Recommended frequent starting of autos in sub-zero weather - how about tractors?

[RalphVa]

Yeah, start your car with you in it in the garage and let it idle for a short period, see if you die.

That's the idea.

Ralph

 

[Gary Fowler]

I still have the Coleman catalytic heater in the wife's car. We bought that while in Canada and it runs 8 hours on a tank of fuel and also has a space blanket in the kit. I may need it for warming the house someday due to power outage but doubtful that it will ever be needed here but doesn't hurt to be prepared I guess. My old Caddy that I had in Canada had no block heater or other cold weather starting aids and it cranked everytime even at -40 although it did require a little grinding on the starter to produce some heat to vaporize the fuel at -40 but anything above -30F it would fire right up.

I cant believe the news reported to go out and start your car every hour and run it for 10 minutes. I think I would stop viewing that station if I were you. All my vehicles get started whenever I want to use them and only then. My tractors may set for months without starting and never fail to start. When I worked out of the country, my cars have set for up to 8 months without starting and started right up although the batteries were a bit weak from parasitic drain. Tractors don't normally have any parasitic battery drain so no need to start them frequently.

 

[3930dave]

As well stated already, short engine runs are not a good maintenance strategy.

OP - You understand using a battery maintainer, so you have that covered - that is the way to keep the battery up, not briefly spinning the alternator.

If you are coming up to an oil change, consider using a synthetic for the winter, if you aren't already.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Chef Pa started a thread - he was prepping a car to come up to Canada. Takes more reading that 8 bullet points, but if folks in OPs area aren't used to cold weather driving, it's worth a read:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/294645-prepping-car-cold-weather-northern.html

Rgds, D.

 

[Looking4new]

I start them when I want to use them. The rest of the time they sit. I also use winter fuel in the tractor and high test in the Heep.

 

[RalphVa]

Silly. Good way to run the battery down and crap up the oil.

Ralph

 

[MHarryE]

I have 2 nieces living 2 miles away. They tried the getting up at 2:30 last Thursday when the actual temperature was -33, started their cars and let them run for 15 minutes. At 8:00 it was -46 when they tried starting to go to work but neither car would start even though they had been warmed up. They called me and I drove them to work and their kinds to school. My answer is a heated garage. It costs money to heat but it does save wear and tear on the vehicles. Same with the tractor I run during the winter - it's in the heated garage.

 

[Bob77064]

When you start a vehicle especially a cold one it runs the battery down. Unless you are going to drive for a while and recharge the battery you are doing more harm than good.

 

[TomSeller]

the manual for my jd 4410 mentions an optional hydraulic heater in addition to the block heater. I don't have either but wish i did.

Great idea if your tractor is equipped to receive one. The ones I am familiar with install similar to a block heater.

 

[whistlepig]

I live in central Ohio about a mile from the Indiana border. You can bet your bippy that I am not going to get up several times tonight to start anything. And if I do have to do so whatever equipment that required me to do this will be sold immediately.