Cold Weather Starting

[bp fick]

We live at the 45th parallel and -10F is common, night after night.

The Kubota fires up on the first crank. Glow the plugs 8 counts. Stop. Glow them again for 8 counts and bang. Starting is no problem.

But the hammering is awful!! They don't sound very pleasant for awhile. I agree with the low viscosity synthetic oil for winter, a 5w-40 syn? I used Kubota 10w-30 dino last winter. Probably won't use that next winter.

 

[CurlyDave]

Living off-grid can be challenging.

The safety police will be on me in a second or two, but a very effective way to warm up an engine is to start 3 charcoal briquettes in a small stainless steel pot (look at the local thrift store) and once the flames from the starting fluid have died out, push it under the engine.

15 minutes later it will start like a champ.

 

[doall]

Living off-grid can be challenging.

The safety police will be on me in a second or two, but a very effective way to warm up an engine is to start 3 charcoal briquettes in a small stainless steel pot (look at the local thrift store) and once the flames from the starting fluid have died out, push it under the engine.

15 minutes later it will start like a champ.

good idea, I have used charcoal on a piece of tin to thaw frozen water pipes, but never thought about that.(Yes sub freezing is very common in north Mississippi)

 

[Sweden-Art]

Living off-grid can be challenging.

The safety police will be on me in a second or two, but a very effective way to warm up an engine is to start 3 charcoal briquettes in a small stainless steel pot (look at the local thrift store) and once the flames from the starting fluid have died out, push it under the engine.

15 minutes later it will start like a champ.

That way was very common here in Sweden in the old days, even the army vehicles was preheated that way.

 

[E/S]

i lived off grid for 18 years, my 245DT Kubota never failed to start with -20 at night and never getting above freezing during the day. No block heater or starter fluid, I did use fuel additive to prevent gelling. Never stored in side.

E/S

 

[crusty 1]

Go with syn. oil.Easy to start and fast to lube the bearings.In nMn. we can see temps minus 40,40 degrees colder than your freezerDave

 

[rd_macgregor]

I have a Kioti DK45SC. The first winter I plugged in the heater a few times. I decided that was too much trouble, since the tractor starts right up just fine without it...of course it seldom gets much below 0 F here in PEI...
BOB

 

[American Bulldog]

It is more the fuel than the tractor. I have gelled up my Deere a couple of times. It was definitely not the tractor's fault.

If you don't need something so big, you may want to look at something that uses gas. Gasoline is a lot less temperamental in the winter.

I just bought a Ventrac 31HP water cooled gas tractor. Really nice setup. They have a nice cab and snowblower package as well. I obviously haven't tried the snowblower stuff yet, but the mower is the best I have ever had. This engine would certainly do well in the cold.