Going to have some January weather this weekend - high in the teens on Saturday . for these cold (for MO) temps, what is the best RPM to warm up the engine. Right at idle, engine not its smoothest. Smooths out when bumped up a little. What is recommend? Love the tractor.
Best warm up RPM for L3400
- Thread starter GLLinMO
- Start date
- Views: 5803
We will be -4F tonight...been running about +5F or so for a few days now.
I usually run it at idle for about 30 seconds or so to get the oil flowing (L5030 HSTC with synthetic engine and hydraulic oil), then I bump the rpm's up to about 1200 to prevent wet stacking.
After I get to the first "click" on the temp gauge, I am ready to work.
I usually run it at idle for about 30 seconds or so to get the oil flowing (L5030 HSTC with synthetic engine and hydraulic oil), then I bump the rpm's up to about 1200 to prevent wet stacking.
After I get to the first "click" on the temp gauge, I am ready to work.
DesertRose
Bronze Member
I do the same as RFB.
I do have a block heater which I usually plug in at least two hours before starting the tractor. It was -7F this morning and should be below -10F tomorrow morning. The block heater really shortens the time it takes for the temperature gauge to rise off of dead cold.
My tractor is parked in an unheated garage attached to the house and after I start the tractor I go back in the house and get dressed in my winter clothes. By the time I get dressed the tractor is warmed up.
Tom
I do have a block heater which I usually plug in at least two hours before starting the tractor. It was -7F this morning and should be below -10F tomorrow morning. The block heater really shortens the time it takes for the temperature gauge to rise off of dead cold.
My tractor is parked in an unheated garage attached to the house and after I start the tractor I go back in the house and get dressed in my winter clothes. By the time I get dressed the tractor is warmed up.
Tom
Double 00 Soul
Silver Member
My engine is smooth at idle so I run it about 10 minutes and then bump up the rpms because the temp. gauge usually hasn't moved much. With your engine being a little rough at idle, RPB's advice would seem the way to go.
Something else I picked up in another thread, if you have an HST, put the tranny in neutral and hit the forward & reverse pedal for a while after starting. This does seem to get the hydraulics up to snuff faster because after I tried it, my bucket raised more quickly the first time.
Agree with DesertRose in that if you have a block heater, about two hours or so seems to do it even in the coldest temps.. I use the block heater when the temp. gets in the 20s (above). It's just cheap insurance! It gets so far below zero here in MN that I don't like to think about starting the engine without using the block heater. Even though I use synthetic engine oil, the thought of that metal thrashing around in cold oil sends an extra chill through me when it gets below zero.
RFB, what is wet stacking? Don't believe I've ever heard that term.
Something else I picked up in another thread, if you have an HST, put the tranny in neutral and hit the forward & reverse pedal for a while after starting. This does seem to get the hydraulics up to snuff faster because after I tried it, my bucket raised more quickly the first time.
Agree with DesertRose in that if you have a block heater, about two hours or so seems to do it even in the coldest temps.. I use the block heater when the temp. gets in the 20s (above). It's just cheap insurance! It gets so far below zero here in MN that I don't like to think about starting the engine without using the block heater. Even though I use synthetic engine oil, the thought of that metal thrashing around in cold oil sends an extra chill through me when it gets below zero.
RFB, what is wet stacking? Don't believe I've ever heard that term.
wet stacking is a term used to describe a less than complete combustion process that occurs in diesel engines from cooler than normal operating temperatures due to lightly loaded engines.
When the diesel engine is allowed to run for extended periods below its designed operating temperature, unburned fuel is exhausted and noticed as wetness in the exhaust system, hence the phrase 努et stacking.
When unburned fuel is exhausted out of the combustion chamber it starts to build up in the exhaust side of the engine resulting in fouled injectors and a build up of carbon on the exhaust valves, turbo charger(if there is one) and exhaust. An excessive amount of deposits can result in a loss of engine performance as gases bypass valve seatings, exhaust buildup produces back pressure and deposits on the turbo blades reduces turbo efficiency. Over short periods permanent damage will not be incurred, but over longer periods damage will occur as deposits scar and erode key engine surfaces.
Another result of running below the designed operational temperature is the pistons rings, fitted to the piston to allow expansion of the piston as the engine temperature rises, do not attain their level of designed
tightness required to adequately seal the space between the cylinder walls. This results in unburned fuel and gases escaping into the oil pan and diluting the lubricating properties of the oil, leading to premature engine wear.
The obvious solution is to always run engine at the designed operational temperature. If Wet Stacking has not yet reached the level where carbon buildup can only be removed by a major engine overhaul, built-up fuel deposits and carbon can be removed by running the diesel engine at the required
operational temperature for several hours.
By adding rpm's (after a short time for initial oil circulation) instead of maintaining a slower, cooler idle, you arrive at operating temps quicker.
