Starting your tractor in the winter.

[patrick_g]

I saw this comment on another website and was wondering if it is true with all tractors.

Let it Idle
In cold weather, after your tractor has started, let it stand and run for a good 20 minutes. Adjust the idle up to around 1500-1700 RPM and just let it sit. The reason we do this is so that the heat of the engine dissapates into the transmission, transfer case and gear drives of the tractor. If we went to work right away, the gear oil is so thick that the hydraulics will not work and shifting gears is problematic. A common service task is to repair a shifter fork during a cold weather season the gear oil is so cold and thick that when the operator grabs the stick to put the tractor into gear, the shifter fork breaks off inside the transmission costly. Let the tractor warm up for a period of at least 20 minutes when in cold weather.

Yes but... What about hydrostats? First (applicable to all diesel tracltors), when you turn the key on the glow plug light comes on indicating the glow plugs are heating. When the light goes off quickly turn off the key and then immediately back on to give the glow plugs another cycle. This will let the tractor (in my case) start with much less cranking. Then with the engine running smoothly (well under a minute) slowly drive the tractor. No high speed, no hard work (not even up a steep hill) and only use the hydraulics (3PH or FEL or...) slowly and sparingly. As the tractor warms up the hydraulics will respond much more smoothly and you may begin normal operation.

YMMY It works for me. The coldest overnight temp prior to my using this procedure has been 0 degrees F. The tractor was parked for days in the open. No batt charger, no batt heater, no plug in of anything. I gave it 2-3 cycles of glow plug heating and it started up and ran roughly till it warmed a bit. It didn't crank real fast due to cold battery but it started nicely. I attribute easier starting to the multiple glow plug cycles. Not needed in warm weather. Not needed in cool temps but in really cold temps, it helps.

Light work after the engine is running smoothly does not cause problems. On the contrary the light work helps the tractor to warm up faster. Make haste slowly. Don't rush into HD work with a cold engine and hydraulics. A battery maintainer (float charger or better yet a charger desulfator preferably with temperature compensation) will keep the battery fully charged and make starting easier as well as extending the battery life. Do not use a high current charger for extended periods of time and do check the fluid level of batts with caps to access the fluid.

Happy winter tractoring, stay warm. I do, in T-shirt and jeans as my Kubota has a killer heater in the cab.

Patrick

 

[USpatriot]

Jackson has an excellent point. I use a block heater and lengthy warmup - 5 minutes or so - then run carefully until I'm sure the heat has penetrated back to the rear. Also, thanks for the note at the bottom of your post "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded ****** and emotional maturity...." That's going on my fb page!

 

[RoyJackson]

I am curious, why should you not let the tractor slow idle? This is the first time I have heard this, any information is appreciated.

The engine won't warm at a low idle...and there is a potential for "wet stacking" (Wet stacking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) from unburned fuel.
I rarely shut my tractor down if I'm going to be off of it for 5 minutes or so. If I leave it idling, it's normally right at 1500 RPM. Now, different engines have differing requirements. 1500 RPM on my Deere is right about 50% of the allowed engine speed (max RPM is 3000). A larger slow turning diesel (say a 2200 RPM red line) might be better to idle at 1200 RPM.

 

[fiddlerkelly]

I saw this comment on another website and was wondering if it is true with all tractors.

Let it Idle
In cold weather, after your tractor has started, let it stand and run for a good 20 minutes. Adjust the idle up to around 1500-1700 RPM and just let it sit. The reason we do this is so that the heat of the engine dissapates into the transmission, transfer case and gear drives of the tractor. If we went to work right away, the gear oil is so thick that the hydraulics will not work and shifting gears is problematic. A common service task is to repair a shifter fork during a cold weather season the gear oil is so cold and thick that when the operator grabs the stick to put the tractor into gear, the shifter fork breaks off inside the transmission costly. Let the tractor warm up for a period of at least 20 minutes when in cold weather.

