Cold start failure

[DANOCHEESE]

Check your coolant level,, The lower heater hose unit needs coolant to allow the heat to transfer to the block. Add some number one diesel to your tank to prevent gelling up when you get it started. Power Service White Bottle, Howes also works fine. If your machine sits for awhile, get a battery maintainer not a charger. The maintainer will float the battery.

 

[mtaves]

Got the tractor started yesterday. Took the air filter off and ran a hair dryer into it. Cranked the heck out of the engine but still didn't take by the time the battery was getting low again. Put cables on the battery and was able to crank it until enough heat built up in the block to get it started. Ran the tractor straight for 6 hours after that so should be fully charged.

I did not have nearly this level of difficulty starting last winter. Something is definitely not working as well as before, even though this is a relatively new machine (built in 2009, only 400hrs operating time). How likely is it for a glow plug to fail with that little operating time?

 

[George2615]

Not sure of your brand but I had a Mahindra that went thru 2 sets of glow plugs by 400 hours. Of course they weren't covered by warranty. Some tractors I've had still had the original glow plugs after 30 years.
Easy to check with a volt / ohm meter.
Disconnect the wire that feeds the plugs. Connect a DC voltmeter (red lead) to the wire, (black lead) to ground and turn on glow plug switch. You should get a reading close to battery voltage. If that works then you need to check the plugs. Disconnect the buss bar that connects the plugs together, then check resistance of each plug between top terminal to ground. A zero reading means plug is shorted and bad, no reading means plug is open and bad, there should be some resistance reading. If you don't have a meter you can pull each one and test with a small 12V battery for a few seconds to see if it gets hot. Just don't get burned.

 

[mtaves]

Danocheese: confirmed the tractor does have a full radiator of fluid. Thanks for the specific recommendation on diesel treatment - that would have been one of my questions but have already received so much help here that didn't want to ask even more stuff.

George 2615: running a McCormick CT28 HST. There isn't too much info on the internet about common problems, but as you've laid it out I should be able to determine if glow plugs are indeed a problem here. I will try real hard not to burn myself.

 

[George2615]

Danocheese: confirmed the tractor does have a full radiator of fluid. Thanks for the specific recommendation on diesel treatment - that would have been one of my questions but have already received so much help here that didn't want to ask even more stuff.

George 2615: running a McCormick CT28 HST. There isn't too much info on the internet about common problems, but as you've laid it out I should be able to determine if glow plugs are indeed a problem here. I will try real hard not to burn myself.

Glow plug problems are similar among all tractors that use them. Tractors with glow plugs either have a some sort of timer circuit that applies voltage to them for a specified time or a manual button or key switch that keeps them heated per the operators discretion. So doing a search for glow plug problems or testing in general for any tractor would give similar results.
In my previous post I am assuming you will have power to the glow plug wire. If you do not you can check for a bad fuse. If fuse is good you may have a bad timer circuit.
I believe your CT28 was built by LS Tractor and has a Mitsubishi engine so if your dealer can't get parts you can get them through LS.

 

[cointoss]

First off I like your insignias at the bottom of your page Pilgram. Especially the last one.
You are on the right track. They all sound like marbles when really cold. Some may miss a time or two and smoke, also normal.
Just let them warm up good before putting any pressure on the motor.
Any diesel additive with anti gel properties is good. Everybody has their favorite brand. A "winter blended" fuel wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Battery warm is a good idea. Synthetic also good. A block heater is probably your best option in my opinion. It's not rocket science.
Take care brother...

That makes two of us on the insignia.

 

[oldpilgrim]

That makes two of us on the insignia.

Seems there are a few of us here......there seems to be several no matter where I go.

 

[David Devuono]

My bad, no time to read all the posts. If you have electricity for a block heater, go over to the autostore and get a battery blanket as well. For me, no electricity so I use a little buddy heater and a tarp over the tractor. 20 minutes its ready to start.