Starting a tractor in extreme cold temperatures

[Oaktree]

Should start with about 1/2 turn of the crankshaft if glow plugs, etc. are working correctly. Even our old 220D did this at -22 F in Vermont sitting outside.

Sheesh, mine won't start that fast when it's 50 out.

One old school trick I haven't seen mentioned yet was putting a droplight with a 100W bulb under the hood, maybe a moving blanket over it if it's parked outside. Not as effective as a block heater obviously, but it helps.
It's something you'd want to do well ahead of when you need to use it.

 

[check]

Well, my 2009 Kubota BX25 with the original OEM battery has only failed to start once, and even then I plugged in the block heater for a while and it started. Stored in an unheated garage. This winter we have had a lot of cold, usually below 0°F. We’ve even had windchills down to -40!

 

[5030]

Well, my 2009 Kabota BX 25 with the original OEM battery has only failed to start once, and even then I plugged in the block heater for a while and it started. Stored in an unheated garage. This winter we have had a lot of cold, usually Below 0°F. We’ve even had windchills down to -40!

You are way past the life expectancy of your starting battery. I'd be replacing it if I were you. That ancient jar is sulfated for sure. Borrowed time.

 

[Patches]

Sheesh, mine won't start that fast when it's 50 out.

One old school trick I haven't seen mentioned yet was putting a droplight with a 100W bulb under the hood, maybe a moving blanket over it if it's parked outside. Not as effective as a block heater obviously, but it helps.
It's something you'd want to do well ahead of when you need to use it.

I know I'm dating myself, but we did that in the 50's. Put the light bulb by the battery and cover them. Most electrical systems were 6 volt and while they would crank seemingly forever, they didn't crank very fast even when warm

 

[Lockport]

Full synthetic oil, AGM battery, key on until the glow plug goes out, don't try to start but key on again. 20-40 secs in total and you need a block heater. That's a hole punched into a coolant corridor on the Daedong engine and a 1200-1500w heating element threaded into it. Talk to your nearest dealer. At -35C I'd likely plug that in and leave it until it warmed up. How much are you really saving? -20C with above configuration and you'd get away with a couple hours. Is it inside, at least, out of the wind?

I had a 2011 Bobcat CT235 (CK35) for about 8 years s above and it never failed to start in all the years I owned it.

Good luck

 

[the old grind]

1) Wind chill affects only heated objects, so a parked engine will never be colder than ambient temp.
2) Call 'em freeze plug holes but their purpose is to hold cores together when a block is cast. If 'plugs' come out when coolant freezes the block is already toast. That said IMO it's a best place to install a heater, partly because ...
3) A closed thermostat will impede convective flow from a hose heater. 'Both' could be a very good idea.
4) Many post millennium OM's specify 10w-30 for most operating situations. 15w-40 may be spec'd or work well for old, worn engines or high Summer temps but many of us don't get/keep ours up to temp when plowing in the coldest weather. (I block radiator and oil coolers in temps <20F)

My Kioti Mechron just plain runs 'cold' and starts poorly. A temp sensor may prevent glow cycles when it and coolant is warm but the block cools off during intermittent shutdowns. All too often I must keep the key in star/glow position or it won't stay running, and with temps in the +40s F. Can't be good for the starter, but often has to be done. Nature of the beast, it seems, and has been this way from day one. I bet I'm not the only owner who's dealt with this.

My plan and suggestion is to add an 'override' button to energize the glow plugs when the starter is released to get all cyls to fire at startup, vs timed cycles that usually cut out too soon. Know your wiring if doing so and be sure the button/switch is tied in properly to the relay and not the plugs themselves. I'd add a diode 'just in case' to prevent back-feed to starter, computer, or 'safety controller' circuits common to post 2k tractors.

 

[jacspath]

It is a diesel which means that it has no spark plug. The way it fires a cylinder is because at the higher pressure in a diesel cylinder it gets hot enough to fire the fuel/air mixture. So in cold weather, you just need to find a way to crank it longer between having the glo plug on. Each turn over of the cylinders actually warms up the combustion chamber. It takes a bit longer, but the cylinder chambers will eventually get quite hot and the glo plug then has a chance. Get a good battery charger with a high capacity [at least 50 amps] switch on it which you can hook up in low temp weather so you can do more cranking than you describe and it will get going.
Also, that grey smoke is likely just unfired fuel being expelled. No problem.

 

[panamaguy]

So for two weekends in a row, I was unable to start the tractor with temperature around -35C. Had to wait for the temperature to be a 'mild' -20C for it to start.

I have a 300W heater on the cooling line and installed last weekend a battery tender. The heater is turned on for about two to three hours prior to the attempts at starting it. The tender stays 24/7.

What I do is 4 cycles of 8 seconds glow plug and try to start it. At first, because of the battery tender, it turns pretty good but fails to start. Grey smoke comes out but that's it. I do a few more cycles of the glow plugs and it still fails to start. I crank for about 5 seconds each time. After about 5 or 6 attempts, battery is having difficulty turning the engine so I stop and let the temperature warm up. At -20C, after about 3 cycles of the glow plugs, the engine fires no problem.

What's the trick to start a diesel engine in such extreme temperatures?

Thanks

All good but remember the oil in the pan is as thick as honey when it is that cold. Buy a strap on oil pan heater so when it does start the oil can pump to where it should be
Remember heat rises so it will also help heat the block.

 

[JsJs]

So for two weekends in a row, I was unable to start the tractor with temperature around -35C. Had to wait for the temperature to be a 'mild' -20C for it to start.

I have a 300W heater on the cooling line and installed last weekend a battery tender. The heater is turned on for about two to three hours prior to the attempts at starting it. The tender stays 24/7.

What I do is 4 cycles of 8 seconds glow plug and try to start it. At first, because of the battery tender, it turns pretty good but fails to start. Grey smoke comes out but that's it. I do a few more cycles of the glow plugs and it still fails to start. I crank for about 5 seconds each time. After about 5 or 6 attempts, battery is having difficulty turning the engine so I stop and let the temperature warm up. At -20C, after about 3 cycles of the glow plugs, the engine fires no problem.

What's the trick to start a diesel engine in such extreme temperatures?

Thanks

1974 JD 2130. -37 this past Sat. the thermal preheater is broken (no glow plugs) batteries are kept by a solar panel .5 amp. full synthetic oil (Amsoil) I plugged in a block heater for 30 minutes, the slightest shot of starting fluid into air breather and as soon as it rolled over she fired

 

[CJONE]

The immersion heater for the Kioti is a 400 watt unit and you have to use a spacer sleeve so the element does not contact the block. Kats has the kit. I run 15-40 in mine and have no starting issues until below zero then I plug it in. Use a 5w-40 syn for temp extremes and a stick on heat pad for the oil pan. They are flexible silicone and will form to the bottom of the pan and attach with silicone adhesive. OR just stick a 500w halogen under the pan for 30 min or so if it is really cold. You normally don't need a battery heater until you see sub -30F below. I have had all of my diesel trucks start unaided at 30 below as that is not uncommon at the cabins in Ontario [when we could actually get there] with 5w-40 and good batteries. CJ
Oh, and I did replace the glow plugs at 1200 hours as I had 2 going bad on the ding dong diesel!