L3940 HSTC

[Chilly807]

Thanks for the heads up, my tractors live in barns and sheds, so maybe I need to leave it alone, I have a good relationship with our dealer's shop foreman, so I will run it by him before doing anything.

I wasn't referring to you specifically, TripleR, just commenting in general. The trouble is, with new restrictions on emissions, it's hard to tell what changes were made internally as well, if any.
The first engine of ours that blew up, there were a lot of raised eyebrows. We were all thinking "Never saw one do THAT before.." We'd had failures, but usually piston seizures, never a rod breaking. So, after the 2nd and 3rd, we're saying, "Ok, something's changed, but what?"

Sean

 

[DK35vince]

I personally don't see a problem with that bit of smoke on startup when cold.
These machines are staring up fine. They may puff for a few seconds when cold, but they clear right up and run fine.
Where's the problem??

 

[TomSeller]

I personally don't see a problem with that bit of smoke on startup when cold.
These machines are staring up fine. They may puff for a few seconds when cold, but they clear right up and run fine.
Where's the problem??

I am with you, I don't see an issue. They seem to start up when cold reliably and run like a top after a few seconds.

 

[TripleR]

I guess some of us older guys need to get use to all the smoke, we are just use to running tractors that started with less smoke, noise, stumbling etc.

 

[TomSeller]

Inside these nice barns and sheds why not just plug in block heaters? If not already on the tractor, they are simple to install.

 

[DK35vince]

I guess some of us older guys need to get use to all the smoke, we are just use to running tractors that started with less smoke, noise, stumbling etc.

I've been working around diesel engines nearly every day for the past 30 years.
Many/most of them would smoke and sputter a **** of a lot more than that when started in the teens and single digit temperatures.

 

[TripleR]

I've been working around diesel engines nearly every day for the past 30 years.
Many/most of them would smoke and sputter a **** of a lot more than that when started in the teens and single digit temperatures.

Yep, our winters are just not all that cold here. I lived in northern Missouri for about a year and a half; man what a difference, sure took some getting use to and I head south as soon as I put my time in.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my 2003 L5030 started much smoother, less smoke under the same conditions that makes my L5740 smoke, cough and sputter.

 

[Chilly807]

Here's a video of my '09 L3400 this morning in my garage at 40* F. 5 seconds of glow plugs and turn the key. I notice a little more "whine" in the starter at colder temps, and a bit harder "fuel knock" but not much other than that. I moved it outside to clear some snow later, I'll let it sit for 3-4 hours and do another start video later at colder temperature. It ran for maybe 2 minutes this morning, so it certainly won't still be warm later today! It's -15 C here this morning, cool weather for early January by our standards. I don't like doing cold starts any more than I have to, normally I'd plug the block heater in if it was sitting outside. Not that it won't start, but it's easier on everything starting a warmed engine.

Kubota L3400 cold start @ 40* F - YouTube

I don't recall what the temps were in the other cold start videos in this thread, but there's quite a difference in how the engine acts.

Sean

 

[wmonroe]

I personally don't see a problem with that bit of smoke on startup when cold. These machines are staring up fine. They may puff for a few seconds when cold, but they clear right up and run fine. Where's the problem??

I don't have an issue with the smoke and like you said it starts reliably for me. I just like to tinker with engines and sometimes can't help myself. Posts like this that remind me that I am happy with it overall help me wait a little longer before I change something, makes my wife happier too. Lol

 

[wmonroe]

Inside these nice barns and sheds why not just plug in block heaters? If not already on the tractor, they are simple to install.

I let the dealer talk me out of a block heater when I bought it and regret it now (luckily the only part of the purchase I regret), but installing one is on my to do list. I think with a block heater it would start with little to no smoke and sputter.