How long between starts?

jlrsn · Jan 13, 2010

I fully agree with smfcpacfp regarding doing more harm than letting it sit with a Battery Tender keeping the battery up. Every time I look at a reciprocating engine whether it be a tractor, motorcycle, aircraft, or whatever it's amazing the amount of internal corrosion damage to the upper end if the engine had not been run pulling power for at least an hour to burn the moisture out of the oil. Shorter runs, especially idling, condense the moisture out of the oil into the upper end of the engine. I always pre-oil an engine prior to starting it up if it has been sitting for 6 months. If I'm going to let an engine sit for longer than 6 months I'll pickle it.
Jim

smfcpacfp · Jan 13, 2010

Just Bill said:
Hello
You are gonna get more opinions on this than you can shake a stick at.
Probably every 3 weeks or so would be a good idea but I don't think it's necessary at all.
That should keep it ready to go when you do need it.
Bill

Looks to me like the opinions are pretty uniform, don't start the tractor unless you intend to use it (rather than every 3 weeks or so) and charge the battery periodically.

I just took a look at my Kubota manual to see what they said.

They didn't mention starting it one way or the other. They did say to grease any exposed hydraulic cylinders. Take the battery out and recharge the battery every 6 months in cold conditions. Get the tires off the ground, and cover the tractor with some kind of cover.

Gary Fowler · Jan 13, 2010

I have to kinda sorta agree with the one member who said that a good battery doesnt need a tender. I have parked my boat for well over a year now and last month decided that I would just put the charger on it to top them off (motor and trolling motor battery) Both of the batteries were still fully charged. The problem with cars is that even with no activity, the computer is still pulling some juice and most cars have a burgular alarm with the little blinking LED which pulls a few micro amps. Leave them for too long and they will drain the battery. I have a 2007 Chevy truck and the wife a 2003 SUV that were both left in the garage for 8 months without starting. My truck was about 4 months old whereas the wifes car had a 4 year old battery. HER car was completely dead when we came back from England, but mine started right up. I jumper started hers and it charged up in a few minutes but I went ahead and replaced the battery. Next trip was to Peru for 8 months and they both started right up on returning even with all the burgular alarms active. Now to put in the disclaimer, this was in Houston Texas area and no cold weather to suck the amps out and no fear of a freezing battery if it completely discharged. If I was in Artic zone, I would surely keep a tender on all unused batteries or occassionally put a charger on them to top them back up. That same boat battery would need charging a couple times in the 8 month Canadian winters to keep it topped off. -40 C temps do such a battery down for some reason.

RoyJackson · Jan 13, 2010

I'm also of the thinking if you don't need it, don't start it (although I used to do this several years ago).
But if you do decide you want to start it....don't just idle. Let it warm a few minutes, then run it around and operate the FEL, 3PH for 15-20 minutes. The main thing is to get it to operating temperature and put a bit of a load on it. Also, if this machine has a clutch, block that clutch pedal down.

JerryK · Jan 13, 2010

I am also in the 'fire it up only if you are going to bring everything up to temp' crowd. I would also add, to add some fuel conditioner and keep the fuel tank full if possible. Diesel degrades over time, and will collect moisture and nasty bio organizms if you let it. I use Power Service Diesel Fuel Conditioner [white bottle] from Wallyworld. It helps keep the fuel from gelling, adds lube for the injection pump, and adds cetane to the fuel, too. I add about 1/2 cup to each 5 gallons I add to the tank.

skidsteer.ca · Jan 13, 2010

RoyJackson said:
Also, if this machine has a clutch, block that clutch pedal down.

Why?
Seems it would be a little hard on the throwout bearing to leave it running with the pedal "blocked down"
Push it down for starting and let it up as soon as the engine runs smooth imo.
Ken

jenkinsph · Jan 13, 2010

skidsteer.ca said:
Why?
Seems it would be a little hard on the throwout bearing to leave it running with the pedal "blocked down"
Push it down for starting and let it up as soon as the engine runs smooth imo.
Ken

He has a 790 which is known to have a problem with sticking clutches. Not necessarily needed or desired for most tractors.

flusher · Jan 13, 2010

jlrsn said:
I fully agree with smfcpacfp regarding doing more harm than letting it sit with a Battery Tender keeping the battery up. Every time I look at a reciprocating engine whether it be a tractor, motorcycle, aircraft, or whatever it's amazing the amount of internal corrosion damage to the upper end if the engine had not been run pulling power for at least an hour to burn the moisture out of the oil. Shorter runs, especially idling, condense the moisture out of the oil into the upper end of the engine. I always pre-oil an engine prior to starting it up if it has been sitting for 6 months. If I'm going to let an engine sit for longer than 6 months I'll pickle it.
Jim

Tell me more about your methods for pre-oiling and pickling your engines.

jlrsn · Jan 13, 2010

flusher,
Pickling an engine was something I learned back in the 50s on aircraft as a way of preventing internal corrosion/oxidation to the internal parts of an engine. The following is what I used to do on piston powered aircraft with Radial Engines with up to 28 cylinders. Turbine Engines (Jet) would also be properly prepared for long time storage but differently. Bear in mind that the following is regarding piston powered engines but there were many other components that also had to be preserved for long term storage.

Simply put, you drain the crankcase (and oil tanks) and replace the engine oil with a corrosion inhibiting oil. We would then crank the engine to distribute the corrosion inhibiting oil throughout the oil galleys and passageways. You remove the spark plugs and then the combustion chambers, upper crankcase, and accessory sections are fogged with the same oil. Dehydrator Plugs are put in the spark plug holes. On aircraft there was a pickling procedure that had to be followed.

Full pre-oiling pumps plug into the oil galleries and pressure feed oil throughout the engine prior to the first start. These are sold but can be made quite easily.

There used to be many Mil-Spec Corrosion Inhibiting Oils for reciprocating (piston powered) engines such AeroShell Fluid 2F and Phillips Multi-Viscosity Anti-Rust Oil for aircraft but the availability has diminished quite a bit.

What I "try" to do to my personal piston powered equipment now prior to storage is I run the engine bringing the oil up to temperature, drain the oil and change the filter, and replace the oil with new oil. I then crank the engine to get fresh oil in my crank and rod bearings, then I fog the combustion chambers and accessory sections with new oil using an atomizing sprayer. It doesn't take long to do but my good intentions can be waylaid as now.

I left my home in the Rockies in October for what I had planned to be 3 weeks and now three months later all my equipment is as was when I left. Luckily I pulled all batteries and put them in my heated garage on battery tenders (not trickle chargers) and when I get back I'll have to snowshoe my way in and first get my Kubota L39 Tractor up and running and clear my driveway from the county road up to my house and a couple of hundred feet to my shop (shop heater quit!). Luckily, where I live the air is so dry that I can leave bare metal year around without it rusting. If you are in an area of high humidity I would definitely pickle the engines as I explained above.

I owned and operated turbine and reciprocating aircraft (airplanes and helicopters) my whole adult life in the States and Internationally and am now retired. My runway rotate speed (Vr) is now quite a bit slower on my tractor than it was on my Gulfstream IV.

I tried to keep the above as simple as I could.
Jim