Cycling glow plugs?

[David Wayne]

I bought a Deere 2320 last June and now that the weather is starting to get cold I am wondering if
any of you do multiple cycles of the glow plugs before starting? Mine come on for 3 seconds and that seems short if its in the teens,
the book says if its colder than zero farenheight to install a coolant heater.

Thanks
David

 

[RjCorazza]

I haven't needed to cycle my glow plugs on my current 6 year old tractor, but did multiple cycles on my previous tractor on occasion.

I certainly wouldn't run multiple cycles by default until you see how it does cold starting. If you want to make cold starts even easier, install a block heater and run it on a timer for 3 hours or so. Mine starts like on a summer day.

 

[dodge man]

Mine will start without glow plugs or with just one cycle but it sure is smoother and less smoke with 2 cycles.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Mine always starts on one glow plug cycle. Whether it's plugged in using the heaters or not. Definitely less smoke on start up if the heaters have had time to warm everything up first.

 

[Everhard]

I would experiment - if the engine fires up without struggling without cycling the glow plugs then I don't see a need to cycle them. Engine design has a lot to do with that. Newer diesel's will fire up almost instantly vs older technology. For example my 2014 tractor the glow cycle is what I consider long. My neighbour has a 2018 (newer engine design) and his glow cycle is very short and his engine starts up very easily.

Regardless of how easy an diesel engine starts if the weather is going to be consistently below freezing I'm a big fan of using a block heater of some kind. Makes life much easier on the engine. And you'll definitely not need to cycle the glow plugs in that case.

E.

 

[Oaktree]

Mine's rather cold blooded, and takes 2 or sometimes 3 cycles to start in cold weather. Hasn't seemed to have hurt anything to do so.
Keep saying I'm going to put in a block heater, but never get around to it.

 

[Henro]

Mine are cycled by manually by me. So when cold the cycle time is longer...maybe 10 seconds if really cold...

If no start, which is rare, I do another cycle with fuel now in the cylinders, and it starts right up. Both tractors.

 

[David Wayne]

My Kubota is manual so I can go longer with it. So far I haven't had any issue starting but it hasn't
been real cold yet- next week single digits so we shall see. Not putting a heater on it, if its too
cold for it I will just stay inside. Thanks for the replies.

David

 

[IXLR8]

I will cycle my glow plugs depending on temps. Once down to about 25dF, twice between 0F and 25F. Anything below 0F and I will cycle them 3 times. Seems to start easier and less smoke with this regimen. If it is below -15dF.... I stay in the house. Every winter I swore I would install power to my tractor building so I could add a block heater, and a transmission heater.
I think I finally solved the problem though, I moved from Maine to Virginia so hopefully this issue is a thing of the past. If not, my new tractor building WILL have power when it is finished in Feb.