Throttle Startup Setting ...

[rozett]

My Cub manual says to put throttle lever in 'middle' position and goes on to say "During cold weather.... improved starting can be obtained by putting the engine speed control lever in high idle position."

Generally, I start Ziggy in idle and then rev up to 1000 rpm once started. In real cold weather, I'll judge the 1000 rpm throttle position and start there.

 

[RoyJackson]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You guys are going to laugh but my dads JD 870 says set throttle to FULL THROTTLE start engine and immediately back off to 1200-1500. Don't think I'll be doing that!!!!!
Tom )</font>

Nope...no laughing...that's what my 790 manual says too. But that's not the way I start it.

 

[BGL990]

My 990 manual says full throttle to start, then back off to 1200-1500 rpm. I ignore the manual and pull it back to idle to start because:
1. I don't like the idea of revving too high instantly after startup
2. I'm pretty sure the governor does hold it wide open until it starts anyway
3. It has a high idle controller that keeps it at a decent speed for a while after startup.
3. Only once has it ever needed more than 1 revolution to start even at an idle setting. That one time it was about -35 deg C, no block heater, stored outside. Took about 3 seconds of cranking to start up.

 

[Yalerider]

A smidgeon above idle. Manual says 1000rpm but seems a bit much to me.

 

[NIXON]

As I understand it most,if not all diesels start at "full throttle " .
I leave my "throttle "at idle until oil pressure has been established, then advance( as the temp starts to rise) it to around 1200 rpm .
John

 

[SteveM]

I am no mechanic, but I have owned a bunch of circa 80s japanese diesels, and they all recommend (and require) a lot of throttle to start below freezing. My curren 1982? mitsu beaver needs at least a half throttle setting, and just as it takes off I gradually move the lever forward, so it is not like I am hitting huge RPMs. The kubota and massey that i had before were the same. This notion of automatic full throttle at startup is news to me; perhaps it applies only to newer direct injection machines. There is a significant change in the tone of the cranking if I set my throttle lever less than 1/2....so I know it is certainly affecting the fuel flow into the cylinder. BTW, a previous owner of my Kubota B6000 told me he had alot of trouble starting it in the winter, and it turned out he was leaving the throttle at near idle...it would crank forever and barely fire at that setting.

My two cents - there is a reason for the Deere manual recommendation.

 

[Scrounger]

In the summer a quarter throttle will work fine, but in the winter months I bet you'll find that you need half throttle to have the ole diesel start on the first shot. That is how the two Kubotas that we're using act anyway. YMMV however.