3040 cold start problem

[CliffJ]

I have a 3040 w/ 175 hrs. It has been miserable to start when cold since new. If its colder than 35F it will not start unless I use a heater. I use a magnetic oil pan heater, that works great. The glow plugs stay on for 4-5 seconds before turning off. I've replaced the relay two times. The new relay(s) stays on the same amount of time (seems too short a time). Could this be an injector problem? I wish they had service manuals. Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[George2615]

I have a different brand tractor but also have a glow plug timer that only stays on 4-5 seconds. My tractor is an 04. My friend has the same tractor as me but is an 06. His timer stays on close to 10 seconds. I found if I cycle my ignition key to recycle the timer 2-3 times before cranking it starts right up. You might try that or check with your dealer to see if they have a timer with a longer cycle.

 

[Lgim]

I assumed that the poor cold weather starting is a product of where it was built. My 3040 has 300ish hrs on it in just under 2 years. I have had problems - more inconvenience really, when it was outside in the fall on early mornings 10 degrees C. I turned it on glow plugs shut off, spun over didn't fire, shut the key off, glow plus again, fired up.

Twice now (in 2 years) I left it outside in the fall rather then putting in into the heated shop. By the time I got around to putting it inside it was -20 C and it hasn't run for a month or so. It has a heater in the bottom rad hose that circulates coolant. I plug it in for a couple hrs and it fires up better then in the summer. My guess is that the coolant warms the fuel a little bit which makes the difference.

Might be worth the price of a coolant heater

good luck
Gary

 

[JDeerekid]

I have a larger Montana than you a 4340C and my glow plugs stay on for roughly 10 - 15 seconds. When its real cold around 10 degrees or below I cycle the glow plugs a couple times and it starts right up. I would contact your dealer and see if there is a replacement or upgrade that will allow them to stay on longer. My tractor is outside but under a roof and I have not had any problems starting in cold weather.
Maybe installing a block heater would be good for you. I am going to install on when I get around to it.

 

[CliffJ]

The two new timers were suppossed to be the improved version (stay on longer). Tonight it is 23F, the tractor is in an unheated shop (with out elec). I cycled the glow plugs ten times before trying to start it. No Luck! They dont even get warm to the touch. They are getting battery voltage, maybe not enough.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

try installing new glow plugs?

 

[Lgim]

I just looked in the service manual,
Glow plug timer Heating time is 6.2+-0.7 seconds.
Relay continuous rating is 1 minute
Glow plug inspection - .55 ohm resistence betwean terminal and body.

So unless you have a bad glow plug I would say its doing what it is supposed to. - which isn't good enough.

Just a thought to get it going - what would happen if you applied power with a jumper wire across the timer for say 30 seconds. - can't be good for the glow plugs or wires, but desperate times...

 

[JimmyBean]

Hi, just my two cents. I think I would look at fuel quality also. Do you use offroad diesel? Most of it is not treated unless you pay the extra. Try mixing your diesel with 20 % kerosene. This is the recommended rate per the manual. You can also just use the additive for diesel to keep it from gelling at low temperatures. I was mixing filtered used motor oil with my diesel all summer and when cold weather started I had to cut the mix way back because of hard starting. I was up to a 50-50 mix all summer with no notice of starting or performance issues. Now that we are in full Pa. winter here, I only put maybe a quart of oil to 5 gallons of diesel. I learned of this and did the research on the internet. Most of the over the road truckers do this on a regular basis. Even read articles of our military using motor oil when diesel was in short supply. The diesel engine is a great invention that was developed to run on vegetable oil, then the big oil got the idea petroleum was much more profitable for them....lol. Veggie oil can be burned straight in the summer but winter should be made into bio diesel. Keeps it from gelling in winter months. Anyway, try adjusting your fuel for cold season and see if this helps the startups.
My 5740C sits in my unheated barn and never refused to start. Sometimes turns a few times more when in the teens F. but always starts. I do sometimes cycle the glow plugs twice if it doesn't start on three or four turn overs. Hope you find your problem.
Jim T.

 

[George2615]

Just my two cents also, I think its time you check the glow plugs for proper resistance as LGIM said. I couldn't find the thread post but someone else had burned out their glow plugs by trying to start the tractor while a battery charger was hooked up in high boost / jump start mode. Seems it put too much voltage to them. You will have to disconnect the buss bar that ties them all together so you can check them one by one.

