Shut it down, or continue long idle times, and glow plugs needed after warmed up?

[TimboTractor]

Been doing some utility work with the tractor and get to a point where I don't need the tractor for about 5 minutes or so. Should I just shut it down (non turbo and idling)? How long would you consider your down time to be long enough to shut it down....on a hot summer day?

And, when re starting an already warmed up diesel engine, should I still wait for the glow plugs to warm up before starting or is that no longer necessary if the engine is still at or near operating temperature?

 

[boggen]

only time i have worried about a glow plug, is the bloody cold winter. and first time starting tractor for the day. beyond that, i never think about the glow plug. hit the key crank it up and go.

depends if and when i shut it down, safety wise, always a good idea to shut down the tractor before getting off. have had shirts, hips, legs, elbows, etc.... hitting a lever and tractor taking off on me as i am stepping down off of it.

if been running tractor hard, i always let it run at low idle a couple minutes before shutting it down. to let the coolant system do its thing and cool down the tractor some before shutting it off.

 

[RoyJackson]

There have been a number of threads discussing idling vs. shutdown.
I don't think there has been any consensus one way or the other, but most folks who do idle their machines idle at a high RPM (1500 or so).
Deere tractor manuals advise against extended idling (but they don't define "extended").
Me...I'll let it idle for about 5 minutes...if I'm off the tractor longer then that, I shut it down.

As far as idling for coooling the machine after a hard workout...well, my 4400 never gets more the 1/4 up the temperature scale so I see no need to idle more then 30 seconds. Turbocharged engines do need a few minute "cool down" idle to prevent the turbo from coking up. The tractor manual should advise you on this

As far as glow plugs or other cold weather starting aid....mostly common sense. If the machine has been warmed up and only shut down for a short time, no need to use the cold start device. Now, how long is a "short time"? Through experience, you can determine that for your tractor. If the engine cranks longer (due to the ambient temperature, for example), you'll want to use the cold start device. If it starts quickly, then no need to use the cold start device.

 

[arrow]

This depends on the work being done. As boggen states, if the tractor has been working hard, a cool down idling period is advised by most manufacturers. If this coincides for when you are off the tractor and jumping back on, you can leave it running. There is the safety factor of leaving a running machine but I'll leave that up to you. I once tipped my tractor over when i left it running as when i jumped off, my foot hit a gear shift lever. She backed up, high sided on a rock and over she went but this was an older JD machine with the gear levers in the middle of the tractor and I had pak boots on. I shut my tractor off all the time now as during the summer, I do not run it long enough for it to reach temp. I do it not for safety reasons but to conserve hrs and fuel. I estimate I save about 2 hrs worth of idling per season for a whopping 20 hrs of run time in 10 years. Fuel usage i don't know but it probably as minuscule as hours saved. If I were running a big 6 cyl tractor as opposed to a little 3 cyl, my mindset might make a bit more sense. I do not use the glow plugs at all during warmer months even if the tractor has cooled down over night.
I attached the roll over pic not to confirm the safety issue even if it does, but I thought the whole thing was rather comical especially when i needed the tractor rather quickly to yank off the stump the tree that was perched toward the house that was intentionally felled into a support tree. Fun days in the woods!

 

[k0ua]

My DK35se will not run the glow plug cycle at all if the block temprature is above 86 deg. F. So I would use that as a take away for the tractors with manual glow plug activation. If the block is even mildly warm you do not need glow plugs at all. When I had tractors with manual activated glow plugs I never used them in the summer time.
As for idling, anything over 4 or 5 minutes I would shut it down for sure. Just bump the key to start it back up. Why waste fuel and hours?

 

[TimboTractor]

My LS U5030 cycles the glow plugs every time I turn the key to "On", regardless of engine temperatures.

 

[arrow]

My LS U5030 cycles the glow plugs every time I turn the key to "On", regardless of engine temperatures.

As does my Mahindra. I simply turn the key past this right to "start" and she still fires right up.

 

[Texasmark]

I only use the glow plugs in the winter even for first starts of the day. On leaving it running, depends like others have said. On shutting off prior to dismounting not a bad idea to shut it off. I don't, but I do pay attention to what I'm doing for the reasons stated. On my Branson it's a clean path enter-exit. On the Fords I pay attention.

Mark

 

[MoKelly]

My DK35se will not run the glow plug cycle at all if the block temprature is above 86 deg. F. So I would use that as a take away for the tractors with manual glow plug activation. If the block is even mildly warm you do not need glow plugs at all. When I had tractors with manual activated glow plugs I never used them in the summer time.
As for idling, anything over 4 or 5 minutes I would shut it down for sure. Just bump the key to start it back up. Why waste fuel and hours?

This is also my situation and practice. It works for me.

MoKelly

 

[jodebg]

Reading this thread about start up and stirred up a question I have.

When I start my Kubota B7800 I get a puff of smoke, whether cold or warm. The smoke is not white, it
is grey and sometimes darker.

I am new to tractors and diesels and don't know if they all do the same??