What does your tractor start like in cold weather?

[Fordman1981]

I will have to take a video of my T5050 next time I'm at the farm. I don't know for sure but I think a grid heater must be superior. I don't use the T5050 hardly at all. The other day I was having to move it and it was -2 F and it started right up after the grid heater light went out. Same goes for my 2012 CTD I've cracked it as low as -12 I think it was last winter just get in wait for the preheat light to go out and she fires right up pretty much same revolutions as normal. Just my experience and passing it on. My L4400 cranked with one glow cycle last winter the few times I had to crank it as well but did seem a little temperamental for a minute or two but was no big deal just let it sit there and run for a few minutes before putting her to work.

 

[k0ua]

I haven't started below 10 degrees, but my Kioti is still just a touch on the starter at 10 deg. and she fires right up. Of the 5 diesel tractors I have owned, including 2 Kubota's a New Holland and a Long, this is the easiest starter of the bunch. I don't have any power in the "kioti den" so a block heater is out of the question.

 

[buickanddeere]

Just plug the block heater in. I don't understand why block heaters are considered as a last resort when nothing else will start the tractor?
For those concerned about engine wear and try to preserve engines. Do you know how cylinder wall wear compares at 0F coolant temps vs 180F ?

 

[DeereMann]

I haven't started below 10 degrees, but my Kioti is still just a touch on the starter at 10 deg. and she fires right up. Of the 5 diesel tractors I have owned, including 2 Kubota's a New Holland and a Long, this is the easiest starter of the bunch. I don't have any power in the "kioti den" so a block heater is out of the question.

k0ua,

Is your Kioti a direct-injected engine and the others were indirect-injected? That would explain easier starting of the Kioti.

 

[DeereMann]

Grid heaters, in general are more effective than glow plugs - they put higher heat load into the intake air, but they also add air-intake restriction all the time where glow plugs do not.

It used to be glow plugs were used only on indirect-injected engines, and grid heaters on direct-injected engines. Indirect injection engines are harder to start, so they put the glow plug in the prechamber where ignition begins. Direct injection engines don't have a prechamber, so the grid heater is used on the intake manifold.

In either case, starting at lower rpm is beneficial as less air is subjected to the heating. In addition to the fluids being higher viscosity & taking longer to get to the parts they're supposed to get to.

 

[sandyc]

My 2620 started pretty good without a block heater at any temp as I mentioned earlier in this thread. I installed a block heater last week and now it starts like it was 90 deg. No smoke and no sputtering!

 

[k0ua]

k0ua,

Is your Kioti a direct-injected engine and the others were indirect-injected? That would explain easier starting of the Kioti.

It is indirect injection.

ombustion System
In-direct injection (IDI) Vortex chamber

 

[Fordman1981]

Just plug the block heater in. I don't understand why block heaters are considered as a last resort when nothing else will start the tractor? For those concerned about engine wear and try to preserve engines. Do you know how cylinder wall wear compares at 0F coolant temps vs 180F ?

Sometimes a block heater isn't feasible. Are you going to plug in while you're at work? I could plug in while at home but would take quite a bit to set it up for my truck. Are you saying it's harder on a Diesel engine to crank in -10 than it is on a gas engine?

 

[Chilly807]

The grid heaters do a good job, but draw more power from the battery than glow plugs due to the larger heating surface

Sean

 

[DeereMann]

It is indirect injection.

Combustion System
In-direct injection (IDI) Vortex chamber

Hmmm....:confused3:

Next guess.......fuel injection pressure? I note the new IDI engines got inline fuel injection pumps to raise fuel injection pressure for lowering exhaust emissions. These pumps are more expensive than the original rotary single-plunger pumps.

Do you know if you have different styles of fuel injection pumps?

Mine came with inline, I was pleasantly surprised. They cost more, are noiser, but produce more power & cleaner exhaust. I remember Dodge/Cummins changeover was circa 1994. If EPA makes small tractors go to FAE HPCR, small tractors are doomed by expense.