Starting in cold weather GC17XX

[Imold]

I need to go move the 1705 today so I will do a 30 second cycle on the glow plugs and see how it starts, supposed to be around 43-45* today.

 

[metalbender]

CBC You don't mention your location. Cold is quite relative to that. Here it gets to -30 at times. A block heater and battery blanket makes for a happy engine.

 

[CBCGC1715]

Thanks, yes I live in Wisconsin....not to uncommon to see -30f

CBC You don't mention your location. Cold is quite relative to that. Here it gets to -30 at times. A block heater and battery blanket makes for a happy engine.

 

[ray66v]

I have no trouble starting my GC, in very low temps, without a block heater. You just have to master it. And, it's not that hard.

Rule no.1 is, if it doesn't start after a few seconds of cranking, STOP cranking. It's a diesel engine, it's not like your car. The only thing that will happen if you keep going is, the battery will die.

As stated, you need to give the glow plugs a good long warm up.

If it doesn't start after a short cranking, go back to the glow plugs, and run them for a longer interval.

You will also have to open the throttle sometimes when the air is very cold. Do NOT open it all the way as some manuals recommend. Somewhere around 1/4 throttle is usually enough.

If it does start, and it runs rough or smokes a lot, there is incomplete combustion, you probably did not run the glow plugs long enough. Try a longer interval next time at that temperature. If it still happens, you may have a bad glow plug(s).

If you do it correctly, it should fire off quickly, and run without smoking a lot. :thumbsup:

I made a video last year. At 7 degrees F, I gave it 40 seconds of glow plugs, and 1/4 throttle. It fired up just like it was a summer day.

 

[atsah]

The thing the MF dealers NEVER tell a GC buyer is how long the glow plugs need to be turned on.. They know these tractors take longer glow plug time than most others, any other that I have I owned.. It would be nice if they were more truthful with that information instead of someone killing their battery and starter trying to figure it out..

My dealer told me, should start right up with 12 seconds on the plugs at 0F... Ya right buddy, more like a minute and sometimes another 30 second cycle..

 

[irvingj]

Oh yeah, Ray.... we'll see how it does this winter, but still on the original battery.... :shhh:

 

[ray66v]

Oh yeah, Ray.... we'll see how it does this winter, but still on the original battery.... :shhh:

Mine still has all the original hoses!!

 

[Imold]

Held the glow plug relay open for 35 seconds and it started a lot better.

 

[atsah]

Held the glow plug relay open for 35 seconds and it started a lot better.

Yup, the colder it gets, the longer you will need to hold them on.. Also, don't worry about wearing the plugs out from long cycles, I pulled mine after 4 years and they looked like new..

 

[JWR]

I will give it a try at 20 and work up to 30 seconds or so. I just went off of the owners manual Thanks. I let the glow plugs go about 5 more seconds after the light shuts off in my pickups.

Cenex is known for their quality of diesel during winter months and in cold weather climates and on the reg pump lane or where cars and pickups pump their fuel, the diesel is pre mixed for the temps and coming temps, in the last eight years or so we have never had a gel up with either of our pickup diesels on the reg pumps, I do not even go to the tractor/truck pumps except for kerosene, I think my son will do a mix of 1 and 2 once in a while because he does not trust the pump I go to, kids hahaha.

Most of the advice floated here is good. You should be fine starting at very low temps if you let the glow plugs run longer, keep a good healthy battery and secondarily, use a typical diesel additive. I am definitely on Imold's son's team -- if it will be below 10 degrees while starting OR using it, run a mix of #1 and #2 fuel. Up to 50%. That is what heavy equip operators in northern tier states do routinely and have for many decades. I do not trust any fuel supplier to provide a "winterized mix" when you can be totally hung if they failed. Also you have no clue what exactly they are doing for winterizing the mix.