So once you start your tractor in cold weather it is okay to increase the idle up right after to the range you suggested. I let it run 10 mins or so on lowest idle then increase rpms up where you suggested for another while so it can warm up.

 

[mhineman]

My tractor does not have glow plugs. It has Pre-Heat in the intake to warm the air entering the engine. It also has a compression release.

All cases for first start of the day. Down to 40F, crank it and idle at about 1200 rpm for 30 seconds, then light use <75% throttle for 5 minutes.

Below that I crank for about 10 seconds with conpression release engaged to circulate the oil. Then pre-heat for a time from 20 seconds to 1 minute depending on the temp. At 10F it usually takes 2 to 3 pre-heats to run OK.

At these colder temps I let it idle at 1200 rpm for up to 5 minutes for the colder temps.

Below 10F I have to use the block heater.

I prefer to use the block heater at the temps below 40, but sometimes I just want to go out and get started working, so I don't take the time to use the block heater.

I can usually tell how the tractor is doing regarding warming up by listening. If it sounds like it working harder than is actually is then it is not warmed up enough yet.

I remember a diesel mechanic told me the pistons in a diesel engine have a lot of clearance when cold and need to warm up so they expand. Otherwise they can scuff the cylinder walls if worked hard right away. I think he meant under load or high rpm. Once my tractor seems to idle at it's lowest speed and doesn't sound labored, I think that hurdle is crossed.

The other point is that the rest of the tractor needs to warm a bit. Again light use is the key at the start and the easiest way to warm things up. I cycle my loader up and down several times with no load until it moves easily.

In the end everyone's tractor, truck, etc is different and we need to read the manual, and see what works for us.

 

[Egon]

(Happy winter tractoring, stay warm. I do, in T-shirt and jeans as my kubota has a killer heater in the cab.)


Remember to take the Parka, Cap and Gloves along for when the warm cab has to be exited?:thumbsup:

 

[chiefbuzzbee]

This is a good Thread and timely as I set inside because it has warmed up to 33 degrees but the wind is still blowing 15 to 17 mph. My dealer told me to warm my tractor for 20 min at idle and I have tried to follow that rule being its a brand new tractor. I came from the Western Parts of the US in fact in more West you would get your feet wet, a cold day was 40 degrees in the Valley and warm up time was fairly fast.

Here in New Hampshire it is colder and gets even colder when Canada shares its weather with us. The ground gets like concrete and snow as high as the tractor at times but the Good Lord has me here and I love it but do take it slow and safe.

Thank you all for the great information!

 

[chiefbuzzbee]

Wow all you show off with Cab's, heaters and T shirts ......Next time Cab for sure!!

 

[Been there]

Gentlemen,

I suggest the following:

All tractors are not designed the same and they come in a variety of ages. Some are old designs and built with old technology, others have newer designs and are built with newer and even different technology.

The result, of course, is that the optimal operating (and starting) conditions may vary with the brand and age of the tractor.

Assuming that your tractor's manufacturer isn't completely incompetent, your best bet may be to follow the manufacturer's advice provided for your particular tractor.


I suggest that no competent tractor manufacturer wants to develop a reputation for short-lived engines and/or transmissions - - - and their advice is probably based on a lot of research and testing.

Getting down to details:
My 1941 Farmall is built a lot differently from my new 2013 Massey Ferguson.

The Farmall uses 90W Gear Oil in the transmission and prefers not to shift at all on a cold start-up. There is no transmission oil filter, and the oil just sits in a huge sump the gears revolve in. It works best when it has had a chance to "stir" the gear oil in neutral for a while before operating.

My new Massey Ferguson uses hydraulic oil for both the manual transmission and all the hydraulics (power steering, FEL, power shuttle, PTO engage, etc.). It also has filters, relief valves, check valves and ?????.

The MF manual specifies lengthy warm-ups in cold weather, primarily because of the need to warm up the transmission and hydraulics. Given that Massey Ferguson is an old Canadian company, selling world-wide, I expect they understand cold weather.

