An idea for cold hard starting 400 series

[joshlee]

There's a guy nearby that has a log splitter with a cold weather disconnect on the pump. I tried to find info on it, or any other log splitter like that, but came up empty. I was just checking out the Lovejoy Coupler website to see if they had anything, but it doesn't appear they do. Mossroad, your machine doesn't have hard starting, does it?

 

[MossRoad]

My 2001 PT425 with the Kohler is noticeably harder to start in winter, but it still starts without assistance almost every time. I have started it to -5F with no assistance. But again, I've had it not start at -5 about 2-3 times that I can remember. So I just gave it a shot of starting fluid and a boost from a battery charger/booster and it fired up. I started keeping a trickle charger on the battery in winters when it looks like cold and snow. But for the most part, I do nothing special. Just no throttle, full choke, start cranking and increase the throttle slowly till it coughs, then start decreasing the choke till it catches. If it doesn't work after about 5 seconds, I wait about a minute, and try it again. If it doesn't work the 2nd time, I'll pull the air cleaner, open the choke, give it a 1 second blast of starting fluid, then full choke, no throttle, crank till it coughs, etc.... again.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Of course a call to Terry would be the first thing, but that said... If I had your machine.

I would disconnect the plug. Do not let the engine run

I would turn it over when very cold, you can hear, tell, how many revolutions it is making (you could even record the sound)

I would then release the tram pressure and try again.

Now I know we are talking 3 pumps, but I wonder if the other two pumps have the same feature (a pressure release) if this all works you could go with an electric solenoid on each. Flip a switch, get it started, the switch it back to get the oil moving.

 

[ponytug]

Only the variable volume (drive) pump has the bypass.

 

[MossRoad]

Of course a call to Terry would be the first thing, but that said... If I had your machine.

I would disconnect the plug. Do not let the engine run

I would turn it over when very cold, you can hear, tell, how many revolutions it is making (you could even record the sound)

I would then release the tram pressure and try again.

Now I know we are talking 3 pumps, but I wonder if the other two pumps have the same feature (a pressure release) if this all works you could go with an electric solenoid on each. Flip a switch, get it started, the switch it back to get the oil moving.

Yeah, pulling the spark plug leads and then cranking would be a good way to make sure it doesn't start while comparing with and without bypass. Good idea.

 

[joshlee]

Good thinking.

Of course a call to Terry would be the first thing, but that said... If I had your machine.

I would disconnect the plug. Do not let the engine run

I would turn it over when very cold, you can hear, tell, how many revolutions it is making (you could even record the sound)

I would then release the tram pressure and try again.

Now I know we are talking 3 pumps, but I wonder if the other two pumps have the same feature (a pressure release) if this all works you could go with an electric solenoid on each. Flip a switch, get it started, the switch it back to get the oil moving.