Diesel's run better under a load; although a higher idle is not really a load per se, its better than the colder low rpm idle.
When the diesel engine is allowed to run for extended periods below its designed operating temperature, unburned fuel is exhausted and noticed as wetness in the exhaust system, hence the phrase 努et stacking.
When unburned fuel is exhausted out of the combustion chamber it starts to build up in the exhaust side of the engine resulting in fouled injectors and a build up of carbon on the exhaust valves, turbo charger(if there is one) and exhaust. An excessive amount of deposits can result in a loss of engine performance as gases bypass valve seatings, exhaust buildup produces back pressure and deposits on the turbo blades reduces turbo efficiency. Over short periods permanent damage will not be incurred, but over longer periods damage will occur as deposits scar and erode key engine surfaces.
Another result of running below the designed operational temperature is the pistons rings, fitted to the piston to allow expansion of the piston as the engine temperature rises, do not attain their level of designed
tightness required to adequately seal the space between the cylinder walls. This results in unburned fuel and gases escaping into the oil pan and diluting the lubricating properties of the oil, leading to premature engine wear.
The obvious solution is to always run engine at the designed operational temperature. If Wet Stacking has not yet reached the level where carbon buildup can only be removed by a major engine overhaul, built-up fuel deposits and carbon can be removed by running the diesel engine at the required
operational temperature for several hours.
By adding rpm's (after a short time for initial oil circulation) instead of maintaining a slower, cooler idle, you arrive at operating temps quicker.
Diesel's run better under a load; although a higher idle is not really a load per se, its better than the colder low rpm idle.
In the owners manual for my tractor it suggest to warm up the engine at about half the pto rpm. I have been doing what RFB said earlier. A few seconds of idle then up to about 1100-1300 rpm and wait for the temp. needle to start moving.
Double 00
THanks for th tip on th hst warm up. I will do that too and see if it makes a difference.
Double 00
THanks for th tip on th hst warm up. I will do that too and see if it makes a difference.
ccsial
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2005
- Messages
- 1,678
- Location
- NorthWest Illinois
- Tractor
- (Kuboto L3400) (Ford 1900 4WD w/FEL) (Deere X748SE) All bought new
easygo said:
I also do the same except I use 1500 RPM. My L3400 seems to have a resonance around 1200-1300 and the fenders rattle a bit. At 1500 it is real smooth.
TalonDancer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2007
- Messages
- 388
I'm new to diesels, so please forgive these dumb questions...
My L3240 engine has a distinctly louder, more "metallic" knock when the engine is under load and cold. As it warms up, this "metallic" knock that gives way to a more muffed sound. Is this "metallic" knock a could indicator of whether the engine is still too cold for a given load?
It would seem that the fixed pitch fan on these engines pulls a lot of cold air during warm up. Is there a thermostatic or variable speed fan for Kubotas to reduce warm up time in very cold weather?
Thanks in Advance - Talon Dancer
My L3240 engine has a distinctly louder, more "metallic" knock when the engine is under load and cold. As it warms up, this "metallic" knock that gives way to a more muffed sound. Is this "metallic" knock a could indicator of whether the engine is still too cold for a given load?
It would seem that the fixed pitch fan on these engines pulls a lot of cold air during warm up. Is there a thermostatic or variable speed fan for Kubotas to reduce warm up time in very cold weather?
Thanks in Advance - Talon Dancer
TalonDancer said:
You shouldn't give a real load to a cold tractor (period). I think your owners manual will give warm up times. On the order of 10-20 minutes before giving it a load. Depends on the temp. Of note, diesel burns very cool and a low idle won't warm the engine up much or fast.
I set the throttle at 1500 rpm's when the engine is hot and I am putting it away. Then when starting, I don't touch it. With the clutch in, the rpm's will be about 1400, when the clutch comes out the cold thick fluid drops the rpms to about 12-1300 rpm. (HST) When the idle smooths down, I back it out of the barn so the fumes don't get to me or the critters. Then it idles at that 1200 to 1300 rpm for a while. It's generally ok to drive the tractor in low range when cold as that isn't really a load. Just don't rev it up.
Enjoy the snow.
jb
TalonDancer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2007
- Messages
- 388
I probably was not clear enough. By "load" I meant simply moving the tractor very slowly in M, raising the empty FEL off the ground, raising the BH90's stabilizers to full up position etc.. When I first start up on a cold morning (20-40 degrees) any of these simple actions will cause the detonation to have a more "metallic" sound. By the time the temp gauge hits the 1st blip, it takes driving a little quicker, raising the FEL with a light load (e.g. an empty pallet on the fork), etc to get the "metallic" sound.john_bud said:
FWIW I've probably been warming it up too slowly. At idle it can take 10-15 minutes just to get the temp gauge to half way. I'll try the 1200 RPM warm up next time it's cold here.
Talon Dancer
