Recently it was a tad coolish here in Oklahoma with a record set up by the Kansas border of -31F. The lowest I saw on my weather station was -4 to -5 F at about 0700-0730 but the wind chill was about -15F. The Kubota Grand L 4610HSTC had a Harbor Freight battery minder hooked to it so the battery was charged if not warm. (Lower temps seriously reduce the cranking power of a battery.) It cranked just fine but did not fire. Tried again, same result...
Switched the key on again to recycle the glow plugs then off and immediately back on to give it a "double dose" of glow plug, advanced the throttle a little past the idle stop and hit it again. Immediately it began to fire a little so I continued to crank and advanced the throttle a little more and it cranked faster firing more and then took off running so I released the key. I held it at a fast idle for a few seconds and noted it was running quite smoothly so I reduced the throttle to the detent and it idled just fine, quite smooth.
This was the coldest temps I had ever started it in.
Now then, raising or curling the FEL was another story and ditto pressing the HST pedal to move the tractor. The noise sounded like the hydraulic pump was trying to pump frozen molasses with chunks of broken glass in it. Likewise the 3PH. I gave it another minute to warm a bit more and then raised the FEL. The FEL controls did not self cancel. If you start the FEL going up and release the joy stick the bucket kept going up till it hit the stop or you intervene to neutralize the control position.
I went on out and put a 1000 lb round bale on the FEL hay spike and another on the 3PH hay spike and delivered them to my Angus herd. Traction in the snow, even the drifts, was not a problem.
This storm and its frigid temps is past, there is less than 10% snow coverage of the pastures, with a general warming trend for a week or so and even overnight lows above freezing.
Next Wednesday is forecast for the low 70's. Ah, Oklahoma where the weather is never boring.
Oh by the way. The heating system for the cab on this 39HP tractor must have been designed by someone from Hokkaido or other northern Japanese location as with -5 F temp (-15 chill factor) the heater can literally cook you even if you are down to jeans and t-shirt. The cab is nearly a glass bubble and the heater/defroster will keep it pretty clean (rear glass has heating wires in it like cars have.)
If you are going to get seat time in arctic conditions I strongly recommend having a tractor that doesn't mind the cold and takes care of the operator heat and visibility wise.
Patrick
Then had a nice cup of tea and lemon loaf with him. Turns out it was his 76th birthday so got him a box of fire starter and matches. Great neighbors and always glad to help them. 
