Polar Vortex Preparations
- Thread starter TheMan419
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MossRoad
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2001
- Messages
- 58,052
- Location
- South Bend, Indiana (near)
- Tractor
- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
In my 20's I was 6' tall and 135#. I had a pair of these that I wore well into my 30's before I could no longer fit into them. So they hung in the basement for many years. Our oldest kid moved to Pittsburgh several years ago and travels back and forth between here and there several times a winter for visits, so I gave them to her to keep in her trunk in case she breaks down on the highway.
Not about warm clothes but vehicles in the extreme cold. My son is on a road trip in Utah ski country with his nearly new Toyota Tacoma pickup, manual transmission. It was parked outside last night with a low of -6. This morning at just above zero he started it up and found the clutch very stiff, but pressing it down and releasing it. Said it cleared in about five minutes.
Is it possible for hydraulic clutch to get noticeably stiff at that temperature? Or is there a problem? I've never started a vehicle that's been outside that cold.
Is it possible for hydraulic clutch to get noticeably stiff at that temperature? Or is there a problem? I've never started a vehicle that's been outside that cold.
The fluid will, just as it does in your tractor. I've even seen power steering get stiff in cold temps, until things warm up.
Then there was the time that my ignition switch froze up, and I had to ride the snowsled home, up the road and highway at about 1:00 AM.
Then there was the time that my ignition switch froze up, and I had to ride the snowsled home, up the road and highway at about 1:00 AM.
edgarrian
Platinum Member
OH yea it will get stiff. I remember in college a it was really cold. I was outside cleaning the snow off my car and this dude got in his car and started it. Not even 15 seconds later he starts revving the motor as I assume he was trying to warm up the car faster. Not a moment later he had antifreeze pouring out of his b/c a hose blew. He asked me what to do. I said call a tow truck and take it to a shop and get it fixed.
atsah
Elite Member
Most Diesel trucks have a heater at the fuel filters or in the line and some have air intake heaters. There really is no need for additives but most tractors have neither. The fuel does eventually warm some because the return line is putting fuel that has been through the pump back in the tank but depending on the size of the fuel tank and distance to the fuel tank would determine how warm it would get.
BarnieTrk
Silver Member
I believe hydraulic clutch systems CAN malfunction in below 0*F weather. Reason being, it also contains DOT 3 brake fluid which adsorbs moisture from the surrounding environment, just like our car brake system. I own a 2006 Ford Ranger that lives outside. Although I have never had hydraulic clutch issues in the past, I'm confident no one has ever bled the clutch system. It stands to reason (in my mind) it can become contaminated with moisture and cause issues when it that cold for days on end.
My '06 Ranger is currently on jackstands with a similar ailment from last week's cold spell. I put it jackstands to prepare it for bleeding today. However, I need to warm the system above freezing to thaw/warm any moisture in the system to ensure it will bled out and not remain as ice. This means I need to place a heater or some sort under the bellhousing to warm it. In order to ensure warming, I plan is to surround the vehicle with cardboard sheeting and place weights on the cardboard so as to prevent it from falling down or blowing away from any breeze. This 'skiriting' is intended to block the cool Feb air from blowing under the vehicle and preventing the heater from warming the underside. Once it's warmed adequately (2hrs?) - I'll check it every 30 minutes - then I can begin bleeding the system.....with the hopes to rid the system of any moisture and reduce the potential of malfunction if/when we get another cold spell like last week again. I am planning to add 'clutch bleeding' to my 'Winter Prep Tasks' I do every October for all my equipment.
BarnieTrk
LouNY
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2015
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- Greenwich, NY
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- Branson 8050, IH 574, Oliver 1550 Diesel Utility (traded in on Branson) NH 8160. Kioti CK2620SECH
I find many of these comments almost humorous, I have worked outside most of my life as a kid on the farm you where outside every day, it did not matter what the temperature. The colder it was the longer it took to get the outside work done.
People that expect some one else is going to treat the fuel they are using just because they buy it at a busy station.
You had better take care of it, or when not if when it gells and shuts you down it is your fault and your job to clear the problem.
As far as trucks having fuel heaters, yes some do but they do not prevent fuel gelling, the intake heaters are for starting
they do not function once your engine is up and running.
With the multitude of additives for fuel and the synthetic fluids available for equipment today,
there is no reason not to prep your equipment for the cold if you are going to use it.
Do we prep all of our equipment to run when it's -30, no but what has to start and be used every day is.
Do we use preheaters, yes when possible, not for starting so much as to allow the equipment to be used
without sitting and running for several minutes before it can be used.
Years ago we always kept a gas engined tractor ready to go as it could tow the diesels to get them started if and when needed.
My 2 cents and I don't like having to work on equipment in a snow bank after it has quit from the cold, been
there done that, don't need a repeat.
People that expect some one else is going to treat the fuel they are using just because they buy it at a busy station.
You had better take care of it, or when not if when it gells and shuts you down it is your fault and your job to clear the problem.
As far as trucks having fuel heaters, yes some do but they do not prevent fuel gelling, the intake heaters are for starting
they do not function once your engine is up and running.
With the multitude of additives for fuel and the synthetic fluids available for equipment today,
there is no reason not to prep your equipment for the cold if you are going to use it.
Do we prep all of our equipment to run when it's -30, no but what has to start and be used every day is.
Do we use preheaters, yes when possible, not for starting so much as to allow the equipment to be used
without sitting and running for several minutes before it can be used.
Years ago we always kept a gas engined tractor ready to go as it could tow the diesels to get them started if and when needed.
My 2 cents and I don't like having to work on equipment in a snow bank after it has quit from the cold, been
there done that, don't need a repeat.
BarnieTrk
Silver Member
LouNY,
Your comments remind me of an JD 730 (wide frontend) a friend still operates that has a small gasoline-powered 'pony motor' built into it. The pony motor is started and ran for a couple 5-10 minutes to warm the coolant in the ol' diesel two-lunger block before firing off the ol' girl...then the pony motor is shut down.
BarnieTrk