I'll follow the manufacturer's suggestions about warming up in cold weather.

On another note:
Warming up an engine can involve more than just lubrication and oil viscosity.

I once worked in the engine room of an ocean-going tug boat. It had an 8-cylinder, 3,000 HP main engine. The engine was about 30 feet long and required a 24 hour warm-up period. If starting from a cold (ambient water temperature) condition, we used a 6-71 diesel to heat the main engine lubricating oil and pump it through the main engine for 8 hours until the block, crankshaft and main components came up to oil temperature. Then the main engine was started (using compressed air) and idled at 120 (?) RPM for 8 hours or so (I don't remember the exact details now). At that point, the tug could leave shore and engine RPM could slowly be increased until it final reached maximum 300 RPM after 24 hours.

The point of this story is that the different alloys of cast iron in this massive engine had different coefficients of thermal expansion, different rates of heating during a cold start, etc.. If the components warmed up differentially, some faster than others, it could tear itself apart or freeze up.

I suggest that modern diesel engines and transmissions are made with components from a variety of alloys, and with much closer tolerances than in the past. There may be valid reasons for warming up modern tractors in cold weather before starting to work them hard.

Again, I'll follow the manufacturer's suggestions.


Enjoy your tractors, and treat them nice - they'll appreciate it.

 

[HUCKthe1]

Warming my tractor in winter months is usually not my problem. My hydraulics are my issue. My tractor starts and runs fine but my hydraulic pump will squeal if it has not had a chance to warm up or cycle warm fluid through it for a time. I usually have to go very slow for the first ten minutes or longer. I have found a magnetic heater that works somewhat well but being the pump is aluminum can only get it so close. I do have a new tractor this year. Any suggestions on how to help heat the hydraulics? I don't want any problems.

 

[TomSeller]

My Kubota idles at a higher rpm when throttled own and the engine is cold. After warming up it idles at a lower rpm when throttled down. So I think they have taken care of some of his concern on some models.

 

[gered121]

You're to far south for that to be an issue. Further north you have the option to get #1 or #2 Diesel. If you're worried about gelling your fuel or adding lubricity, I would recommend a good fuel treat...I like Howes Fuel Treat, but each to his own.
Abe.

 

[corey9212]

I had issues starting my tractor not long ago and gave my service department a call and he said to put the throttle 1/4 open, heat the glow plugs for 30 seconds and crank it. When started establish 1200 rpm throttle then turn on PTO and put loader into float (this cycles the hydraulic fluid through everything and warms it up fast) then go have coffee for half hour and I'm good to go. This was at -30C (about -24F)

 

[SGBotsford]

Condensation: Problem is when cold tractor hits warm air.

Condensation is usually a problem when storage temps fluctuate rapidly. E.g. an uninsulated, but fairly airtight barn. In the day it gets warm, at night it cools off.

The air in the fuel tank expands in as it gets warm, contracts as it gets cold.

The temp of the tractor lags behind the temp of the building. So:

Building warms up. Building air picks up moisture from floor, wood, slush tracked in. Tractor warms up. Air in tank expands.

Building cools down. Slightly humid air, approaches it's dew point. Tractor cools down. Air in fuel tank contracts. Sucks humid room air into fuel tank. Moisture condenses out of air in fuel tank.


This also applies to any other vented tank.

This is why you have a water filter in the fuel system, and why you may add water dispersents.

Keeping the fuel tank close to full reduces the amount of air cycled on each temperature cycle.

Keeping the tractor at a close to constant temperature reduces the amount of air cycled in each cycle.

Running the tractor long enough to cook the water out of the inside reduces the time that water can act to create corrosion problems.

***

I run synthetic oil. This makes the tractor much easier to start. My beast is a deutz 6250 with an air cooled 3 cylinder engine. At idle, even in summer, the temperature gauge doesn't move off the bottom pin. Indeed only mowing heavy grass (like 2-3 feet tall brome grass) or dragging a 3 share plough will get the temp gauge to the halfway point.

