Starting Your Kubota in Cold Weather

[sixdogs]

I didn't see this mentioned but I use synthetic oil and it makes things a whole lot better. Engine spins fast since the oil is thinner and with a charged battery everything starts.

 

[newbury]

<snip> I do use synthetic oil in the engine, it's only a few bucks more so why not.

Surprised it did not get mentioned earlier.

I didn't see this mentioned but I use synthetic oil and it makes things a whole lot better. Engine spins fast since the oil is thinner and with a charged battery everything starts.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Synthetic oil DEFINITELY. Made a difference in my diesels.

 

[Jstpssng]

This fall I picked up a 2015 L3301HST with the frost plug block heater...even so I spent half of yesterday getting it going. After leaving it plugged in all last night I realized that the heater doesn't work. I also can't believe the tiny battery they put in it; ... sure wish that I'd kept the 1000CCA which was in my old L275. It's all part of getting to know a new tractor though, I'll pick up a new heater and swap the battery out with the one in my pickup.

 

[oosik]

My tractor sits in a large three sided carport stall. No heat but I do keep the battery on a maintainer all the time. I've started it at temps down to -20F with no problems. Put it on high idle - let it warm up for half an hour and off I go. However - I'm still at a loss as to why I was outside at those temps.
Must be that I'm Norwegian ...............

 

[sixdogs]

My tractor sits in a large three sided carport stall. No heat but I do keep the battery on a maintainer all the time. I've started it at temps down to -20F with no problems. Put it on high idle - let it warm up for half an hour and off I go. However - I'm still at a loss as to why I was outside at those temps.
Must be that I'm Norwegian ...............

Couple of years ago at zero degrees I started a 100 HP Deere tractor and let it run for well over an hour at high idle in order to change trans oil. Dumped it and oil was actually COLD with little increase in it's temperature. Put oil back in and came back to it in the spring.

 

[dan8152]

I live in wisconin and it's been 0 degrees +/- 5 for the last week.
I just put a battery maintainer and magnetic engine block heater on the oil filter (My L2501 has an aluminum oil pan). Not sure if the oil filter is the best bet but I'm buying the actual block heater for next year. The magnetic one was a christmas present from my dad this year.

tractor is parked in my barn with snow blower attached. Barn has no heat though

 

[Dave M7040]

Is this true on my 2009 BX25? I can hold the key in the GP position for a while before starting, but is the timer bypassing me? Seems strange. It is -30 Celsius out there right now.

A little experimenting with a test light will show you what works. There will be a trick if your glow plugs are under the control of a glow plug controller!!!

A test light like this one is available at all automotive parts places or on line at amazon. $10

Connect the test light alligator clip to the electrical terminal on any glow plug. Have the light end with you. Stick the sharp point to a good ground.

Start the tractor as you always do and watch the test light come on and then go off as the engine starts.

Now stop the engine and start experimenting to see if you can make the test light come on without using the normal starting procedure.

I don't know your tractor by assume there is some sort of indicator on the dash that shows you the glow plugs are needed and heating and when the indicator goes out you turn the key to start.

When you are using the trick I spoke of, there is no indication on the dash that anything is happening.

This is when the test light will show you if you can get the glow plugs to be under your control.

I am not certain I understand your question: is the timer bypassing me?

Tell me more about any display of glow plug operation on your dash.

Dave M7040

 

[4570Man]

How does the light on the dash not come on when the glow plugs come in? All the ones I’ve seen the GP light gets power directly from the hot side of the GP solenoid. I had to put a bypass switch on the GPs in my truck. When the engine was warm it wouldn’t cycle them and the truck wouldn’t start without them. My troubles happened when trying to restart the truck after it had reached operating temperature and been shut off a while. I left original glow plug controller alone and only use the manual switch when necessary. The glow plug controller still cycles after the truck has spent the night with the block heater plugged in.

 

[Dave M7040]

How does the light on the dash not come on when the glow plugs come in? All the ones I’ve seen the GP light gets power directly from the hot side of the GP solenoid. I had to put a bypass switch on the GPs in my truck. When the engine was warm it wouldn’t cycle them and the truck wouldn’t start without them. My troubles happened when trying to restart the truck after it had reached operating temperature and been shut off a while. I left original glow plug controller alone and only use the manual switch when necessary. The glow plug controller still cycles after the truck has spent the night with the block heater plugged in.

I assume you mean the GP relay not solenoid just to be certain were are talking about the same thing.

I don't know how to reply to your post other than to say that it does work the way I describe.

Why would the GP indicator have to be powered from the same terminal as the GP's?

Early Kubota B 5000, B 6000's had series wired GP's and the glow plug indicator was in series with the GP's themselves.

All amps flowing to the GP's passed through the glowing wire indicator on the dash so if it did not glow you knew there was a problem.

Newer Kubota's like the B7100 had GP's wired in parallel and the GP indicator was in parallel with the GP circuit. Now the GP indicator was powered at the same time as the GP's but, if the GP's were broken the indicator still glowed which mislead a lot of owners.

Here are replies from several Kubota owners after they tried my "trick."

Re: M7040 SUHD - Glow plugs
Thanks for the help, now I can utilize the glow plugs at moderate temperature or as I need them

Re: Glow plug trick for some Kubotas
Thanks for posting such a great trick, I'm sure others at one point in time will experience that same problem and be on their way running using it.
Al

Re: Glow plug trick for some Kubotas
Although it was warmer today my M7040 has been sitting unstarted for maybe a month. I know how it starts, in fact I've done a fair amount of testing on the glow plugs since I feel Kubota has missed the boat in how they manage their use. In ALL my other diesels glow plugs come on much MUCH earlier than on the M7040. Today I tried this trick and it made the tractor start as if it's 80 degrees out. It worked.

North Idaho Wolfman, the Kubota Guru on the orange forum said this:

Re: Glow plug trick for some Kubotas
Excellent post!
I would imagine that this or some variation should work on any of the electronically controlled models.

Dave M7040

 

[4570Man]

There’s definitely room for something to go wrong and the indicator no longer works, but assuming the glow plugs and the indicator work I don’t see how they could be operated individually.