Cold Weather tricks

[MossRoad]

Paul, do you cover your tractor with anything while the heater is on? A mover's quilt will hold a lot of heat in, only you have to be careful not to catch it on fire as well. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Also, one of those silver space blankets will reflect the heat back into the area. Do you stick the magnet heater on the side or bottom of the hydraulic reservoir? I would think the bottom would transfer the most heat up into the tank. All that plate steel is a big heat sink. So that's why I'd cover the rear half of the unit with the mover's quilt while the magnet is on. Might just hold in enough heat to make the difference between go and no go. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Again, can't be too careful with the fire hazard, though. Another thing you could try is to make a doghouse out of 2" thick rigid foam house insulation. They give away cuttoff scraps at a local plant, near here. Just lean two sheets against the rear tires, one against the rear of the tractor and one over the top. Tip the seat forward and put an upside down U shaped piece over the articualtion joint. A little duct tape here and there and you should be able to seal it up enough to hold in the heat from the magnet.

Just thinking out loud at this point.... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Schultz]

Should you ever run out of the starting fluid, there are starting fluids that have upper cylinder lube in them too. Maybe some oil is better than none??

TIm

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="red"> The only instance of damage that was attributed to starting fluid was the 4-71, two stroke diesel </font>

Now I remember where I got the fondness for diesel smell - doing gen set development testing for Bell Labs on 4-71s and 6-71s back in the mid sixties. You guys are dedging up old memories here. I had a chance to do cold starting tests at 20 below in July at the GM Research Center. Now I seem to recall that the units were equipped with auto ether injection which worked fine (at least in testing). We also tried starting them without ether or heat. It was 2 minutes continuous cranking to the first puff and 5 minutes until they would run on their own (we had a bank of batteries 3 feet square).

Guys running the test cells were saying if a car didn't start at 20 below on the first revolution it wasn't tuned right. Whatever that meant.

Sedgewood

 

[pajoube]

I put the magnetic heater on the bottom side of the tank and plug in all the time after use (winter).
If the temperature is 0 or higher I do nothing except plug in the magnetic heater. If it is going below 0 then I will use the blanket and light bulb as well. When it gets to 35 below or greater I will warm up the engine every 4 hours if I need to use the tractor the next morning.
I have found that the battery is the key element in starting. I always carry a 24-volt portable starting system in each of the vehicles.
As has been mentioned, when it gets to 35 below nothing wants to start including me /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.
I love the dry weather we have and do not mind being out in the weather (on my tractor).
PJ

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<font color="red"> I always carry a 24-volt portable starting system in each of the vehicles.
</font>
Paul: please amplify with your experience using the 24 volt power pack.

We used to jump 6 volt stuff with 12, but I've never used a 24 volt jump to a 12 volt starter. There are bound to be warnings that grave damage can happen if you do it, but are you aware of any actual problems? I assume the 24 volts spins the starter on the Kohler pretty smartly. If it gets up to crank speed quickly, it might even be less current than a 12 volt battery trying to overcome thick oils. I can't think of much on a PT that would mind 24 volts.
Sounds like a good thing to have around.

 

[pajoube]

This is an old unit that is a step down system which means 12 volt usable with heavy standby power. Not even sure about the 24 volt as the label on the back is very dirty but if I remember correctly you switch it from 6volt, 12volt, 24 volt. Used on heavy equipment with two batterys.
PJ

 

[J_J]

you say that you sell amsoil synthetics, and power-trac uses 10w-40 motor oil as the hydraulic fluid. which would be better to use, the synthetic oil or the synthetic hydraulic fluid?

our machines use from 8 to 10 gal of fluid. any good deals you might be able to pass our way? thanks

j.j.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

JJ
A while back I had Terry run the Amsoil Tractor Hydraulic Fluid specs by the engineers at Power Trac. They reported that Power Tracs would love the stuff. Power Trac doesn't call for it because they think regular motor oil does well and is a lot cheaper and easier to find wherever you happen to be.
I hope someday soon to put the synthetic THF in my 1845, but haven't yet melted my plastic to do so.

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="red"> I hope someday soon to put the synthetic THF in my 1845, but haven't yet melted my plastic to do so.
</font>

Having enough melted plastic around, I put in Kubota AW ISO VG 46 hydraulic oil. It was more readily available in 25 gallon quantities than 10w40 motor oil and recommended by my multi brand tractor dealer as what a great many of his customers are using.

So far the wheels still go 'round,
Sedgewood

 

[barrell]

After running into cold weather starting problems with my 1425 I called pt they told me to run Mercon as the hydraulic fluid in the winter and switch back to motor oil in the summer. I did that for a few years then measured the space the small tractor battery takes up and went down to walmart. I found a 800 amp car battery that fit in the space. I removed the 4 engine mounting bolts and slid the engine forward to allow the battery to be slipped in place. This is less risky and quiker than removing the muffler and risking snapping off one of the studs and then also needing new gaskets.
Barrell