warm up time for jd 3020 ?

bigtiller · Oct 16, 2006

I have a 1969 JD 3020 with a FEL and rear blade that I use for snow removal. The blade has a hydraulic cylinder for side shift. When I warm up the tractor I unplug the cylinder and plug in a pig tail to feed oil in a loop back into the system to help warm up the hydraulic oil. Am I going to hurt anything doing it this way?

ozzie tractor · Oct 16, 2006

i am a bit concerned, if the 3020 is anything like the 4020, there is a small oil pump in the trans which fills up a resoviour in the nose of the tractor, i have seen, when the pump in the trans gets old, the main hydraulic pump can out pump it, draining the resoviour and running the main pump short of oil. this is no good for the main pump. i am wondering when its very cold and engine rpm is low, will this little pump have enough capacity to keep up with the main pump running at no load (they always pump more at no load)

chadincolo · Oct 16, 2006

Why are you doing this? Do the hydraulics move too slow when you start? I can't imagine you would need to adjust the blade that quickly...

Warming up is generally unneeded on most tractors, as soon as it will idle, the engine is warm enough (diesels won't build heat without a load, once a gas engine will idle without choke, it's ready). The hydraulics will warm themselves with use, will be a bit slow when cold, but that's it...

RonR · Oct 16, 2006

I've never heard of the hydraulic situation.

We used to drive JD4020s; in the winter, we'd let them idle for 5 minutes if it was 30-40 out, 10 minutes if it was colder. We'd not use any hydraulics while warming.

ron

bigtiller · Oct 16, 2006

Chadincolo --- I only do this when the temp is less than 20 degrees. If I don't do it then the FEL chatters and the steering is very slow until everything is warmed up. It is a gas model. The parts man at my local dealer suggested I do it and he even made the pig tail for me, but I have no idea how much education or experience he has.

HammerFour · Oct 17, 2006

bigtiller said:
I have a 1969 JD 3020 with a FEL and rear blade that I use for snow removal. The blade has a hydraulic cylinder for side shift. When I warm up the tractor I unplug the cylinder and plug in a pig tail to feed oil in a loop back into the system to help warm up the hydraulic oil. Am I going to hurt anything doing it this way?

So you unplug both cylinder lines and plug this hose in that hooks to both sides of the scv, right?

Then do you hold the hydraulic valve open to get the fluid to flow thru it? If not, nothing will be flowing thru it, right?

I imagine circulating the fluid would help heat it up and help your steering and 3ph and other hydraulic stuff work smoother faster.

As that is a closed system, if some fluid isn't flowing thru a portion of it, the fluid won't warm up very fast.

chadincolo · Oct 23, 2006

bigtiller said:
Chadincolo --- I only do this when the temp is less than 20 degrees. If I don't do it then the FEL chatters and the steering is very slow until everything is warmed up. It is a gas model. The parts man at my local dealer suggested I do it and he even made the pig tail for me, but I have no idea how much education or experience he has.

When is the last time the fluid and filters were changed? What type of fluid are you running? It shouldn't be doing that, even at 20 degrees. At -10 we would keep our 5010 inside (unheated) but that was because it is a diesel and didn't like to start cold. Fire it up, as soon as it would maintain a fast idle, back out and go feed the cows. Steering would be a bit slow when cold (thicker fluid) but the loader shouldn't chatter...

bigtiller · Oct 24, 2006

The fluid and filters were changed by the JD dealer when I bought the tractor. I have since put 124 hours on it in the 10 years I have owned it.

rdbigfarmboy · Oct 24, 2006

I might change to A thinner oil or ATF. It sounds like you may have a weak pump or other problem.

Farmwithjunk · Oct 25, 2006

rdbigfarmboy said:
I might change to A thinner oil or ATF. It sounds like you may have a weak pump or other problem.

Uh.....Nix any thoughts of ATF in the hydraulic system on that Deere. You'll have yourself a big awful mess on your hands post haste. Stick with the hytran that's supposed to be there. If that tractor has Independent PTO, engauge it for a few minutes. That runs via hydraulic system. A few minites of use should get oil near operating temps.