Do you regularly start your diesel tractor as maintenance?

[TomSeller]

Tom, 1200lb rolls last my 7 horses a little over a week in mild weather. If its cold say less than 30 degrees it will go up. They also graze on about 20 acres.

Nice. I sure would appreciate not feeding every day.

 

[D7E]

All farm tractors here sit for six months over winter without starting .

 

[radrock]

Heck, If that has worked for you for 11 years I can't see the problem. The biggest factor would be the battery would go dead unless you use a trickle charger on it. I don't think a diesel is near as critical as a gas motor. Diesel is a little oily to begin with and therefore would keep the cylinder a little lubricated. I'm not sure if you could do it with a diesel motor but lots of people that winterize a boat uses fogging oil to lube the cylinders. A diesel motor may just think this is fuel and run faster. Anyone have any comments on that? Keep it dry and covered I think you could let it set for a couple of months at a time. IF you do start it make sure you run it for 20-30 minutes and don't just see if it starts and then turn it back off.

 

[TomSeller]

You ever wear out a diesel engine from start ups? I think that's a theoretic risk, sounds good, must be true, in reality it's not an issue. My experience would say putting engine under load before warm and high RPM before warm up might be way more harmful, and improperly breaking in engine might shorten life significantly. HS

Engines experience very significant amount of wear at startup. Much of it has to do with metal to metal contact while the engine is at rest. Once moving and under proper lube, the metal parts are separated by a film of oil when running. In addition, among other things is that the parts are designed to be at the correct size after expansion to operating temperature.

 

[DT86]

Nice. I sure would appreciate not feeding every day.

I've been thinking about not having to run my tractor every day. I have enough pastures that I could set enough hay out for a week (or more), a day worth in each pasture and just move the cattle every day. I worry about not getting my tractor up to temp only using it about 45 minutes each day to feed.

 

[TomSeller]

I've been thinking about not having to run my tractor every day. I have enough pastures that I could set enough hay out for a week (or more), a day worth in each pasture and just move the cattle every day. I worry about not getting my tractor up to temp only using it about 45 minutes each day to feed.

Setting more hay out at once would sure help that. Unless you have rain or snow to ruin the hay.

 

[houstonscott]

Engines experience very significant amount of wear at startup. Much of it has to do with metal to metal contact while the engine is at rest. Once moving and under proper lube, the metal parts are separated by a film of oil when running. In addition, among other things is that the parts are designed to be at the correct size after expansion to operating temperature.

Sounds logical but in reality your engine doesn't wear out from starts. The more you run it the more reliable it'll be, sitting is the issue, start it run it.... HS

 

[GManBart]

I guess you're replying to my last post. I read every post and not everyone agreed. Taking everything into consideration about my particular circumstances, I've decided what is best for my situation.

Thanks for all the input!

I didn't say everyone agreed, just most folks.

Your theory is flawed because you simply can't get a diesel up to temperature in 10-15min of idling. If you don't get it to temp, and hold it there for a while it causes condensation, and creates acids, neither of which are good, but hey, it's your engine. Those are well-established facts, not opinions. Heck, the manual to the backhoe I bought just got here yesterday, and they have a specific warning about idling without a load, and how it does a number of negative thinks (there are more than I mentioned)....after decades of building machines, I think Case knows what they're talking about.

The point was, you had already decided, so why ask the question? Any time people post these sort of questions they always keep doing what they're doing, and waste a bunch of time for people who wind up posting in the thread.

 

[GManBart]

Ask your local fire dept. if they start their diesels and run them everyday, ask your local Coast Guard Station if they start their boats and warm and check them everyday, if you want it to run when you need it you'll do start ups and checks. No engine ever wore out from start ups. It's about keeping it reliable when you need it, not crossing your fingers. My guess the guy who is concerned and starts his equipment and does checks will have his equipment much longer then the guy who looks for the key once a year. HS

Fire engines and Coastie boats (not ships) don't go weeks, or months, without actually being used under normal load....different situation entirely.

 

[houstonscott]

A lot has changed in Diesel engines over the last 10 years. High pressure injection and new fuels. So have metals, and valve arrangements and piston shapes. Oils are vastly different for diesels. Even the fuel has changed. So have coolants. EPA has added systems too. It's not your Dads diesel anymore, and much of what you all thought to be good practice simply is not anymore. Check the schedule for a standby generator, start them warm them up they'll be reliable, sitting is bad. HS