Cold starting trick

[UpLateAgain]

I learned a new trick for starting the tractor today that I thought I'd pass on. I have a Zetor C42L (which, I understand, is the same thing as a Century C42L and a Branson 4220) with 257 hours on it. It was becoming progressively harder to start as this past summer went on, and once the cold weather hit, it became near impossible. I've been using a magnetic oil pan heater, but have not yet installed the block heater that just arrived yesterday.

Anyway, though it only has 257 hours, I decided to pull the glow plugs and check them out. Turns out three of the four had gone bad. I ordered new plugs, but it will take a couple of days for them to get here. In the meantime, I need the tractor and it is 18 degrees out..... what to do.

I disconnected the air intake tube from the intake manifold (simple hose clamp), and set a heat gun (paint stripper type - Stanley - $22.00 at Walmart) into the opening, turned it on for about half a minute, and cranked the engine. In about 20 seconds she popped right over. I imagine you could use a hair dryer to the same effect.... just get some warm air flowing into the cylinders. It took about another 15 seconds to put the air tube back on and clamp it down.

One word of caution - watch out for that cooling fan when you are under the hood with the engine running.

 

[JB4310]

I disconnected the air intake tube from the intake manifold (simple hose clamp), and set a heat gun (paint stripper type - Stanley - $22.00 at Walmart) into the opening, turned it on for about half a minute, and cranked the engine. In about 20 seconds she popped right over.

20 seconds is still a long time to be cranking, especially with warm air going in,
which is a good idea. That's how Cummins handles cold start, when the light says wait to start it's warming intake air as well as warming fuel in bowl. after that it fires in a second can't let the key off fast enough

Are we talking sub-zero temps here, or just below freezing?
If it's not super cold then something else must be wrong for such a low hour machine to take that much effort to start.

Maybe look closely at your fuel separator/filter, hopefully with all glow plugs working it will be back to normal though.

 

[neucam]

I have to agree while heating the intake is better than ether, get those glow plugs working, or starter or cold engine lubrication problems might surface. It should fire in a couple seconds even when below freezing, otherwise warm the battery and the oil for good fast starts.

 

[JB4310]

I've got an ornery starting Ford with 2700 hours, that requires glow plugs even in the summer, it will start with glow plugs in the winter but takes a few restarts to keep it going. I put a radiator hose heater on there and that helps with not needing the restarts.

I wanted to try something else just to see if it would work in case I forgot to plug the electric heater in or if battery was low. so I took one of those kero fired construction heaters and aimed it right at the pump side of the machine from about 5 ft away, for 10-15 minutes or so on a very cold day.
It worked, it fired up, figured it heated the block, the fuel system, the air around it as well as the intake air to some degree.
At least I know in an emergency I should be able get her going.

With my modern JD I have never needed the glow plugs, and only plugged the block heater in once just to see if it worked.

 

[jinman]

I wanted to try something else just to see if it would work in case I forgot to plug the electric heater in or if battery was low. so I took one of those kero fired construction heaters and aimed it right at the pump side of the machine from about 5 ft away, for 10-15 minutes or so on a very cold day.
It worked, it fired up, figured it heated the block, the fuel system, the air around it as well as the intake air to some degree.
At least I know in an emergency I should be able get her going.

Great idea! If you stand in front of it while warming the engine, you can dry your hair too.

 

[cowsrus]

I used that method on a hard to start older JD last winter when my block heater went out and it works really good. Word of caution : Don't use this method on a gasoline tractor

 

[Soundguy]

is it your 1700 that starts hard? have you compression tested it?

while I'm not a huge fan of the lil jap sub-compact units.. I don't dislike them either... and for the most part have found them fairly reliable and up to the job, for their size anyway.

soundguy

I've got an ornery starting Ford with 2700 hours, that requires glow plugs even in the summer, it will start with glow plugs in the winter but takes a few restarts to keep it going. I put a radiator hose heater on there and that helps with not needing the restarts.

I wanted to try something else just to see if it would work in case I forgot to plug the electric heater in or if battery was low. so I took one of those kero fired construction heaters and aimed it right at the pump side of the machine from about 5 ft away, for 10-15 minutes or so on a very cold day.
It worked, it fired up, figured it heated the block, the fuel system, the air around it as well as the intake air to some degree.
At least I know in an emergency I should be able get her going.

With my modern JD I have never needed the glow plugs, and only plugged the block heater in once just to see if it worked.

 

[Matt_Jr]

Uplateagain, good thinking. In the beginning and middle of your post I was wondering what you were leading up to. Kind of built up a little suspense. lol. I'll have to remember that. Thanks.

 

[Matt_Jr]

JB4310, I'm scared I'd melt the plastic fenders off of my BX with one of those heaters.

 

[JB4310]

is it your 1700 that starts hard? have you compression tested it?
soundguy

1700 yes, Shibaura 2 cyl, No comp test but I suspect that would be the cause. I bought it from a landscape company who pounded it day in and day out with a harley rake and they bought it from a rental company

It is a stout little machine, but I ain't married to it so I'm just gonna run it the way it is.