Warm up time for M126GX

[mcrey1]

Kubota list the warm up time as follows

32F or higher 5 min
32F down to 14F 10 to 20 minutes
14F down to -4F 20 to 30 minutes
Below -4F More than 30 minutes

I use the block heater for ease of starting and quick engine warm up. The tranny is the slow one
for warm up. The tractor is just shy of one year old has 596 hrs on it and gets used every day during
the winter. The tranny holds 17.25gals I use kubotas UD2. Looking for ideas.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Heated storage :thumbsup:

 

[RalphVa]

I never pay attention to the warmup times in the owner's manual. Just start and take off. Rev slowly, but don't lug, the first few minutes.

Ralph

 

[DT86]

A few years ago a member here (wish I could remember who, to give them credit) said they turned on the pto to aid in warming up cold fluid.

I've used the same method in cold weather ever since with my m9540. Before this it would take a while before the hydraulic reverser felt right while changing direction and something in the steering would make a whine until the fluid got up to temp if it was below about 20*. Upon starting I just bump the rpm to 1000 and turn on the pto. Then just ease around for a bit before doing any real work. Seems to work fine,

 

[MHarryE]

I think their times do not reflect block heater usage. Engine oil flow at cold temps raises the oil pressure if run at high speeds before the oil warms, but then again the block heater doesn't do much for the oil except provide a warm block for the oil to warm in. I'm not sure what it's going to do to all the clutch packs in your power shift transmission. My M135GX sits out the real cold but a neighbor with a M100GX starts his in below zero weather and goes in to have a cup of coffee before operating. He blew the rear crank seal on his New Holland from operating at high throttle without warming - that, plus being 89 years old, has told him to take it easy.

 

[mcrey1]

Last winter my M126GX threw a tranny error code book said tranny may need to warm. Engone was warm with block heater. Cup of coffee wait does work. Would like to find a tranny preheater.

 

[wrooster]

I don't think "time" is a good way to qualify warm up interval, since the time depends on a number of factors -- including outside temperature, whether you use a block heater, etc.

The easiest and best way is to use the instrumentation that is in front of you. The temperature gauge provides a straightforward indication of the engine operating temperature.

So, in any weather, I monitor the temperature gauge; at modest warm-up RPM you will notice that the engine first heats up, reaches a temporary maximum, and then cools down a bit. This is due to the thermostat opening and allowing the colder water in the radiator to mix with the warmer water in the block. Once the temperature has come back up and the radiator is warm as well, the temperature gauge will level off and the engine is ready to go to work.

The above process works nicely whether it is 75'F or 15'F; of course, it takes longer to get to the "ready" state when it's 15'F outside.

As for the hydraulics, as noted in prior posts, in cold weather engaging the (unconnected) PTO during warm-up will also help heat the hydrostatic transmission fluid. I would not engage the PTO when connected to an attachment since this can present an appreciable load on the cold engine. I have always found that once the engine is warmed up, simply driving the tractor to the work site gets the hydraulic fluid to a reasonable operating temperature.

wrooster

 

[MHarryE]

Transmission is a good case in point in that if my memory serves me right, the filter is a suction filter. Viscous cold oil doesn't flow through easily and starving the pump - not at all good. My product line at Caterpillar was all hydro but we used a pair of pressure filters instead and a fine mesh screen for the feed pump as it could handle oil with higher contamination. Problem is that running full throttle immediately could blow the gasket out of the filter. We had warm up times very similar to those of Kubota - developed by testing. Tractor, and my Cat machines, didn't give a good hydraulic oil temp but time at a given temp was very accurate - unless parked in a blizzard or something like that.

 

[oosik]

Those are the same warm up times for my M6040. Since I'm never in that much of a hurry - I've always followed their recommendations - and never had any tranny or hydraulic problems. Start it up - go in and have another cup of coffee.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Two words - "remote start" :drink:

 

[My Hoe]

Given that an engine heater (block, in-line or magnetic--to the oil pan) will do NOTHING to help warm the hydro fluid up, has anyone experimented with a magnetic (engine) oil pan heater, but placed somewhere on the HST/pump area, to simultaneously warm the hydro fluid, PRIOR to starting, as we do with the engine heaters?

If not, I'll willing to be the "crash-test dummy," but would like folks' suggestions as to WHERE an electric, magnetic block heater could be placed, to (attempt to) warm up the hydro fluid. (I have a 2012 B3000HSDCC.)

Thanks,

My Hoe

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

That's a good question. Bell Housing?

 

[holeycow]

I put a magnetic heater on a flat transmission cover plate. Mounted it with high temp slicone. Ran the cord up to the block heater cord at the engine and I plug them both in to the same extension cord. I don't know if it does much, if anything for the hydraulic fluid (it might only be 500 watts). It would work well on the engine oilpan. I bought the heater originally for an emergency backup in case i broke my block heater cord plug off in my diesel pickup. It can get so cold that a block heater plug will break off when you are rough plugging it in - and not real rough. Brrrrr.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I don't think "time" is a good way to qualify warm up interval, since the time depends on a number of factors -- including outside temperature, whether you use a block heater, etc.

The easiest and best way is to use the instrumentation that is in front of you. The temperature gauge provides a straightforward indication of the engine operating temperature.

So, in any weather, I monitor the temperature gauge; at modest warm-up RPM you will notice that the engine first heats up, reaches a temporary maximum, and then cools down a bit. This is due to the thermostat opening and allowing the colder water in the radiator to mix with the warmer water in the block. Once the temperature has come back up and the radiator is warm as well, the temperature gauge will level off and the engine is ready to go to work.

The above process works nicely whether it is 75'F or 15'F; of course, it takes longer to get to the "ready" state when it's 15'F outside.

As for the hydraulics, as noted in prior posts, in cold weather engaging the (unconnected) PTO during warm-up will also help heat the hydrostatic transmission fluid. I would not engage the PTO when connected to an attachment since this can present an appreciable load on the cold engine. I have always found that once the engine is warmed up, simply driving the tractor to the work site gets the hydraulic fluid to a reasonable operating temperature.

wrooster

The temperature gauge on my NX6010 doesn't move unless the engine is under load. In fact in 30 degree weather, the engine will go from warm back to cold at idle. As you've suggested, driving helps warm everything up. I just ordered a K-type temperature meter with two sensors so I can accurately monitor both the engine temp and the hydraulic temp.

 

[wrooster]

The temperature gauge on my NX6010 doesn't move unless the engine is under load. In fact in 30 degree weather, the engine will go from warm back to cold at idle. As you've suggested, driving helps warm everything up. I just ordered a K-type temperature meter with two sensors so I can accurately monitor both the engine temp and the hydraulic temp.

I think your thermostat may be stuck open. The indicated engine temperature should not swing around all that much during normal operation (idle, mowing, tilling, digging, etc). Perhaps it runs a little hotter in the summer, but even during the winter the engine should not drop to "cold" because the thermostat should keep the block above a designed temperature. A cold engine is generally less efficient.

wrooster