Oil & Fuel COLD WEATHER STARTS AND NEWER DIESEL ENGINES

[lynxpilot]

Apologies if this is redundant:
Obviously winter approaches quickly (for most of us) if not already here. My tractor, Mahindra 5500, doesn't come with a block heater or glow plugs. Manual also says NO ether starts. It's brand new and it's a direct injection (diesel). I'm wondering if the DI makes preheating obsolete. My car is a VW TDI, but until July, I was living in Yuma, AZ and it never saw cold weather. I've heard from other owners that it doesn't really need one. I read the manual on my truck, a Ford with 6.0L diesel, and it doesn't even recommend using the included block heater until it's way down around 0 F. Besides using winter blend diesel, will I be OK for those colder days? Will I need some sort of coolant heater or engine blanket? If so, where would one find such things? Thanks in advance.

Dave Howard

 

[GoodGuy]

My JD4210 has an Air Intake Pre-Heater & maybe you have something similar on your Tractor. With mine, I turn the key to the run position & push in on the key; a light comes on in the dash showing that the heater has been activated. I push the key in for 10-15 seconds & then release & turn the key to the start. I have definitely seen a difference here in Nova Scotia where 25-30 below thru the winter is common. Check your manual & other owners because maybe you have the same or similar system on your tractor. BTW, when the salesman sold me my tractor, he didn't know that existed so you sometimes need to talk with other owners. Good Luck
Eric

 

[lynxpilot]

Sure enough, found some posts that refer to the mysterious red light by the horn button and it is the indicator for the intake manifold heater. I guess it has to get real nice and cold before you have to run the heater a long time as you might with glow plugs. Maybe in about 2 months I'll have all the answers. Thanks for the comeback.

 

[GoodGuy]

Mine is totally "manual". My manual gives me a temperature vs on-time to go by. It's a good setup, like I said earlier, I definetly see the difference....
Hope it doesn't get cold enough there that you have to use it
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Eric

 

[v8dave]

Do you keep your tractor indoors? If so, a quick and easy way to get a heater is to place an electric light on the floor under the engine. Say, a 60/75 watt light bulb. An old goose neck lamp with a heavy base would work fine. A blanket over the hood will help trap the heat. Just make sure the blanket is well clear of the lamp.

 

[thcri]

Your tractor probably doesn't need one, but a block heater sure would not hurt. I would only use it when really cold and turn it on a couple of hours before you start your tractor. Even if your tractor is inside but an unheated garage I would use it on the colder days.

It's cheap and will go a long ways on extending the life of your tractor.

murph