CK2610 cold start… ALOT of smoke?

[S854]

I did my first, true Cold start on my CK yesterday… 17 degrees, after an overnight low of 8…

I didn’t have the block heater plugged in… but that’s another story…

Turned the key… waited for the glow plugs to do their thing, then cranked the engine… it started without excessive cranking but died in a second or two… repeated the glow plug/crank and it started again and kept running this time…

There was what I consider excessive exhaust smoke for maybe thirty seconds or so… so much smoke that I had to leave the area… kinda like the most dense fog you’ve ever seen… after a 10 minute warm up, I drove the tractor without any odd engine behavio…

Previous warm weather starts we’re pretty uneventful… a bit of smoke, a bit of clattering followed by smooth, clean running…

I only have 11 hours on The tractor… and one of the major reasons for choosing this model was the mechanical injection…

I can live with the cold start-up smoke, if it’s “normal”

One thing I did do was to add an additional dose of DieselKleen to the winter-blend, red dyed fuel before operating…

 

[K5lwq]

That sounds about normal in cold weather. Block heater would help but you could cycle the glow plugs several times on colder mornings. Just turn switch back off and on again allowing the plugs to heat each time. 3 times before starting will help.

 

[RjCorazza]

That's normal for a cold start diesel. It should clear up pretty quickly, like maybe 30-60 seconds.
Your block heater would go a long way in eliminating the smoke, clatter, and multiple glow plug cycles. Everything is just easier starting a pre warmed engine.
By "another story" I assume your block heater isn't working?

I pre warm my tractor at temps of 32 degrees f and lower. Overkill for me, but 8 degrees f is pretty dang cold!

 

[RjCorazza]

I should add that the diesel kleen additive you mention is not related to any smoking issues. PS Diesel Kleen is NOT an anti gel winter additive, most folks (myself included) use it in the warm months and add PS Diesel Fuel Supplement (white bottle) for winter use.
I do not rely on winterized fuel from the pump, and always treat winter fuel with an anti gel additive.

 

[S854]

By "another story" I assume your block heater isn't working?

on another, RV related web board I have a thread regarding a 50a to 20@ pigtail… I want to plug my block heater into my RV 50a plug… if you’re really bored: RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Tech Issues: DIY 50 amp to 20 amp pigtail

I should add that the diesel kleen additive you mention is not related to any smoking issues. PS Diesel Kleen is NOT an anti gel winter additive, most folks (myself included) use it in the warm months and add PS Diesel Fuel Supplement (white bottle) for winter use.
I do not rely on winterized fuel from the pump, and always treat winter fuel with an anti gel additive.

Yes… I used the “white bottle”… could’ve swore it said “DieselKleen” on the label… I may be wrong, wouldn’t be the first time… I KNOW it said “anti-gel” …

 

[ruffdog]

Turned the key… waited for the glow plugs to do their thing, then cranked the engine… it started without excessive cranking but died in a second or two… repeated the glow plug/crank and it started again and kept running this time…


One thing I did do was to add an additional dose of DieselKleen to the winter-blend, red dyed fuel before operating…

How long is the glow plug cycle would you say? How many seconds?

Do you know at what ratio the "winter-blend" fuel is? 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50? Are they just blending the fuel or are they also treating it?

 

[S854]

I visit the same (busy) fuel station for both my diesel pickup and also the red diesel.. my pickup runs fine on their winter blend… although the pickup sleeps in a heated garage and has a “winter front end” over the grill during the cold months…

My Massey 135 has been running on the winter blend, red dye fuel for 5 years now… no issues… the Massey doesn’t have a cold start system (glow plugs, intake air heater, etc) and requires a brief shot of ether to wake up when temps drop below zero… don’t bash me here… there’s actually a factory sticker under the hood recommending starting fluid for cold starts…

Anyway, the Massey actually started without starting fluid and with less drama (and smoke) than the Kioti… kinda surprised me…

P.S. I have no intentions of EVER using ether on the Kioti… in case you were wonderin…

 

[LouNY]

Untill it gets sub zero "winter" grade fuel is just treated with additives it is not a blended fuel.
Blended being a blend of #1 and #2 fuel, kerosene and #2 diesel.

 

[ruffdog]

Untill it gets sub zero "winter" grade fuel is just treated with additives it is not a blended fuel.
Blended being a blend of #1 and #2 fuel, kerosene and #2 diesel.

That is what I was thinking too but in Montana...who knows. I sure would like one station near me that did sell 60/40 early on so I could fill my machine and be set for the whole winter.

 

[Oaktree]

That is what I was thinking too but in Montana...who knows. I sure would like one station near me that did sell 60/40 early on so I could fill my machine and be set for the whole winter.

Most, if not all the places near me that sell off-road diesel are Jiffymart-type convenience store/gas stations. I doubt any of the employees would have a clue what I'm talking about if I asked if it was winter blend or not, or even when the last delivery was. I always keep 3 5gal jugs of fuel on hand and just use the oldest each time...very likely it's 6 mo. old by the time I use it. Always use the white bottle PS regardless of season.

As for the OP's question, my LK3054 is pretty cold-blooded too. Takes multiple glowplug cycles, and a lotta smoke for the first :30 or so in cold weather. No block heater, though in the winter I'll put a droplight with a 100W bulb under the hood to warm it at least a little. A few years ago I bought one of those magnetic heaters that you put on the oil pan...never thought to check if it was a steel pan...it wasn't. Oops!