At what temperature do you need to plug in a tractor?

[Wyld Bill]

I have a engine heater for my tractor. I usually try to plug it in for a while before I start if if it is below 35 degrees or so.
OTher people I know don't have an engine heater at all & use thier tractor all Winter. So what's the deal? Is it needed? Is it hard on the engine to start it when it is cold or does it just make it "easier" to start when it is cold?? At what temp & below do problems occur?

 

[Craig Clayton]

I use the block heater when it is cold. A warm engine always sounds better when it starts so therefore it must be better for the engine.

Craig Clayton

 

[90cummins]

It depends on how your engine starts.
My 1720 starts very good in any temperature so I don't usually plug it in unless it is very cold (single didgets) and I have a specific time that I will need it. Then I will put it on a timer for a 1 or 2 hour warm-up.
If I don稚 have a specific schedule for it and will needing it in an hour or so and have time I will plug it in while I go about my business. Generally with small diesels 30 minutes of heat will make a huge difference!
In my case it is not needed but it makes it much easier specifically on the starter & battery.
I use synthetic 5w40 oil which lets the engine crank over much faster which is essential for a diesel to start; it also allows oil pressure to build much faster.
The best synthetic oil I have used for extreme cold weather was Mobil Delvac1 5w40.
I have used Delvac1, Amsoil, and Shell T6 in my Dodge Diesels and tractors along with others brands and highly recommends the use of Synthetic oil for winter use.
In my experience the Delvac1 was the best in extreme cold.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I use my block heater for an hour or so when it gets down around 10 or 0 F.

 

[grsthegreat]

In the winter here, its almost always in the mid to low 20's every morning, at the least. I leave my block heater hooked up to a wall mounted time clock that runs it every day during the winter for 2 hours around 4AM and for 1 hour around 5pm. This allows for a nice sounding start for the times i generally will need to use the tractor. Even if i dont use the tractor, im not out much $$$ per month. I calced it at about $ 3.35/month to protect my new tractor engine. Cheap insurance.

I personally dont bother with synthetic oil as i have to change it every 100 hours anyways. i use a 10w30 rotella oil as perscribed by my tractors manufacturer. So far i have started the tractor in +3F temps a few weeks ago, and no grinding or groaning sounds. Thats a nice sound

 

[wolc123]

Cold starts in cold climates are where a lot of wear occurs on any engine, and diesels in particular. I use a block heater for 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to any start of my JD 4120 whenever the temperature is below 50 degrees or so. I expect to get 60 + years out of that tractor just like my grandad did out of his 1950 model M Deere. That blockheater is of critical importance in making that happen because I use the tractor all winter for clearing snow and I live in an area that gets lots of that.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I have an older JD855. When the weather goes from "jacket cold, to coat cold"
I plug in the block heater.

I keep the tractor indoors, but have the heater on an outdoor timer. Set to run for a couple hours. Set for around the time of day when I usually get out to move snow.

The two important things I have learned are to use a GOOD quality timer. The cheap on sale ones will stop on you at 2am when it gets to really cold weather, and it is the most inconvenient.

The other thing is to tangle the drop cord into the steering wheel.........
Don't ask.....................

Good luck

 

[bigbull338]

on our big cab tractor if the temps are going tobe below 30 we plugg it in a few hours for we use it.on the kubota we use the glow plugs as needed.

 

[roman]

Wyobuckaroo
"The other thing is to tangle the drop cord into the steering wheel.........
Don't ask....................."

Well done and I get it, belive me!

 

[Wyld Bill]

So a few of you guys are using like a time clock set up to control when your heater runs? I have a couple of these at work I could get for free,..then again I don't really have a "set time" that I go snowblow. Then the other thing is it seems silly to run the heater all those times that you are not going to use the tractor. Really,...I probably only snowblow my driveway 10 to 12 times a Winter.