Do you regularly start your diesel tractor as maintenance?

[ultrarunner]

I found my D3 Dozer was not happy sitting for months at a time...

One of my friends is a retired paving contractor and said every piece of equipment was started and moved around the yard no less than every other week... and especially important with steel track equipment.

 

[DK35vince]

One of my friends is a retired paving contractor and said every piece of equipment was started and moved around the yard no less than every other week... and especially important with steel track equipment.

Why?.
What do they think they are gaining by that ??
I work for a paving company and our equipment sits through the winter unstarted.

 

[ultrarunner]

Why?.
What do they think they are gaining by that ??
I work for a paving company and our equipment sits through the winter unstarted.

He said several things...

One is steel tracks can seize over time

Two... the older equipment with clutch disks can bond to the mating surface

Three... always wanted all of his equipment work ready...

When he started out he worked for a competitor that is long since out of business... he said they were always have reliability issues... equipment put away with empty tanks... some sitting all winter with no care for the batteries... etc...


I know this is a discussion of diesels...

My first job with payroll withholding was working at a Dealership... every Saturday it was my job to wash and start all the cars on the lot... made sure we had the keys... just about eliminated battery issues, etc.

My job of the last 23 years requires regular exercise of Hospital Gen-Sets... they are all Onan Cummins units with block heater 24/7... some date from 1995 and so far so good... from start to load always under 10 seconds by mandate.

 

[GManBart]

Why?.
What do they think they are gaining by that ??
I work for a paving company and our equipment sits through the winter unstarted.

Yep...Just look at the folks mining in Alaska and the Yukon....their equipment sits for months, and left with no battery tenders, block heaters, etc....if they were running into problems every Spring you have to think they would do something about it.

 

[Popster]

FWIW, my l2850 manual says "When starting the engine after long storage, first pull the engine stop knob and then activate the starter for aboiut ten seconds to allow oil to reach every engine part."

 

[D7E]

Why?.
What do they think they are gaining by that ??
I work for a paving company and our equipment sits through the winter unstarted.

As I said our 35 machines always sit for 6 months in down to -40c climate as is normal in this area 'Some of our dozers and excavators sit for years ...just take batteries off and cover exhausts with a coffee can....10-20'000 hrs doesn't lie . If it is not going to earn any money that day it does not get started . block heaters are run over night for next day start ! In winter I work for much larger outfits and same rule ..only started if necessary ! My semi truck stays plugged in all winter in un heated shop for spur of the moment deliveries.
Swathers are a good example 1997 machine worth around $20'000 but runs for 3-5 days a year ..the rest spent sitting under a tree with no battery !

 

[TomSeller]

FWIW, my l2850 manual says "When starting the engine after long storage, first pull the engine stop knob and then activate the starter for aboiut ten seconds to allow oil to reach every engine part."

Very good idea.

 

[ultrarunner]

As I said our 35 machines always sit for 6 months in down to -40c climate as is normal in this area 'Some of our dozers and excavators sit for years ...just take batteries off and cover exhausts with a coffee can....10-20'000 hrs doesn't lie . If it is not going to earn any money that day it does not get started . block heaters are run over night for next day start ! In winter I work for much larger outfits and same rule ..only started if necessary ! My semi truck stays plugged in all winter in un heated shop for spur of the moment deliveries.
Swathers are a good example 1997 machine worth around $20'000 but runs for 3-5 days a year ..the rest spent sitting under a tree with no battery !

Uncle of a friend worked on the pipeline project... he would come back with stories of equipment that was left running for weeks at a time when it got real cold... loaders, dozers, excavators, etc...

Maybe he was spinning a yarn... ?

 

[D7E]

Uncle of a friend worked on the pipeline project... he would come back with stories of equipment that was left running for weeks at a time when it got real cold... loaders, dozers, excavators, etc...

Maybe he was spinning a yarn... ?

Absoluteley not , if your not paying the bill or in extreme conditions but 5 hours with a propane circulating heater plumbed to the block will start will start my 1968 Cat D7e in -30c

Do you have block heaters over there ..? Back in the UK it was a major event to get machines started if we had -5c overnight .

 

[gdtractor]

I don't know where to put this question .... so here goes .. perhaps someone can direct me .. thanks

I have a Yanmar YM2000 Diesel - LOVE IT!! but I can't figure out if it has a glow plug or not - it has the "glow plug" position on the switch! It runs AWESOME!!
Also, how would I find out how old it is - the number on the side says ym2000-04811

Here is a video of the tractor: http://youtu.be/2D5gmgyKoYI?list=UU7TY6oc3N-TD34WpzI3MzYg
My main concern is - WHAT YEAR IS IT? and DOES IT HAVE A GLOW PLUG?
If you can help .. I would appreciate it !

Thanks - Gary