Highbeam
Super Member
I start it at a dead low idle, a single puff of black, then once the oil pressure light goes off in about a second I bump the RPM up to about 1300. No smoke at all. The engine idles smooth and then almost seems to unload after about 10 seconds as though the hydraulics have pressurized. Then I back out of the shed and let it warm up as needed for the job. If I'm just going to use the loader as a wheelbarrow to haul some firewood then I'll immediately drive over and load it. No real work to be done. If I am going to be running up to PTO speed and mowing a pasture then I'll let it get fully warm first.
I don't think that the engine needs to warm up before being loaded but I do think that the fluids need to be moved around and that some warm up time is better than no warm up time. Now another question would be how many of us allow the engine to cool down before shut down?
At all temperatures I allow the glow plugs to complete the full 8 second cycle before starting. No reason to skimp on using these and they can only halp with combustion.
My old bulldozer didn't even have glow plugs and started right up in freezing weather. I always start the big engines at low idle. Single cylinder engines and 2-strokes are different though.
I don't think that the engine needs to warm up before being loaded but I do think that the fluids need to be moved around and that some warm up time is better than no warm up time. Now another question would be how many of us allow the engine to cool down before shut down?
At all temperatures I allow the glow plugs to complete the full 8 second cycle before starting. No reason to skimp on using these and they can only halp with combustion.
My old bulldozer didn't even have glow plugs and started right up in freezing weather. I always start the big engines at low idle. Single cylinder engines and 2-strokes are different though.