanic and he verified that the tractor shipped with 15w40 in the crank case. He also said that he runs all his machines (huge acreage) on 0W-40 to avoid this problem during the winter. I'm only 20 hours from my 50hr service. It should be no problem to log another 20 hours in the next couple weeks and at that point I'll switch to 0W-40. The inline cooler heater is working just not transferring enough heat to the oil pan.

I was going to buy a magnetic heater but the cost would be about the same as my first service so I'll hold off till then.

Thanks everyone.

 

[nybirdman]

How recent was your fuel purchase?.Fuel purchased during the summer would not have been "cut" with Kero.Add a little Kero as advised,I use Powerservice in my fuel year-round.I am in northern NY ,right on the border and it does get very cold here also..Block heaters are your best friend in the winter.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Just flipping through my manual and it states

*If ambient temperature is below -15c (5f) it is advised to mix winter diesel with Kerosene. 20% Kerosene added.

I don't think I have winter diesel, I just get whats available at the pump at the gas station. How can I tell if the gas station sells winter diesel? Whats winter diesel? I know it sounds like I'm asking stupid questions but I've never owned a diesel anything before.

The tractor barely started the other day (-15c) let alone the 400 RPM idle. Took about 3min to get to 900 then I up'ed it to 1500 as the manual states. I think there is summer oil (either 10w30 or 15w-40) in the crankcase which is probably the cause of the low idle at start. I will change out to 5w30 or 5w20 and see if the problem persists. Is there a product I can buy like heat tape that I can attach to the oil pan? How easy is it to add a block heater? I have an inline coolant plugin/heater but that doesn't help much.

Also, I remember watching a video a while back about some guy who had a similar problem (different make tractor) and he solved his issue by advancing the timing a couple degrees. If I remember correctly, originally the tractor was set back to meet certain emission laws.

Keep in mind I live in Northern Canada where it gets cold and stays that way for a few months so anyone with experience with COLD climates please give me some pointers.

Here is a video of a 0c (32F) cold start, just imagine what -15c (5f) was like.

Thanks.

The first thing I would do is to install a block heater. It sounds like you way up North so you might want to consider some oil pan and transmission/hydraulic heaters also. They're spendy but they glue on and keep the fluid viscosity low so you can shift and use the hydraulics a lot quicker. They also make fuel filter heaters.
Winter diesel is generally a mixture of #1 and #2 to get an acceptable pour point. The resultant fuel has a lower heating value per gallon so you fuel burn increases for the same tasks. It's also treated with fuel additives that cause any water in the fuel to coalesce and slide off the filter and drop to the drain. Make sure that you regularly drain any water from the bottom of the fuel filter housing because if you get too much water in there and it freezes it can cut the fuel flow.Drain it daily before you start up in your climate. Keep you fuel supply free of water also. it's also a good idea to change the fuel filter before winter temperatures arrive. A partially blocked filter is easier to plug.

Make sure that your battery is up to snuff (they also make battery heaters!) because cold temperature reduce battery output significantly and diesels, due to the high compression and the oil viscosity issues take a lot of hp to turn over in cold weather. Block heaters help with the oil viscosity issues.

Finally use the correct viscosity engine lube oil for the ambient temperature range you will be operating your engine. I use 15W40 year round in our NH and have a block heater on a timer to run 2-1/2 hours before I have to feed. The hydraulics area little stiff but the engine turns over quickly and fires right up.

As far as changing the timing do waste you time trying that. My tractor has a Tier II engine that has a retarded injection until the coolant gets to 110F. I don't notice any affect on that at cold or warm temperature starting and operation. In fact I can't tell when it is retarded and when it's not. My guess is it is just a "rule beater" to please the EPA.

Since I'm a belt and suspenders guy, I use the label amount of Power Service white in my fuel. It decreases the pour point and increases the cetane rating of the fuel and adds additional coalescing agent to the fuel plus some lube for the pump. ( No i don't have any connection with the company. There are other fuel additives you can use but this is what I use.)

Cold weather starting and fuel issues are the Achiles heel of diesel powered tractors. However these issues are manageable by using the appropriate heaters, keeping the battery in top shape (including possibley adding a battery heater) and keping the fuel flowing and water free.