Cold weather starting of 1300D

lowveld · Aug 4, 2008

I have a 1300D without Thermostart. It sometimes gets into low 20's F degrees where I live.

What is the likelyhood that I can start the 1300D engine without a Thermostart at that temperature by using compression release until oil pressure light goes out, then opening throttle and attempting to start the engine?

Best Regards;
Lowveld

jdmar · Aug 5, 2008

Do you have electric at the tractor? You could use a block warmer, radiator cap warmer or even just a battery warmer may help too. I live in NE ohio and never had a problem even without thermostart on a 1500 I have. If the battery was warm there was enough crank to get the needed compression.

Peter

Cord · Aug 5, 2008

It won't start when it's that cold. Even with the thermostart system it's rather marginal. These are definetly warm weather engines! If you have a battery charger handy you could see if the engine will spin fast enough to make a fire but I doubt it. The best solution I can see is to find a in-line engine heater. The getcha is that the heater will want to be mounted in the lower hose, and I don't know if you have a straight length that will work. Option C would be to give her a little squeeze of either. Don't go nuts, but the engine will take a little shot while it's spinning. I don't know if you'll have to pull the air cleaner or not.

Kernopelli · Aug 5, 2008

I suggest a block heater and good battery charge. I know a lot of people have used ether/starting fluid on these small engines ( I'm one of them) but I recommend you not do it. I think the risk outweighs the benefit, I have heard too many stories about small diesels that are being rebuilt from the effects of too much starting fluid.
If you do ever feel like there's no other way, maybe giving it a small shot while already spinning, like Cord suggests, helps....but I'd go to great lengths not to try it.

lowveld · Aug 5, 2008

Gentlemen;

Thank you for your observations. I will see what happens when winter arrives and determine if I will have to add a block heater.

Best Regards;
Lowveld

roxynoodle · Aug 6, 2008

I have thermostart and I've been able to start my tractor in -5 degrees F. I haven't had a need to start it in anything below that but 2 years ago we had a big snowstorm on Feb. 13 and the next morning that is what the temp was when I started clearing the 4-6 foot drifts out of my driveway. It was so bad that all of us who had tractors just cleared ourselves out and went neighbor to neighbor to help those who didn't have one (just got together and said ok, i'll do so-and-so, you get that one, etc. It took all day to get us all cleared out.) So these things can be started in very cold weather. If you don't have thermostart a block heater should do the trick. You should probably plug it in at least 3 hours before you need the tractor and tarp it or something to keep the heat around the tractor.