Tractor hard to start in cold

[kmesr9]

LHF,
I’m up on maintenance on the six tractors I run in the farm. The 310SE is a newer purchase from someone who had done a recent maintenance and so I didn’t see the need to change fluids right away. Levels are good, but do plan to change oil and filters soon to have a baseline. Thanks for the heads up though.
Until Jim had mentioned the destroking solenoid I was leaning toward battery issue. Still the most likely culprit and will verify when chores slow down. Good to know about that solenoid.
Will do as LHF suggests and do electrical first so we figure out what it is or isn’t one step at a time. Many thanks.
Best regards.

I didn’t see this mentioned so, after you cleanup the connections use a dielectric grease to prevent/slow corrosion. It is worth the extra couple bucks. I’d also get the batteries load tested and find out CCA. My guess is they aren’t rated for much in low temps or they’re at the end of their useful life.

 

[Been there]

For what it is worth - - - - and not knowing your circumstances, budget, etc. - - -

Given the current cost of batteries, I'd recommend battery maintainers.

(And, no, I have no connection to the battery or maintainer businesses.)

It sounds like you may not use this equipment frequently. If you have the time to try it, you might put a battery maintainer on each battery for a couple of weeks and give it a try.

I was skeptical at first, but I've become converted. I've got maintainers on 6 pieces of equipment now. A couple of the batteries are in the 10-year range and still seem to be functioning well - - - knock on wood. I think this is particularly important for equipment that doesn't get used frequently, as the batteries slowly discharge and get sulphated, especially in winter.

I'm sure there are a lot of varied preferences out there, but I now use the NOCO Genius 1A. About $30 at Amazon. Inexpensive compared to a new battery and/or the inconvenience of equipment that doesn't want to start when you need it.

The maintainers typically don't like to work on a fully discharged battery, but even the low amperage (inexpensive) models will eventually top up a partially discharged battery if you give then enough time. And the de-sulphating mode may only kick in after the battery is fully charged. And the de-sulphating process may take a while.

So, without knowing more of your situation, I'd offer this.
1.) Disconnect both batteries and load test them individually.
2.) If they are good or 'marginal', check out the wiring, connections, starter motor, lubricants, etc.
3.) If they are sub-marginal or bad, you should probably replace both of them.
4.) Or, if they are marginal or even sub-marginal and you have the time available, you could try to resurrect them by fully charging them (individually) and them putting them on maintainers for a couple/few weeks. The cost of the maintainers is less than the cost of a new battery.
5.) Even if you replace the batteries, you might want to keep the old batteries and try to resurrect them with maintainers. You might actually end up with a couple of decent spare batteries.

NOTE: As someone else mentioned, you should probably avoid mixing old and new batteries in a system. An old/marginal battery will act like a parasite, always drawing down the new battery and degrading it more quickly.

Hang in there.

 

[JRH02]

Glow plugs?

The 310, 410, 510 TLB series do NOT have glow plugs or intake heaters. The batteries are two each large commercial 12v in parallel, not two 6v in series. So many of the replies in this thread are general to starting any diesel in colder weather. But the basics on a particular model must be considered or the OP is sent on a rabbit trail.

One question that I would ask is how many hours are on this unit? Since it has no intake or glow plugs for preheat it really needs its compression at its best possible for cold starts. As designed it SHOULD start just fine in cold weather with the correct weight engine oil for the season and the batteries/cabling/starter in good order. As for hydraulic drag it doesn't use UTF and who is gonna change out 20-25g anyway?

I've had a 410j for 14 years and even down to multi-day single digits with straight #2 and antigel it fires off immediately and isn't even that noisy/smoky when it does start. It's a good and reliable engine with mechanical injection. Yes, it does crank a bit slower when it's a really chilly cold start. It doesn't have a block heater and is never close enough to an outlet anyway. But if all the basics are in order and the unit has a bunch of hours a block heater for a few hours would be an easy way to make sure it can fire off when needed in cold weather.

 

[heyinway]

Hi,
I’ve done research but have not found a solution. 1998 John Deere 310SE backhoe with 4.5l (272ci) diesel engine. When mild temps , starts immediately. When cold, will hardly turn over and sometimes not start. Put battery charger on it and it shows batteries almost fully charged. Three guesses as to what might be going on: bad ground wiring; bad starter motor; or batteries (2). I just can’t think of why it starts like a champ all summer, then barely turns over when cold (below 35f). What would be most likely affected by cold temperatures? Seems batteries to me, but curios if anyone has had and cured this problem. Thanks.

Load test batteries...they can show voltage but be sulfated and have low amperage. I see that all the time. Remove flow plugs...12 volt negative to body, positive to connection threads. Rip about glow cherry red very quickly. If one bad, replace all They don't last forever.

 

[Williy]

I use this to check my batteries:

Harbor Freight $19.99 Wally world $27

willy

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[Fxfymn413]

Have you tried jumping it to assist the batteries? Good jumper cables run from a running engine should give all the voltage needed to boost a start.

 

[LouNY]

Have you tried jumping it to assist the batteries? Good jumper cables run from a running engine should give all the voltage needed to boost a start.

Unless you make your own cables from welding lead good luck finding decent or good cables.

 

[howardjohn]

Lower viscosity oil in the winter may help. Check your manual and see what is required for colder temps. Do both batteries. If the are wired together the weaker one will fight the stronger one. I remember having a diesel pick up dual batteries. They always said to change both at the same time so they would be the same strength

 

[CalG]

Just to add another worthless post to this thread/

My Fordson (gasoline) won't start well in cold weather unless......

The PTO is disengaged, the lift pump drive is thrown out, and the wet clutch is pressed.

Then the engine spins without drag, the magneto spins to make a good spark , and the old gal lights right off even at 10 degrees of frost.

 

[Fxfymn413]

Unless you make your own cables from welding lead good luck finding decent or good cables.

Agreed I use #2 CU to make mine using Anderson connectors to create a "modular" system using connectors mounted on my truck and tractors.

Not sure the OP is still around, but my other thought was to disconnect one battery and than the other to see if the engine turns over at the same speed on one battery. Could be just one failed battery drawing the other down.