What does your tractor start like in cold weather?

[Chilly807]

For thirty years i started my jd skidder from the heater hoses from my gmc truck and never had any problems as long as you didn't rev the truck. It would push the prestone from the skidder. Plug them together and let the truck idle for 10 - 15 minutes (if not too cold) and away she would go with a little snort of ether. The jd was designed to be used with ether.

Maybe it's more common than I thought? It struck me as a unique approach to the problem of a cold engine in a remote area.

Sean

 

[adventure bob]

Um, first if you live where 50* is "cold" then I'd recommend you stop posting. That's humor since post have no tone.
-3* 6040, not plugged in, kept outside, fired right up after glow plug light goes out.

 

[wmonroe]

Um, first if you live where 50* is "cold" then I'd recommend you stop posting. That's humor since post have no tone. -3* 6040, not plugged in, kept outside, fired right up after glow plug light goes out.

I haven't had the chance to start mine at that temp yet. Too bad I won't be home Tuesday morning as they are calling for the low to be about -20* F, that would have been a good test.

 

[Chilly807]

I haven't had the chance to start mine at that temp yet. Too bad I won't be home Tuesday morning as they are calling for the low to be about -20* F, that would have been a good test.

You, my friend, need a block heater! That's cold enough to freeze the bits off a brass monkey.. There's another saying about a witch but I'll leave that one for now..

Sean

 

[merlynr]

My 2 year old L3800 started ok at +5 F but it wouldn't start today at -5 F. I put the charger on it for a couple of hrs and it tried with more glow plug time of 30 secs but no start. The dealer said the fuel was probably gelled. This is my first ever diesel so I'm on a learning curve. I'm thinking block heater. Is this something I should get from the dealer? Is it equipped with a plug of some type to put a block heater in or should I just look for a generic block heater? I guess I should check with the dealer as I didn't think of that when talking to him about using starting fluid which he said Don't use it.

 

[Scooby074]

A block heater wont help with gelled fuel, but will help the engine start and reach operating temperature easier.

There are factory kubota heaters available. They install into the waterjacket of the engine. Sometimes there is a threaded port, most times a freeze plug needs to be punched out. Its not a hard install on most engines (not sure on the L3800, one smaller Kubota engine requires moving the injection pump to access the proper location I believe), however if youre not mechanically inclined, it is a short time process at the dealer.

Are you treating your fuel?

 

[David Devuono]

My B4200 Sub compact always needs glow plug starting even on a 70F day so it can be a bear to start at camp with no heat. Typically I don't go up if its colder then 0 F but this past weekend it was about 2-3 F or -16 C up hear in Canada. Though I count out 30 seconds on the glow plug it started great and ran better then I can recall. Usually I would put a camp stove under the engine and throw a tarp over it for 30 minutes. This year I picked up some 0W-40 synthetic oil for the old tractor and that made a big difference. My B3200 starts fine in this weather. To top it all off, my 1965 MF135 starts with 30 minutes over the campstove and it has no glow plugs.

 

[wmonroe]

You, my friend, need a block heater! That's cold enough to freeze the bits off a brass monkey.. There's another saying about a witch but I'll leave that one for now.. Sean

It's not normally cold like that but a block heater would still be good to have. I would have liked to been able to fire it up just to see if it would do it. Oh well, next time it's gets that cold I'll give her a try.

 

[merlynr]

I got some Diesel 911 and put some in the tank and now I have the battery on charge. The good news is its +12 F. Gonna try it after lunch cause I've go two driveways to clean of snow.

 

[xring100]

I got some Diesel 911 and put some in the tank and now I have the battery on charge. The good news is its +12 F. Gonna try it after lunch cause I've go two driveways to clean of snow.

Did you pull the fuel filter and pour some in the filter? Or put on a new filter with some 911 in it?