When I parked my YM2310 in the fall of 2010 I didn't plan on it being this long before I started it up again. Never the less that is what happened. It has been parked in the garage the whole time. I was planning on topping off the water in the battery and putting it on the trickle charger. Anything else I should do to avoid damaging my tractor when I start it up?
Getting the YM2310 out of storage
- Thread starter LaytonAg
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Besides check fluids I would crank it with the compression release pulled long enough to clear anything out and to make sure you have oil pressure built up on everything inside the engine should be all you need to do let us know how she runs!
You could change the oil and filter now but you need to warm it up anyway to get it all out so I would wait till shes all warmed up and do it it needs done anyway.
You could change the oil and filter now but you need to warm it up anyway to get it all out so I would wait till shes all warmed up and do it it needs done anyway.
California
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The only other thing might be to check the tire pressure.
careyo63
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May be a good idea to make sure it has fuel.
rScotty
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That's not so long for a diesel to set. Especially if it is somewhat undercover and out of sun and rain....no, not long at all.
I agree with the Car Doc and California and other vintage mechanics who will hopefully post to back us up. Check the fluids and then crank it with the compression release pulled until you see a bit of oil pressure....then just start it up. Watch the gauges, make sure the water is warming up properly. Just the normal things.
Luck, rScotty.
California
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rScotty thanks for the compliment. You know more about these than probably anybody else posting here based on your decades of experience, your engineer's analytical approach, and your extensive original document collection. Did you say once that back in the day, you considered buying a Yanmar dealership?
I agree a year and a half isn't long for a diesel to sit unused. Idle time will deteriorate a battery, but I can't think of any other component harmed by time. The delicate stuff is protected by immersion in oil or diesel.
In the case of my YM240 I think it contained nothing but pre 1994 eye-burning high sulfur diesel when I bought it in 2003. I was told the tractor was started only a couple of times in the preceding decade. Then the short-time second owner I bought it from did more harm than good trying to remedy difficult starting. When I flushed and replaced the nasty fuel that made a night to day difference, it now started instantly and ran like new. My point here is that time unused hadn't hurt the tractor. (aside from the weathered appearance). All it wanted to run nice, was fuel that was up to spec.
(my later experiment with nearly 100% biodiesel was a detour into hard starting again, but I recognize that I caused that myself).
Others might know how long diesel lasts when it isn't used. My guess would be 5~10 years before it will give you problems if the filter bowl doesn't look clouded. I don't think this 2310 will have any problems at all.
I agree a year and a half isn't long for a diesel to sit unused. Idle time will deteriorate a battery, but I can't think of any other component harmed by time. The delicate stuff is protected by immersion in oil or diesel.
In the case of my YM240 I think it contained nothing but pre 1994 eye-burning high sulfur diesel when I bought it in 2003. I was told the tractor was started only a couple of times in the preceding decade. Then the short-time second owner I bought it from did more harm than good trying to remedy difficult starting. When I flushed and replaced the nasty fuel that made a night to day difference, it now started instantly and ran like new. My point here is that time unused hadn't hurt the tractor. (aside from the weathered appearance). All it wanted to run nice, was fuel that was up to spec.
(my later experiment with nearly 100% biodiesel was a detour into hard starting again, but I recognize that I caused that myself).
Others might know how long diesel lasts when it isn't used. My guess would be 5~10 years before it will give you problems if the filter bowl doesn't look clouded. I don't think this 2310 will have any problems at all.
I cringe when someone asks me what it will cost to get his old 280z or whatever running again they parked 25 years ago. 
:laughing:
Much rather get an old diesel tractor running than a gasser of any type. :laughing:
:laughing:Much rather get an old diesel tractor running than a gasser of any type. :laughing:
LBrown59
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Thank you for all of your comments. I finally got around to starting it up. I was surprised when I checked the battery with a volt meter that it still had 12v, I cleaned the terminals and trickle charged it for a couple hours to bring it up to 13v. The tires definitely needed air. I added gear oil to the front transaxle, transmission/hydraulic was full. I added a splash of fuel for good measure. I pulled the compression release for a few seconds and fired it up, it turned right over like I had run it yesterday! I feel really lucky. I must now admit that there is actually a section in the manual that covers storing and bringing your tractor out of storage that I would highly recommend to anyone that considers storing their tractor for the winter. One point made in the instructions is that the clutch tends to fuse to the pressure plate so when storing you should block the clutch pedal down, relieve tension on the alternator belt and remove the batter. See page 44 in the manual from Murray publishing. I let it warm up and changed the oil, now I need to put in a new fuel filter.