Oil & Fuel Storing Tractor Over Winter

[big bubba]

great idea murph, will utilize them along w/my current methods...sure can help avoid wiring harness nightmares, easy to forget the precautions.

 

[MHarryE]

Hadn't used my mini-excavator gorgeous 2 weeks because harvest season in full swing. When I needed to use it no fire. The only light that came on when I turned the key was glow plugs. Opened armrest where switch is located - 2 wires chewed through and 4 damaged. Checked fuse and relay position under the seat - needed a total of 13 splices to repair. Cat places the Operator's Manual under the seat secured with a lanyard. They had shredded the entire manual to use gorgeous a nest. I have always wondered why they like wiring do much - the taste of copper? The problem is squirrels. While helping me splice my wife spotted a squirrel run under the mini into nearby trees. I got my 12 gauge single shot and kept it by the mini while we continued to work. A little later shed potted a squirrel, probably the same one, in a tree. Got him. 12 gauge is now sitting by the door with a box of shells in my desk. Got another one yesterday. When we finished fixing the mini we packed it with mothballs. Certainly a different odor working with it today. Good to hear about the drier sheets. Our larger tractors that get stored for winter will get them.

 

[newbury]

12 gauge is now sitting by the door with a box of shells in my desk. Got another one yesterday. When we finished fixing the mini we packed it with mothballs. Certainly a different odor working with it today. Good to hear about the drier sheets. Our larger tractors that get stored for winter will get them.

12 gauge for squirrels? Anything left?

To the OP - JUST IN CASE you have to fire'er up during the winter keep some "emergency supplies".

Try to ensure you empty the fuel tank JUST before storage and then FILL it with winterized diesel. There's nothing like trying to start a diesel at 40 below when your fuel was meant for 50 above (10 Celsius). I KNOW. In Vermont I tried to keep a 5 gallon Kerosene can handy.

Get a jug of diesel 911

Might get a magnetic block heater. I've used one in an "emergency" with blankets on the oil pan. But I've also used an electric frying pan. It takes hours but it meant the difference between start or stay.

And record ALL serial numbers w/ pictures just in case of theft.

Supposed to be a COLD winter. I imagine it will even freeze (that's when water turns to ice) in Mississippi.

If you do change fluids use a light synthetic.

/edit - and put your tractor in where it says tractor under your Avatar!

 

[jimmysisson]

All good ideas. If you're feeling particularly proud, a coat of wax on painted surfaces won't hurt any. Nice looking machine.
Jim

 

[jimmysisson]

All good ideas. If you're feeling particularly proud, a coat of wax on painted surfaces won't hurt any. Nice looking machine.
Jim

 

[mo1]

Hi Group,

New owner of a slightly used tractor here and Im looking for advice on what steps I should take for preparing my tractor for Winter Storage. This is my first tractor so I have some learning to do.

The Tractor is a 2008 JD 3520 with 400 hours. I live in Minnesota although the tractor was purchased in southern Indiana and shipped to me. The tractor will be stored on my hobby farm where I do have access to it but I dont have a need or plan to run the tractor in the winter unless it is a good practice.

Unfortunately here in Minnesota we are headed into fall and winter will be close behind so I need to prepare the tractor for storage over winter.

What steps should I take to get my tractor ready for storage? I have checked the antifreeze and thats good but what other steps should I take to store my tractor? The fuel tank is a quarter full so Im planning on filling the tank but would you recommend an additive? Do I need to do anything with Hydraulics?

My thoughts are that I would change the oil and transmission fluids next spring but I am open to recommendations.

Thanks for the help.

FB

Your manual will have the correct instructions in it for long-term storage. However, you might want to consider hauling your tractor to your house and using it to remove snow. It snows quite a bit up in Minnesota and I really wished I had my current Massey 1030L with a bucket when I did a few year stint a dozen miles over on the South Dakota side of the border. A little MFWD tractor with a bucket sure beats the pants off a snowthrower, especially if it's a good-sized dump of heavy wet snow or if the city doesn't plow your street and the guys with the rusted-out 5-10 year old 3/4 ton "winter beater" diesel pickups with snowplows down your street forgot to plug in their block heaters and battery heaters and they don't start.

