Cold start issues, which fluid needs a heater?

TSO · Mar 5, 2015

cormier said:
Just my 2 cents of advice, Ive been a millwright for 15 years and i learned to start with the simple stuff a long time ago. Never dive in and pull the guts out on the table before you try the simple stuff first. Heat, filter, new fuel etc. Taking the injector pump apart or the injectors out will # 1 void warranty # 2 cost a boat load of money if you don't know what your doing.

I did exactly that ... Heat, more heat, new filter, fresh fuel, more heat...

IslandTractor · Mar 5, 2015

TSO said:
I did exactly that ... Heat, more heat, new filter, fresh fuel, more heat...

You might have succeeded in starting with just enough heat. No doubt winter fuel was needed for future cold starts though.

TSO · Mar 5, 2015

IslandTractor said:
You might have succeeded in starting with just enough heat. No doubt winter fuel was needed for future cold starts though.

No that's what I had been doing for a couple days before it finally would not start at all.

IslandTractor · Mar 5, 2015

TSO said:
No that's what I had been doing for a couple days before it finally would not start at all.

Do you think you ever got the original fuel warm enough?

I don't use my tractor in winter and just leave summer fuel in it without additives. Never fails to start in the Spring. Me thinks it is all about fuel temperature. Of course if the whole engine is very cold it will take quite some time to warm up enough to get every bit of fuel up to temps where summer fuel isn't gelled any longer.

Dave M7040 · Mar 5, 2015

IslandTractor said:
Do you think you ever got the original fuel warm enough?

I don't use my tractor in winter and just leave summer fuel in it without additives. Never fails to start in the Spring. Me thinks it is all about fuel temperature. Of course if the whole engine is very cold it will take quite some time to warm up enough to get every bit of fuel up to temps where summer fuel isn't gelled any longer.

You will never get the fuel in the tank warmed up in cold weather no matter how long you have the tractor running.
The first place gelling becomes a problem is at the fuel filter where the wax crystals block the filter and cut off fuel flow stopping the engine.
I do the reverse of what you do and use -40 diesel year round because most of my use is in cold weather. It is more expensive but you never get caught
changing over to winter fuel too late or experience a sudden cold snap.
Dave M7040

GManBart · Mar 6, 2015

TSO said:
I did exactly that ... Heat, more heat, new filter, fresh fuel, more heat...

Just know you aren't alone! Two weeks ago I needed a couple of things from Tractor Supply, and when I walked through the isle with automotive additives, they didn't have a single container of Power Service 911, but they had lots of regular PS. They had shelf space for a lot of the 911, so there must have been a bunch of people with problems, or the local construction companies cleaned them out.

TSO · Mar 6, 2015

GManBart said:
Just know you aren't alone! Two weeks ago I needed a couple of things from Tractor Supply, and when I walked through the isle with automotive additives, they didn't have a single container of Power Service 911, but they had lots of regular PS. They had shelf space for a lot of the 911, so there must have been a bunch of people with problems, or the local construction companies cleaned them out.

I've been hearing a lot of that too ... Maybe PS is actual owned by big oil and it's a conspiracy!