Diesel fuel and cold weather

[whiterose]

Thank BHD for your prompt and useful reply.

Interesting about the wind being a problem, did not consider that. And what direction to face the tractor. Number 1 seems useful too.
Where do these heaters go on a tractor?
Is it like the ones you can get for trucks, gasoline, fitted in the hose to the radiator?
I had one in the UK so that the heater would work straight away on the way to work otherwise I got heat only as I was arriving! Not good.
Other points noted too BHD, thank you.

Dennis - whiterose.

 

[davesl708]

Thanks Dave1708

Made a note about the Power Service treatment. Not heard of that before. But I am very new to tractors and diesels. Rescue 911, that's a new thing on me too. Does it go in the fuel or more like the ether stuff you start gas engines with?
Do most people get their diesel from a supplier other than a regular gas station for cars and mix their own? Is it off road fuel for agriculture/farms. Just shows the little I know!

Rescue 911 is made by Power Service as well. It frees up your fuel line if gelled or frozen. All go in your fuel. Pwr Srvc. will prevent gelling and add cetaine and lub to the fuel.
My station has both on road and off road fuel. You will need to treat your own fuel.

 

[BHD]

block heater is best IMO, to get the engine up to a reasonable temp so it will fire, (I do not have glow plugs), but getting the block up to about 32F helps starting the tractor a lot, a block heater will heat the coolant and the head will get warm, also the filters are on the block and they get a little warmer than ambient temperatures,

the tank heaters work, but not as well IMO, I have one tractor with a block heater, and the other is a little older and no place for a block heater, thus the tank heater, I tried a propane fueled tank heater but unless I have a good wind break it will blow out, (wanted some thing that I would not need power for)

there is a "trick" I have yet to try, but one puts quick connect couplings on your gas truck heater hoses, and a similar to the tank heater hook up on the tractor but with out the tank heater but here the tank heater would go a second set of quick connects, and one usually can get a gas engine started easer than a diesel when cold, you warm up the truck and then hook the truck into the tractors cooling system via the quick connects, and pump the warm coolant through the tractor engine warming it up, thus being able to start this, (To my under standing the oil pumpers use this to get there pump engines started when it cold out), and I get many heavy equipment operators do the same.

I feed cattle and nearly regardless of the weather I need to get a tractor started to move bales with,

there are also oil pan heaters to warm up the oil, my JD tractor has a plug one can remove and install a factory unit, thinker or warm oil less friction, and better for the engine lubrication,
the faster one can get the tractor turning over the easer it will start,

one more thing having a trickle charger on the battery can help wonders as well . the charger will keep the battery at near full capacity,

Cold temperature increases the internal resistance and lowers the capacity. Batteries that would provide 100 percent capacity at 27°C (80°F) will typically deliver only 50 percent at –18°C (0°F). The capacity decrease is momentary and the level of decline is related to the battery chemistry.

I did this on my truck when I lived in Montana and it would get to -40F and the tickle charger would do nearly as much good as the heater as the engine would turn over much faster, and have done it on my tractor as well, here in Colorado,

after starting let it idle for a time and let the oils warm up some,

 

[Diamondpilot]

Thanks your quick reply Chris. What is Howes? Do you mix your own diesel. Where is it from if not a regular gas station? Dennis- whiterose

Howse is a additive. It adds lubricity and lowers the gel point. I get a jug that treats 300 gallons or so for about $10

I buy my fuel from a delivery company about 200 gallons at a time. They mix it.

Chris

 

[RalphVa]

All good suggestions except for the one for cutting diesel with gasoline. DON'T DO IT!

Gasoline tanks are too rich in vapors to ignite. Diesel tanks are too lean in vapors to ignite. Put even only 10% gasoline in diesel, and you'll have a potentially explosive mixture in the vapor space of your fuel tank.

In Vermont, where we had a house for a while, people often mixed #1/#2, 50/50, for the winter.

Only about 0.15% of diesel fuel additive will provide some gel protection as well. I used to work in the petroleum industry when we used dewaxing aids. Many dewaxing aids also worked as anti-gel additives. This dosage is about what worked for both.

If you get a little gel, a little heat goes a long way in melting it. It's just wax. We once started our 220D (Benz) in -22 F weather. Started fine with an antifreeze heater in the bottom heater hose line for about 1/2 hour. Down the road a mile or so, it quit. Let sit a minute or so to let heat radiate from the engine to the fuel filter. Fired right up. Drove another mile or so. Quit again. Let sit again. This time, it kept running. The heat from the engine radiating to the fuel filter kept the fuel fluid. So, if you get fuel gelling, wrap your fuel filter in a towel and blow warm air onto it, maybe from a hair dryer.

Ralph

 

[whiterose]

OK Dave 1708, thanks again.
Got that info too. Will check out the local gas stations. Just in the last few weeks a Kubota store has opened so can get the various additives from them I guess.

Dennis- whiterose.

 

[whiterose]

BHD you are obviously a serious user of tractors and know your stuff. My little problem is trivial compared with what you have to sort out.
Very grateful for all your advice---and to all the other contributors.
I'll take a look in the new Kubota store just opened. I was an electrician too so a heater of some sort will not be too great to come up with something.
Yes I swear by battery tenders too. They prolong the life of any lead acid battery by twice or more, keep them charged fully and don't cook the battery. Well worth having. I see Harbor Freight has one that may be the 'proper job' type.

 

[whiterose]

Thanks Chris for that. You gentlemen seem to be serious farmers and the like. Best people to learn from.

D- white rose

 

[whiterose]

OK RalphVa.

Thank you. OK will avoid the gasoline then.
Mine is a little put put compared with the heavy stuff you all mostly have and you have to sort big problems.
Most likely I'll be shifting snow to get the other vehicles out the property and filling a trailer with horse manure.

Neither of which is serious business.
I guess it can get pretty severe, winter, in New England so you'll have had lots of cold problems.
0.15%- yes that is not a lot. So basically its Avoid wind, use an additive and maybe a mixture of #1/#2 with possibly extra heating.
It being a baby tractor it will go in the garage.

D- white rose.

 

[check]

I only have a little Kbota BX25, and I just buy diesel in the fall, presuming that it is winter diesel.

It gets down sometimes pretty close to -40 where the tractor is, and it has never failed to start since I bought it in 2008. I did buy a block heater from Kubota, but I don't always remember to use it. Still, the tractor always starts in the winter, so touch wood!

BTW, I put the block heater on a timer when I use it, because they actually use a fair amount of electricity. And the electricity prices seem to be going up and up and up and up and up!