How often should I start it?

   / How often should I start it? #11  
My tractor is used for backup snow removal; haven’t had to use it for snow in about six years, so it just sits all winter. Starts right up in the Spring; don’t even use a tender.

A tip though - before you start it, check your air filter. Mice/critters love to chew them up or make nests in there.
 
   / How often should I start it?
  • Thread Starter
#12  
Thought I would post a follow up to my original question. It's now been 6 or 7 months since I parked my new MAX 26 XLT for the winter. I took everyone's advise (battery tender, hood up, seat up, exhaust & air intake plugged with steel wool). I went out to start it for the 1st time after undoing everything listed here. Once the glow plug light went off I reluctantly turned the key with the throttle set as low as it would go. She fired right up as if I just turned it off an hour earlier. I slowly brought up the throttle to 1,500 for about 10 minutes then took her out for some exercise. The FEL and 3 pt hitch all worked fine. Glad winter's over!
 
   / How often should I start it? #13  
My smaller max with the HST has an arm on the clutch that locks the clutch in the engaged position to prevent the clutch from seizing/rusting on the shaft. Believe theres a description in the manual in the storage section. It s worth looking at because they make a point out of saying a frozen clutch won’t be covered under warranty and I know it’s happened to a couple of members
 
   / How often should I start it?
  • Thread Starter
#14  
You are correct, thanks for bringing that up. Yes I forgot to mention that I did that as well when I put it into storage. I generally do it every time I'm finished using the tractor because I don't really use it that often.
 
   / How often should I start it? #15  
I'll be the lone voice of dissent in the crowd. I start all my engine powered equipment regularly year 'round. As far as letting the engine run until it reaches operating temperature to boil off moisture in the crankcase, you'd need to work it hard for a long period of time and even then you still would never get all the moisture out of the oil. I can tow a travel trailer from Kalamazoo to the Big Mac and find condensation under my oil fill cap.

In my personal experience and the observations of others, the worst thing you can do to a piece of equipment is let it sit unused for any period of time. Start the tractor, drive it around the yard a few laps, whatever and everything will last longer. Anything with oil in it gets splashed around, the film of rust on the belt pulleys gets polished off, tires get flexed, brakes get smoothed off, many, many benefits that far outweigh the alleged pitfalls. Ever hear anyone pi$$ing and moaning about their 4 wheel drive not working right on their truck? It's because they don't exercise it regularly. I purposefully drive a few laps around my yard switching from 4 high to 4 low several times to keep things working smoothly.

The old Farmall C is stored in a dry, enclosed pole building 60 miles from my home so I can't get to it in the winter months. In the spring I have had the clutch friction disc seized to the flywheel on a couple of occasions due to lack of exercise. I can get it to break loose by starting the tractor in gear and by the time I get it out of the barn it's working fine again...try that with your fancy safety switches that protect you from yourself.

At work we have a monthly PM activity to visit every electric motor in Central Stores and spin the shafts a few revolutions by hand.

The next time you visit the car dealer, ask about the term referred to as "Lot Rot."
 
   / How often should I start it? #16  
And here I am - April 2. Such little snow this winter - I have not started the M6040 since last September. I did start it two days ago. Looking for the darn front axle vent. Finally, I found the vent and let the tractor run for half an hour.

It fired up just fine.
 
   / How often should I start it? #17  
Happily the Mahindra has a little clip on the clutch pedal (HST drive) that keeps it open. My earlier tractor a couple of time rusted up after a month or so, and I had a devil of a time freeing up the clutch until I started putting a block of wood to keep it depressed when not in use. I live on the edge of salt-water bay, so that problem might be unique to me.
 
   / How often should I start it? #18  
Clutch was stuck on our 240D after being stored for 4 years. Likely the rubber seal on the piston wasn't contacting the cylinder wall, similar to the way a brake master cylinder usually goes. You have to hit it really fast to get the cup seal to pop out against the cylinder walls.

If just over the winter, put a battery tender on it and start it next spring. That's what I did on our 220D Benz with its battery stored on 2 battery trickle chargers in series (so that the battery only "saw" one about 1 hour or less each day). Came back after 9 months, put the battery in, and the car started instantly. Clutch worked fine. Everything did.

Ralph
 
   / How often should I start it? #19  
mcfarmall said:
I'll be the lone voice of dissent in the crowd. I start all my engine powered equipment regularly year 'round. As far as letting the engine run until it reaches operating temperature to boil off moisture in the crankcase, you'd need to work it hard for a long period of time and even then you still would never get all the moisture out of the oil. I can tow a travel trailer from Kalamazoo to the Big Mac and find condensation under my oil fill cap.

In my personal experience and the observations of others, the worst thing you can do to a piece of equipment is let it sit unused for any period of time. Start the tractor, drive it around the yard a few laps, whatever and everything will last longer. Anything with oil in it gets splashed around, the film of rust on the belt pulleys gets polished off, tires get flexed, brakes get smoothed off, many, many benefits that far outweigh the alleged pitfalls. Ever hear anyone pi$$ing and moaning about their 4 wheel drive not working right on their truck? It's because they don't exercise it regularly. I purposefully drive a few laps around my yard switching from 4 high to 4 low several times to keep things working smoothly.

The old Farmall C is stored in a dry, enclosed pole building 60 miles from my home so I can't get to it in the winter months. In the spring I have had the clutch friction disc seized to the flywheel on a couple of occasions due to lack of exercise. I can get it to break loose by starting the tractor in gear and by the time I get it out of the barn it's working fine again...try that with your fancy safety switches that protect you from yourself.

At work we have a monthly PM activity to visit every electric motor in Central Stores and spin the shafts a few revolutions by hand.

The next time you visit the car dealer, ask about the term referred to as "Lot Rot."
Click to expand...

Totally agree with this post. I’ve rebuilt enough engines to know a light coating of rust can do harm to rings and oil control rings. Engines typically don’t do well when left sitting for long periods of time.

-Chris
 
   / How often should I start it? #20  
I bought an entire exhaust for my bmw years ago. the car doesn't get 5000 a year, if that. i've had it i think 27 years.

i used to start it, let it warm up and turn it off. After a couple years and maybe 2000 miles or less, big hole in the muffler. i called the co, they answered their phone. I told them my story and the guy explained......

that's the worst thing to do to an exhaust, water builds up in the bottom of the muffler and if you don't drive it, the water just sits there.

lesson learned, now i start it and at least drive it up and down hills etc.
 
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