My tractor was only 2 years old and I had to replace mine. One was shorted to ground, one was open circuit, leaving only one working and that wasn't enough to get mine to fire. I'm past 2 years again but the new ones I installed are still working.

 

[alltoys]

Mine is cold natured as well. Drops below zero and it is tough to start. I have a lower rad hose heater and a stick on Oil Pan heater. Both plugged in for -40 so the thing will start. One cycle on the glow plugs starts every time.

Only thing is the motor has to run for a half hour at about 1200 rpm to heat up the hydraulics so they will work. It is also hard on fuel at these low temperatures.

 

[bones1]

I have the same hard/not starting problem when it's cold. How does one "cycle the glow plugs". It seems I only get one try for the glow plugs, if I turn the key off and back on I do not get another glow plug on light, so I can't cycle?.

 

[alltoys]

Same here, only one try for the glow plug light. I have tried numerous times cycling the glow plugs but it only does it once.

Soon as it drops below 20*F it is hard to start. Starts fine when it is plugged in but not so well when it isn't.

 

[PILOON]

Same here, only one try for the glow plug light. I have tried numerous times cycling the glow plugs but it only does it once.

Soon as it drops below 20*F it is hard to start. Starts fine when it is plugged in but not so well when it isn't.

Just an idea;
You could always parallel power to the glowplugs via a push switch for additional glow plug heat time.
It would need to be a normally open spring loaded switch capable of handling the amperage,
(old starter manual push to start switches come to mind or a relay) as generally automotive switches are only rated at 10 amps and you might risk welding the contacts which could fry the plugs.

If wired that the glow light is activated then you'd have a visual indicator as to timing.

I once wired a GM 6.2L manually in a similar manner and it did fine.
I'm lucky as my tractor allows me to cycle plugs manually, usually do it 3 times when real cold.

 

[Dallas_Lilly]

I have the same hard/not starting problem when it's cold. How does one "cycle the glow plugs". It seems I only get one try for the glow plugs, if I turn the key off and back on I do not get another glow plug on light, so I can't cycle?.

You can cycle the glow plugs by engaging the pto, depressing the clutch and turning the key to the crank position. The safety switch will not allow the tractor to crank with the PTO engaged.

 

[Ryan300DTC]

Hello Everyone,

I have a Farmtrac 300DTC, which is basically the same machine as the Montana 3040, only a different color. I had the same cold start problem and Dallas Lilly gave me the same advice a couple of months ago that he just posted here yesterday to help all of you out. This technique has worked flawlessly for me!! Where before I had problems starting my tractor once it got down to around 35 degrees (F), I have just recently started it just a couple of nights ago when it was as cold as -5 using this technique. My recommendation to append to Dallas Lilly's post. Using the PTO switch to keep the glow plugs energized, do a 9 second on, 9 second off cycle for 3 cycles and then disengage the PTO switch after the last on cycle to allow the engine to crank. If it is below 5 degrees, add one more 9 second cycle.

I hope this helps,

Ryan

 

[alltoys]

Hello Everyone,

I have a Farmtrac 300DTC, which is basically the same machine as the Montana 3040, only a different color. I had the same cold start problem and Dallas Lilly gave me the same advice a couple of months ago that he just posted here yesterday to help all of you out. This technique has worked flawlessly for me!! Where before I had problems starting my tractor once it got down to around 35 degrees (F), I have just recently started it just a couple of nights ago when it was as cold as -5 using this technique. My recommendation to append to Dallas Lilly's post. Using the PTO switch to keep the glow plugs energized, do a 9 second on, 9 second off cycle for 3 cycles and then disengage the PTO switch after the last on cycle to allow the engine to crank. If it is below 5 degrees, add one more 9 second cycle.

I hope this helps,

Ryan

Sweet! I am going to give this a try.

 

[gemini5362]

A plug here for sometimes new is not better. In addition to my Montana 4340C I have a kubota 6100 tractor. The kubota is an older model and to use the glow plugs you turn the key to the left and it powers the glow plugs up. You leave the key in that position as long as you want the glow plugs to have power to them. The key is spring loaded in that position so you have to hold it there.

 

[ScottFarm]

What type/weight oil are you using in your tractor?

Scott

 

[alltoys]

Sweet! I am going to give this a try.

Turning on the PTO switch then turn key to crank position works great. -30 today started right off. Cycled it 3 times for 20 seconds each worked great.