12 gauge for squirrels? Anything left?

An ounce of #6s or #7 1/2s from a 12 gauge is a very common squirrel load and works very well for that purpose. The small shot doesn't penetrate very far and doesn't damage much meat. Just don't shoot the squirrel from two feet away or use a grossly inappropriate load like buckshot or a slug and it will be fine. 12 and 20 gauge shotguns are amazingly versatile for hunting anything coyote-sized and smaller and I'd pick up one over any rifle for that task unless whatever it is I need to shoot is more than 50-60 yards away. Those of us who have "average" shooting skills do a ton better throwing 300-400 projectiles in a yard-wide pattern at a target instead of just one, especially if whatever pest you're trying to eradicate saw you and is now moving.

To the OP - JUST IN CASE you have to fire'er up during the winter keep some "emergency supplies".

Try to ensure you empty the fuel tank JUST before storage and then FILL it with winterized diesel. There's nothing like trying to start a diesel at 40 below when your fuel was meant for 50 above (10 Celsius). I KNOW. In Vermont I tried to keep a 5 gallon Kerosene can handy.

Get a jug of diesel 911

Might get a magnetic block heater. I've used one in an "emergency" with blankets on the oil pan. But I've also used an electric frying pan. It takes hours but it meant the difference between start or stay.

And record ALL serial numbers w/ pictures just in case of theft.

Supposed to be a COLD winter. I imagine it will even freeze (that's when water turns to ice) in Mississippi.

If you do change fluids use a light synthetic.

/edit - and put your tractor in where it says tractor under your Avatar!

Many diesel pumps in southeastern SD when I lived up there VERY prominently advertised when they got winterized diesel and how cold it was "good" down to. January #2 diesel was generally quoted to being good to -60 or -70 F or so. Lots of folks drove 3/4 ton or 1-ton diesel pickups and nobody wanted to have fuel gel up. (They didn't have that happen, they just had their batteries die on them due to the cold and the guy in the "wimpy 1/2 ton gasser truck with only one battery" jumped several of them when it was 40 below air temp with no trouble.) #1 diesel was widely available in many places year-round although you generally paid 50 cents more a gallon compared to #2, or otherwise speaking at least four bucks a gallon and at times more than $5.00/gallon. The few times I headed east on I-90 I didn't see anything different in Mee-nee-sooo-ta so I "betcha" if you get a fresh batch of diesel when you need it in the winter, it will be treated appropriately for the temps.

I haven't seen any mention of winter diesel or #1 diesel in my current locale about 550 miles south of Minnesota but with it rarely staying below freezing (let alone zero) during the day in the middle of winter I don't think diesel gelling will be an issue here. Red #2 diesel is widely available at the pump here and at a buck a gallon less than what any pump diesel cost "up nort," there are hills, trees, and no near-constant gale-force winds, and houses and land are cheap in comparison so I am happy. It's good to be back home :thumbsup:

 

[Freeborn]

Hi Group,

A couple of additional questions:

Im picking up filters and oil tomorrow and plan on starting with the engine oil first. Since I purchased the unit used I am planning on sending the oil out for testing at Blackstone labs. Hopefully the results are decent.

The oil thats in the tractor appears old and based on the owners manual (if you can trust the log in the manual) the oil has not been changed for about 120 hours. My question is do you recommend flushing the oil and if I change over to a pure synthetic what would you recommend. Id like to get everything out of the system so I was thinking I could change the oil twice, once with an inexpensive conventional oil and then again with a synthetic. Is this a good idea or are their other things you would recommend.

Thanks again,

Appreciate the help!

FB

 

[AaronS]

Great looking Deere. Just out of curiosity where in southern IN? Just curious if I'm familiar with the dealer.

 

[Freeborn]

Write Stemle was the Dealer. They have several locations and seemed good to work with.

 

[AaronS]

Glad to hear it. I'm not far from one of their dealers (the one in Ireland, IN) and have stopped in several times to browse.