Starting Your Kubota in Cold Weather

[RoyJackson]

Actually I will start at the neighbor's mailbox, to the left of the pictures(maybe not in pictures), and clear about 2/3 the length of the house. Mostly moving the pile. At the tree is his septic tank, so I have to keep that covered. That pile/berm is the plowed mess from the county going around the turn around. Usually further away from yellow house, but not this year. Will actually touch the pile with the back blade in areas to make sure it is broken up, then turn around and chew with the blower. And keep moving in a little bit at a time. If that doesn't work, I'll drop the blower and go get the BX's loader and use the bucket. Jon

I go through this on occasion after the town plow does their plowing and normally stick with the blower as much as possible. Now, my blower is a rear mount and I've got 46 PTO HP. But piles that high (especially if it's frozen) even bog my tractor down. Using the blower moves the snow quite a distance if it's dry so I don't have to do it twice. Using the loader bucket...well, sometimes there's no room to put the snow (that's what it looks like in your pictures).

Good luck though! That looks to be a real PITA job

 

[Ivan49]

Had my BX2230 plugged in a hour north of you for about 2 hrs. -10F when plugged in, about -8F when started. Bit of glow plug and she fired. Ran rough, idled up and left it for 10-15 min and off and blowing snow. Just plugged it in again, (-6F)and will try starting in a 1/2 hour to an hour. Need to open up a parking area for a neighbor coming up to his cottage. Was -18F this morning at 9am. Jon

You have a lot more snow than we do. The heaver snows starts south of Kalkaska and goes up from there. We only have about 6 or 7 inches on the ground. I use my loader to push it out of the way and if we get a lot I will put my blower on. I just hate to get covered in snow but that is what I get for not getting a cab

 

[joesco]

I'm pretty sure BX's just glow as long as you hold the key in the notch before it would turn over. I don't think it has the advance electronics to control it. I started mine the other day when it was a little below zero. I had to run the glow plugs and crank it quite long, no block heater.

My BX2230 would require about 45 seconds on the glowplug. I installed a block heater a few weeks ago (400 watts) plug it in and 90 minutes later it starts like it's July not January in a 0 degree garage in NH.

 

[dodge man]

My BX gelled up today. I barely got into my shop. I added a Racor a few years ago and it was full of stuff that looked like hand lotion. I changed it and the small factory filter which was also plugged. Dumped in some 911 also. I’ve been running Howes also, guess it let me down. It’s been cold here, not getting above 10 often and getting 10 to 15 below at night.

 

[wmonroe]

Started my L5240 this morning to plow snow and move in some firewood. It was -2 in the barn and a little colder outside so I figured I’d do a cold start video. I’ve been very lucky with this tractor and have not had any issues with it starting down to -9 or so. A block heater is on my to do list but haven’t got to it yet.

Kubota L5240 cold start -2* - YouTube

 

[sixdogs]

Started my L5240 this morning to plow snow and move in some firewood. It was -2 in the barn and a little colder outside so I figured I’d do a cold start video. I’ve been very lucky with this tractor and have not had any issues with it starting down to -9 or so. A block heater is on my to do list but haven’t got to it yet.

Kubota L5240 cold start -2* - YouTube

Sounds like synthetic oil?
Mine all sound just like yours. My 98 HP Kubota of 25 years ago and dino oil sounded just the same. Kubotas just start when it's cold.

 

[Oldpath05]

When it's down to around 0ｰ, my L3400 wont start unless I have the block heater plugged in for two hrs, after two hrs it starts like summertime. I dont remember trying to start it when it's down around 0 without block heater plugged in, maybe it would but not now because I'm still on the same battery after ten years and 6 months old, and today the tractor turned 1000 hrs. 500 of those hrs my tractor was put to very hard work.

 

[Dave M7040]

Started my L5240 this morning to plow snow and move in some firewood. It was -2 in the barn and a little colder outside so I figured I’d do a cold start video. I’ve been very lucky with this tractor and have not had any issues with it starting down to -9 or so. A block heater is on my to do list but haven’t got to it yet.

Kubota L5240 cold start -2* - YouTube

Thanks for the video. Your tractor starts very well!

Could I please offer one comment with the hope I don't offend you.

I think you are letting the engine run at too low an rpm once it starts.

If you increase the rpm by about 500, I think you will find the black smoke and rough running wont happen.

Kubota talks about warming the entire tractor at 50% of full rpm.

If you think about diesel emergency generators, as soon as they fire, they immediately go to their rated speed of either 3,600 rpm or 1,800 rpm depending upon the design of the generator.

Dave M7040

 

[coolreinfarm]

All of the emergency diesel and gas (natural & propane) generators I’ve worked on had coolant heaters of some kind and believe me at 0 deg they won’t start and if it did there would be damage at full rated rpm. I have a l3240 and I run like the video around 900 rpm until it heats up.

 

[Garandman]

L3200 with 120 hours. Starts readily if a little grumpy at temps down to -18° F / -28° C.

It was -16 this morning.