I have a peel and stick 400 watt heater on the oil sump, and an old sleeping bag that fits over the engine compartment. Engine starts below freezing get 2-3 hours of warmup first. 0 F is the bottom end. Below that the operator (me) freezes too fast, and the hydraulics are stiff and sluggish. I also have the battery on one of these 'maintainance' trickle chargers.

Mine you in winter the onlly reason to start the tractor is for snow clearing, and to redo the ski trails. These jobs take about an hour each.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Warming my tractor in winter months is usually not my problem. My hydraulics are my issue. My tractor starts and runs fine but my hydraulic pump will squeal if it has not had a chance to warm up or cycle warm fluid through it for a time. I usually have to go very slow for the first ten minutes or longer. I have found a magnetic heater that works somewhat well but being the pump is aluminum can only get it so close. I do have a new tractor this year. Any suggestions on how to help heat the hydraulics? I don't want any problems.

I posted this further up the page so pardon the repeat. My JD manual (5045E) says to turn the steering all the way to lock so that the relief valve opens and hold it their for no more then three minutes to let the power steering pump circulate all the fluid through the pump and relif valve which will warm up the fluid. That's easy to do and gives the engine a couple more minutes at high idle to warm through all the parts. You can also work your loader up and down to give the pump more to do under light load and swapping the cold fluid in the pistons and lines for fresh & warm from the pump.

 

[buickanddeere]

I had issues starting my tractor not long ago and gave my service department a call and he said to put the throttle 1/4 open, heat the glow plugs for 30 seconds and crank it. When started establish 1200 rpm throttle then turn on PTO and put loader into float (this cycles the hydraulic fluid through everything and warms it up fast) then go have coffee for half hour and I'm good to go. This was at -30C (about -24F)

Makes a whole lot more sense to plug in the block heater instead.

 

[RoyJackson]

So once you start your tractor in cold weather it is okay to increase the idle up right after to the range you suggested. I let it run 10 mins or so on lowest idle then increase rpms up where you suggested for another while so it can warm up.

As soon as the oil light goes out (normally within 3-5 seconds), I increase the RPM to 1500.
Now, my tractor is normally parked in an unheated garage. Depending on the ambient temperature, I use the block heater. If it's been left outside (an occasional thing) and the temperature is in the low 30's, I always use the block heater for an hour or so before starting. The oil light might take a few more seconds to go out, that's all.

 

[greatbargins10]

I posted this further up the page so pardon the repeat. My JD manual (5045E) says to turn the steering all the way to lock so that the relief valve opens and hold it their for no more then three minutes to let the power steering pump circulate all the fluid through the pump and relif valve which will warm up the fluid. That's easy to do and gives the engine a couple more minutes at high idle to warm through all the parts. You can also work your loader up and down to give the pump more to do under light load and swapping the cold fluid in the pistons and lines for fresh & warm from the pump.

My kubota B3200 is hydrostatic so it warms up the fluid pretty quick. Cycling the loader valve several times is a good idea before you put a load on it. Don't do it at high RPM I've seen problems with Hydraulic systems at work because water in the system can freeze & lock valves ect & cause a hose to blow. Synthetic fluids also help because they maintain their flow properties/viscosity better in cold temperatures than conventional fluids. I would still change fluids according to MFR recommendations even if using a synthetic. Hydraulic fluid has a long life anyway.

 

[Jerry/MT]

You want the temperature just below freeing to avoid condensation.

Condensation in fuel tanks is paratically unavaoidable. Ambient pressure and temperature vary throughout the day and tractor tanks are generally vented to the atmosphere. They literally pump moist air in and out as the ambient pressure rises and falls.
However, condensation can be minimized by keeping the tank relatively full to minimize the surface area where condensation can form.

 

[corey9212]

Makes a whole lot more sense to plug in the block heater instead.

My block heater is plugged in a thermostat controlled outlet (turns on when it hits 0) so for the last month it has been on steady and it was still a struggle to start, that's why I made the call.