Starting a tractor in extreme cold temperatures

taem · Feb 22, 2022

Well, I read this whole thread and never got to the one that "used to be used" in old Vermont: Drain the oil at night, take it into the house and park beside the wood stove and reinstall in the morning. Rinse and repeat daily. Oh, yeah and the charcoal burner under the oil pan. Just sayin'

D2Cat · Feb 22, 2022

Just take a heat gun or blow dryer and heat up the intake manifold for a few minutes. It'll fire right off.

RjCorazza · Feb 23, 2022

D2Cat said:
Just take a heat gun or blow dryer and heat up the intake manifold for a few minutes. It'll fire right off.

That's similar to how I start my Bobcat walk behind mower in the late fall when temps get down to 40 degrees f. It's a bit of a pain, but preferable to pulling a recoil starter 20+ times.

Hay Dude · Feb 23, 2022

RjCorazza said:
That's similar to how I start my Bobcat walk behind mower in the late fall when temps get down to 40 degrees f. It's a bit of a pain, but preferable to pulling a recoil starter 20+ times.

I keep my painters heat gun on an extension cord nearby too.
It can be one of several starting aids. Works well on smaller tractors.

Never bothered to check if DeWalt makes a cordless heat gun…..

On edit:
I might just have to pick one of these up. My ZD331 is a cranky starter when cold.

LHF2019 · Feb 23, 2022

I guess I'm spoiled. All these tricks and tips and all I do walk out and plug them in for couple hours at any temp under 40. I wouldn't trade a block heater for anything. My attitude does not apply to the people that have no access to electric for heating.

not2old · Feb 23, 2022

My GC2610 doesn't want to start if it is below-20C. The thick oil prevents it from turning over fast enough. I have a 650W? block heater and if plugged in for two hours or maybe three, it will easily start without the glow plugs being used.

D2Cat · Feb 23, 2022

LHF2019 said:
I guess I'm spoiled. All these tricks and tips and all I do walk out and plug them in for couple hours at any temp under 40. I wouldn't trade a block heater for anything. My attitude does not apply to the people that have no access to electric for heating.

If you're really uptown, you'd have it on a timer. Then when you went out you could start doing something, instead of waiting!

hube2 · Feb 23, 2022

LHF2019 said:
I guess I'm spoiled. All these tricks and tips and all I do walk out and plug them in for couple hours at any temp under 40. I wouldn't trade a block heater for anything. My attitude does not apply to the people that have no access to electric for heating.

I'm spoiled as well. When I built my original shed that was replace for my new larger tractor I wired outlets in the shed to switches in the house. I just turn on the switch 2 hours before I plan to start the tractor. This was planned like I said when I built the original shed in '98. More than 20 years later and the system still works.

Honestly timers would not help because I never know what time I will need to go out and move snow. Do I need to go out at 5:30 am to get my wife out? Will we get enough snow that needs to be moved at that time? Will they close school and she's staying home? Will I need to go out at 1:30 pm to make sure she can get in when she gets home.

MapleLeafFarmer · Feb 23, 2022

LHF2019 said:
I guess I'm spoiled. All these tricks and tips and all I do walk out and plug them in for couple hours at any temp under 40. I wouldn't trade a block heater for anything. My attitude does not apply to the people that have no access to electric for heating.

same on my end.... I blew snow today... awoke at sunrise at -34c with -46 windchill.... I know many think windchill doesn't matter but when blowing snow on an open station I argue it sure does.

in a pole barn I keep my L3301 with bonnet up to keep mice away. Fuel is always fresh for winter to make sure there is no gelling although I do give it a small squirt of PS winter just in case.

close the bonnet, gave her 2 1/2 hours on the block heater, 2 cycles of glow plug, throttle up to 1/4, and she fires up first go. 30 minute warm-up.

so I guess I am spoiled as well. I wouldn't trade my block heater either. Cheap, easy to use, costs almost nothing to operate, and has never let me down.

Highly recommend block heaters over silicone pads, BBQ's/hibachis , magnetic heaters, in hose/inline heaters, etc... as I have also used them all over the years with best success with block heaters..

I would like to try my used oil heater blowing through a flex hose under a tractor covered with tarp... I think that would work as well as the block heaters if they should ever lets me down.