Cold Weather Starting

pemad · Oct 15, 2002

This evening I went out to start my BX2200 and it had a rough time starting at a temp around 55 degrees F. Of Course it was around 34 degrees F this morning.

As this will be my first winter with a diesel can I get some input on winter starting? Thanks for your input in advance.

Boondox · Oct 15, 2002

Just give the glow plugs time to warm up. If it gets really cold, like up here in Northern Brrrrmont, you might want to check out block heaters

Pete

chim · Oct 15, 2002

This will be the first Winter for my Kubota, but for the last 9 or so Winters with the Ford 1210, it was just a matter of waiting for the glow plugs to do their thing - mebbe 15 to 20 seconds when it was the coldest here. The low teens is normally the coldest it gets here, with some nights in the single digits (that's F°, not C°). The tractor is equipped with a heater and has a 3-prong plug on a cord all ready to go. I just never needed it..................chim

Boondox · Oct 16, 2002

Chim -- Clementine came with a block heater. I never used it the first winter as she started right up even at minus 30. But after learning how it could reduce wear and tear on the engine I started using it...and was amazed at how much faster the tractor was ready to go! She used to groan and make horrible noises in the days before I plugged in the heater.

Pete

frank_f15 · Oct 16, 2002

have had my b2400 for 2 winters , around here it is usually no colder than 10 deg. f. i just give it 10 or 15 sec on glow plugs and she fires right up, when it is cold i give it at leat 10 min. to warm up. i start it and go in and sip coffee till it is warmed up. although i have only had it for 2 years it is 4 years old so mabey i should think NEW BATTERY?

Anonymous Poster · Oct 17, 2002

Hey everyone
Just bought a b 2910 and was wondering if any one has put a block heater in one. If so where does it go and how hard is it to put one in?? Dont know if I will need one or not but thought I would find out just in case. thanks ducky

chim · Oct 17, 2002

Pete, good point on the wear. I saw an ad that said "Starting your engine is the worst thing you can do to it". Since getting the new tractor, I decided it would be kept inside. Our garage probably sees temps in the 40's on the coldest nights. The real plan is to build a detached garage (aka chim's barn), but it looks like it will take us too long to sort out the details to have it for this coming Winter.....................chim

Boondox · Oct 17, 2002

It's funny how having a tractor rearranges priorities! I used to keep my car safely nestled in the garage every winter. I'd wipe it dry provided the chamois wasn't frozen, and generally pamper the thing.

Now that I have a tractor, the tractor resides in the garage and gets all sorts of TLC...while the car gets buried in snow from late October till early June.

Pete

chim · Oct 17, 2002

We just don't have enough inside space for things, so we prioritize. Wifey has one bay of the garage, and I have the other. She gave the new car garage space, and moved the wagon outside. I like keeping my company pickup truck inside, especially when there's frost and snow to deal with. I just can't bring myself to let the new tractor sit in the elements, so the truck loses. One boy at home yet, and he is anxious for a barn to keep his Z28 nice. Then there's the old Beretta, another tractor, implements, etc.....................chim

crawdad · Oct 18, 2002

let those glow plugs warm up

next...do you have a block heater installed? i see your up in syracuse....you need one,
people may say you dont need one............and the tractor will start without one, but the wear on the engine is not worth the $25.00 part and the hour it will take to install.....

plug it in 2 hours before you need to start it,and she will fire right up with alot less noise and banging than if you didnt plug her in.........use a heavy duty timer(like you use for an a/c unit) to turn it on in the mornings 2 hours before you wake up....if that doesnt work into your schedule,even just plugging it in for 15 minutes is better than none at all.

ive got a diesel ford pickup,when it drops below 50 degrees she gets plugged in everynight...do i have to?...no.....do i have instant heat and a truck that doesnt rattle? yes.....i do not use a timer because im a volunteer fireman and you never know what time your getting up in the morning.

the pennies in electricity used, weighed against wear and tear in the motor, and also wasting diesel allowing for sufficient warm up time is a no brainer........

my dealer told me i didnt " need" to install one when i bought my bx.....
i told him thats fine but for my own piece of mind i "want" one....
i say cheap insurance for the long haul

just my opinion
scott