What does your tractor start like in cold weather?

[welderbob]

My kubota L4240 starts great. No issues inside or out. I live 1 mile from the St.Laerence river, the border with Canada in Nothern New York. -30ｰ chill factor this morning started no problem, and warmed up to use in less than 10 mins. Man I love my tractor. Will be warm eonuhg to go to woods in the morning and that's where I'll be.

 

[buickanddeere]

Just because the engine will start with glow plugs in freezing weather. It doesn't mean that ore-heating with a block heater isn't a good idea.
There seems to be the mind set out there not to use a block heater unless the engine won't start without it.
The same people that worry about engine life, running at reduced rpms etc. Yet they are the same ones who run engines with cold cylinder walls and thick lube oil.

My kubota L4240 starts great. No issues inside or out. I live 1 mile from the St.Laerence river, the border with Canada in Nothern New York. -30ｰ chill factor this morning started no problem, and warmed up to use in less than 10 mins. Man I love my tractor. Will be warm eonuhg to go to woods in the morning and that's where I'll be.

Chill factor means nothing regarding cold starting.

 

[vetteman46]

Greetings all.
My B2320 is only two months old, as is its battery, so I'm confident in the power supply at start up. Enough said about that. Yesterday the temperature did not rise above +4F, then dropped overnight. This morning the temperature here was -20F (-29C). I went out and plugged in the block heater when the temperature was -6F and left it for about 70-80 minutes. I activated the glow plugs for 5 seconds, then turned all the way to start. The engine started in less than a second, with only a wisp of smoke and with no surging or roughness. My YANMAR Y13D also started the same way with the use of the block heater.
Thumbs up for block heaters.

Mike

 

[dstig1]

My 5240 starts just like Wmonroes in my heated shed @ 50-60F this winter. When it was outside and colder, it was worse. Now it puffs smoke for a few seconds and then levels out. I use part throttle to start in these temps, after letting the glow plugs go through their automatic cycle once (glow duration is based on temp to some degree). The previous L3130 was better starting in the cold. I think that may be the difference in emissions as the 3130 was not Interim Tier 4 but the 5240 is. Summer time starting is a breeze.

 

[MHarryE]

My L5740 starts like Monroe's. My M135GX starts immediately down to 10 - the coldest I have started it. Interesting my partners F-350 started with no block heater at -46 Thursday morning while I had to take my nieces and their kids to school and work because none of their 3 cars would start despite them having started and warmed them up at 10:00 pm and 2:30 am. A week ago I asked a guy at the farm store how his new Duramax started. He said his sits outside all the time and he had no problem up to then - didn't have to use a block heater, coldest up to then had been -33. I remember how hard starting diesel pickups used to be but with the new glow plugs that heat to maximum in 1.5 seconds things have changed.

 

[PrairieSoul]

Locally here this is the first time in many years it has actually gone below -40f, not wind chill, actual temperature. Wind chill temperature down to -60f. Most engines( tractor,car,truck) require a second booster battery to start at these temps unless a block heater is used. My Kubota using the factory block heater and a battery blanket has started no problem.

 

[Piston]

My L5740 starts like Monroe's. My M135GX starts immediately down to 10 - the coldest I have started it. Interesting my partners F-350 started with no block heater at -46 Thursday morning while I had to take my nieces and their kids to school and work because none of their 3 cars would start despite them having started and warmed them up at 10:00 pm and 2:30 am. A week ago I asked a guy at the farm store how his new Duramax started. He said his sits outside all the time and he had no problem up to then - didn't have to use a block heater, coldest up to then had been -33. I remember how hard starting diesel pickups used to be but with the new glow plugs that heat to maximum in 1.5 seconds things have changed.

That's amazing! My '99 F350 doesn't like near 0 weather, and without the block heater I don't think it would start. It stays in a 45 degree garage and starts fine, although a couple seconds of cranking. It never did start all that great though. Once it's running though, watch out!

 

[TomSeller]

Just because the engine will start with glow plugs in freezing weather. It doesn't mean that ore-heating with a block heater isn't a good idea.
There seems to be the mind set out there not to use a block heater unless the engine won't start without it.
The same people that worry about engine life, running at reduced rpms etc. Yet they are the same ones who run engines with cold cylinder walls and thick lube oil.

I agree. Plug the poor thing in ahead of time, dang nabit. I understand there might be emergency start situations or no electricity storage, but why not give the old girl a break and warm her up?

Heck, I don't have electricity on one of my main properties, but I start a generator to run the block heaters ahead of starting the diesels. In these fancy barns and garages, all you have to do is run an extension cord. If you don't have a block heater, it takes maybe an hour to install, including draining and refilling the coolant.

 

[UpNorth1]

This is an interesting read. My B3300SU is in a heated garage that I leave at 50*F during the winter. Doesn't seem to matter how long I glow for (5, 10, 20 sec), it still runs rough for the first 5-10 seconds then evens out.

 

[Chilly807]

Here's ingenuity for ya.. a friend of ours has an old Case, I think its a 685, with hydraulic quick connects on the cooling system. I forget exactly where they are but... he starts his truck, drives to where the tractor is, a couple miles, plugs the quick connects on the truck's hoses into the tractor and warms it that way! Not sure how good the hot coolant is for the cold block, but he's had no problems yet..

Sean