Winter Fronts on Tractors

[Spudland_Dave]

Was just wondering....does anybody use a "winter front" or Radiator cover during the winter months to help the engine/trans/etc... get up to operating temp? And in the case of a cabbed machine...help the heater blow hot air that much sooner...

 

[AndyMA]

I don't

Andy

 

[Oldtrout]

I Don't....

 

[WH401]

Nope, but I do on my truck.

 

[Gizmo2]

Not me.

 

[KennyV]

Yes... Diesel engines do not heat up well in the cold.
On my L4200 with a cab, I insert a slab of cardboard into the slot in front of the radiator that normally has a screen. KennyV.

 

[herringchoker]

Yes....in winter I replace the screen in front of the radiator on my Kubota B7800 with a piece of corrugated plastic sign board with a 6" square hole cut in the centre of it. The engine tends to run cool and this seems to help a bit to warm it up.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

If the thermostat in the engine is working properly you shouldn't need a winterfront.

 

[Gizmo2]

If the thermostat in the engine is working properly you shouldn't need a winterfront.

Good one!

 

[Spudland_Dave]

If the thermostat in the engine is working properly you shouldn't need a winterfront.

If thats truly the case...why does every Diesel truck running in a cold weather area come with FACTORY (GM/Ford/Peterbilt/Kenworth/etc) winter front? I know all my buddies with Duramax trucks all got winter fronts with their trucks... In the wintertime around here the only trucks without em are out of state trucks and trucks headed south...

 

[JSharp]

If thats truly the case...why does every Diesel truck running in a cold weather area come with FACTORY (GM/Ford/Peterbilt/Kenworth/etc) winter front? I know all my buddies with Duramax trucks all got winter fronts with their trucks... In the wintertime around here the only trucks without em are out of state trucks and trucks headed south...

You are correct, it's not the case. A lot of engines have large enough radiators and enough coolant bypass flow around the thermostat to require some blockage of airflow through the radiator in cold conditions. Below 30-40 degrees I need to restrict the radiator airflow on my tractor. Just the size of the radiator and the bypass flow is enough to overcool the engine in cold temps with full airflow.

Before anyone asks, yes the thermostat is new and operating correctly. I've checked the temp with my IR thermometer. The 45+ year old temp gage is even pretty close.

 

[PILOON]

If thats truly the case...why does every Diesel truck running in a cold weather area come with FACTORY (GM/Ford/Peterbilt/Kenworth/etc) winter front? I know all my buddies with Duramax trucks all got winter fronts with their trucks... In the wintertime around here the only trucks without em are out of state trucks and trucks headed south...

Just a thought--but on a truck would not the 'ram air' effect create additional cooling?
After all trucks cruise at highway speeds (70 mph or so) while a tractor generally moves at walking speed (3-10 mph).

You would be asking that little blob of wax in the thermostat to really work hard at controling the temp on that big highway rig and a failure could cost a pretty penny as OH a cummins for sure is costly.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

....and a failure could cost a pretty penny as OH a cummins for sure is costly.

I doubt an OH for my JD or ANY Compact could be classified as "cheap"....

 

[smfcpacfp]

Mine gets covered with ice and snow anyway, so I don't need any cover. My vehicle has the same running temperature winter and summer which the thermostat controls.

I use a block heater to prewarm it before I start it in the winter.

 

[Gizmo2]

Just a thought--but on a truck would not the 'ram air' effect create additional cooling?
After all trucks cruise at highway speeds (70 mph or so) while a tractor generally moves at walking speed (3-10 mph).

You would be asking that little blob of wax in the thermostat to really work hard at controling the temp on that big highway rig and a failure could cost a pretty penny as OH a cummins for sure is costly.

I would have to agree, all about MPH which relates to more forced air.

 

[RalphVa]

I put cardboard in front of the rads on cars we took to the cabin in Vermont. Think I even did it to any vehicle we parked outside at our house in NJ. Just cut a small slit in the cardboard.

It would help; I guess, but tractors are much more open on the sides, too. You almost need a blanket of insulation wrapped around the bottom part of it.

Ralph

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

You are correct, it's not the case. A lot of engines have large enough radiators and enough coolant bypass flow around the thermostat to require some blockage of airflow through the radiator in cold conditions. Below 30-40 degrees I need to restrict the radiator airflow on my tractor. Just the size of the radiator and the bypass flow is enough to overcool the engine in cold temps with full airflow.

Before anyone asks, yes the thermostat is new and operating correctly. I've checked the temp with my IR thermometer. The 45+ year old temp gage is even pretty close.

The reason a lot of trucks run winterfronts is so they will maintain heat while idleing after being warmed up. Such as sitting in the truckstop overnight. Cat and Cummins do not recomend winterfronts because they restrict the air going to the charge air cooler. I am in charge of 43 trucks and not 1 of them run a winterfront and all heat up to normal operating temp.

 

[LBrown59]

If the thermostat in the engine is working properly you shouldn't need a winterfront.

I thought so too.

 

[KennyV]

Just block it off, too easy to do. If it dose not give you a big difference in your cab, Remove the cardboard.
My heater works Much better blocked. KennyV.

 

[JSharp]

The reason a lot of trucks run winterfronts is so they will maintain heat while idleing after being warmed up. Such as sitting in the truckstop overnight. Cat and Cummins do not recomend winterfronts because they restrict the air going to the charge air cooler. I am in charge of 43 trucks and not 1 of them run a winterfront and all heat up to normal operating temp.

That makes sense. The capacity of the system is such that it will remove heat too rapidly at idle without restricting the airflow. But once the engine is loaded that's no longer the case even with airflow though the system from vehicle movement.

Tractors have systems that don't much depend on vehicle movement. The airflow from the fan is adequate to cool the engine at high engine loads in high temperature conditions with the vehicle almost stationary. Depending on the amount of coolant flow with the thermostat closed the system may well overcool the engine with full airflow in cold conditions.

That's all I was saying.