Oil & Fuel Diesel doesn't start in cold weather - not gelling

[Wolfy]

I have many diesels and do not use synthetic oil in any of them. You need a high cca battery, a good starter, and working glow plugs.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have many diesels and do not use synthetic oil in any of them. You need a high cca battery, a good starter, and working glow plugs.

ditto here...3 diesels, not a lick of synthetic. All started last week -25F without any issues.

 

[Mustache]

lose the magnetic block heater...you get a huge loss it true heat transfer with those things. Either go with a freeze plug or lower radiator model, or a glue on model. I use twin Wolverine units on mine due to a split style oil pan. https://www.wolverineheater.com/faq... it off and properly bench tested by someone.

 

[Mustache]

I have many diesels and do not use synthetic oil in any of them. You need a high cca battery, a good starter, and working glow plugs.

I do have a brand new battery, I do believe the glow plugs are working as in low plus Celsius temperature using them does make a difference and I just put in winter grade diesel and oil, so it must be something with the starter.

Does anyone have good instructions on how to determine if the starter is bad? Where do I measure the voltage on it when starting?

 

[dclynch]

I bet you will find the starter is the issue. I replaced mine this summer and I cant tell you how much difference it has made. Last year i would have to plug the tractor in overnight and it still started hard. I just started mine this week after 4 hours on the heater and I honestly believe I would not have had to use the heater it fired right up and this has been sitting since september and its been very cold in the single digits for the the last couple of weeks.

 

[Mustache]

Just for the fun of it I just checked how much a replacement starter would cost.

Massey Ferguson original part $1300 plus tax.
Generic Starter $700

So, I will spend some extra time in making sure I have good current on the starter and measuring it all out. I will also add dielectric grease onto all connections to improve current flow. Hopefully that will improve things.

At least I have a direct neighbor with a big tractor who can help me out with snow clearing in case the tractor decides to be un-cooperative...

 

[Egon]

Any chance there could be some reduced electrical contact areas due to cold in the starter?

 

[jimmysisson]

At 130 hours that starter should be fine unless it was cooked at some point. Which it could have been with multiple or prolonged attempts to start the engine. Usually it's worn starter bushings that cause a high amp draw. Remove, clean, reattach all ends if both battery cables and see what you get. Synth oil does ease the strain but the block heater is the key.
Jim

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I see you're in Ottawa and you put a new battery in it. It's not a Crappy Tire battery is it? I would suspect the battery if it is. I can't count how many times I've got bad batteries from them. I would still charge the new battery up, then have it load tested. If the problem does eventually point to the starter, they can be rebuilt too!

 

[Mustache]

At 130 hours that starter should be fine unless it was cooked at some point.

I may have described the hours wrong before. The tractor has just over 1000 hours on it, but I am at under 150 hours of the current oil change interval. So the starter is over 1000 hours old, although I think it should be fine at this age, but you never know I guess.