Satoh 370D Cold Starting

[demigodofa]

I just purchased my tractor this past summer and had never owned a tractor before let alone a diesel. I just wanted to share a cold starting tip I just figured out (That everyone I'm sure already knows.) After warming the glow plugs and get the engine to where it wants to start I was leaving my key in the forward (charging ) position. That would bog the engine down as the battery was asking to be charged. Now once the tractor looks like it's going to start I roll the key straight up and down, (which doesn't bog the engine down with charging.) and leave it like that until the engine idles a while and gets warmed up, and then I turn the key forward one position to allow it to charge at that point. All in all it it doesn't start too hard in the cold, I purchased a heating pad for the battery, and a heating pad for the oil pan (both thermostatically controlled) and that makes a world of difference.

 

[techwrtr2]

I wouldn't run the key in that position personally. I recall reading that running the alternator with no load isn't healthy and you're essentially doing this with the key turn to the "off" position.

Block heater is the best for heating, there's a Volvo equivalent though I cannot remember the model or diameter. Maybe 40mm. I haven't used said heater in years though partly it is because the Beaver is my secondary tractor now and doesn't see a lot of use.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

One other thing is that if you leave the key in the "off" position, your indicator lights are inoperative. Should something happen with the oil system during initial start-up you wouldn't know it until after the key is turned on and that might be too late.

Your point is valid though and I have actually installed a dedicated switch to shut the field off to the alternator to do just what you mentioned as it does put unnecessary load on the engine during and right after startup. I only did this to one tractor since it is unusually difficult to start and needs all the help it can get due to engine issues that will be eventually fixed. If your engine is in good shape (good piston sealing/compression) this is really a non-issue and shouldn't change starting ability that significantly. A block heater will make a much greater difference than the alternator load. My problem is that sometimes I don't plug it in and don't want to wait the time it takes to heat up so I resort to these other options to "help" out.