Cold weather running questions

[StrangeRanger]

Hi,
I don't have my L3400 HST yet, soon, but have a question about operating in COLD temps.
I'm looking for cold weather operating tips from you pros. I know to put additives in the fuel, but I don't know what type/brand to use. I'm assuming my dealer can clue me in there.
But what other tips/tricks do you guys have? I'm concerned because my neighbor had his fuel system gel up on him while plowing and he does use additives etc.
Is it possible/smart to put little "wraps" or what not around the motor bay or fuel filters/separaters? You know, kinda like the covers they put over the grills of big trucks.
My 3400 will be stored in the garage, but my drive way is 1800' long and can get VERY windy and cold.
Any ideas appreciated. Thanks,
j

 

[dirtworksequip]

stranger, most people here run Power Service,Diesel Fuel Supplement. Add it to your fuel before cold weather.It will keep your fuel from gelling.Power service also makes an injector cleaner which probably wouldn't hurt to run some of it thru periodically in the warmer months.Power Service also makes DIESEL 911 which will take care of fuel that has already gelled. Just follow the instructions on the bottles. I usually treat my 500 gallon tank with the proper amount of Diesel Fuel Supplement all year around and then ocassionally add a little to my tractor fuel tank if it is calling for extremely cold weather. 10 degrees or colder. Otherwise I don't worry about it. I've never had any gelling on any of my tractors or heavy equipment down to -15 F. Thats about as cold as it gets here. If your neighbor had problems it was probably from not enough supplement or water in his fuel. As far a the wraps I have never used any on my machines. Maybe someone else here will chime in if they have.

 

[Stef]

I don't understand. Up here too -15F is normal in winter and my fuel line has never ever freezed. I add an ordinary additive in the fuel like anybody else.

I would say, keep the fuel tank full to minimize the possible condensation build up. It's not supposed to freeze unless there's water.

 

[StrangeRanger]

Ok, so use additives and keep the tank full to minimize condensation. Got it. Thanks,
j

 

[john_bud]

This year there were more cases of gelled fuel filters than ever before. A combination of things that included the introdcution of the new USLD fuel (it doesn't take to treatments the same way for some reason), a warm early winter and a sudden drop to -20F. The distributors appear to have not been treating the fuel correctly (possibly to save money?) and the cold weather really stopped a lot of diesels cold. No pun intended.

I used PowerService in the white bottle and it allowed the fuel to gel. Adding a qt of the PS Diesel 911 and changing the filters only worked until the new filters clogged. Adding a qt of Howes Diesel Teat, on top of everything else cleared the filters. On the Kubota with the clear fuel bowl, I could see the Howes clear the gel off of the filter in 15 min of idling (1200 rpm and -18F).

Real cold weather operations, can be made easier by the addition of a block heater.

If you have an HST, idle it with the clutch dogged down for a couple minutes if it is below 10F or so. Add a minute or two for every 5F it drops from there. The hydraulic oil is REAL thick at those temps, especially at -10F and down!

jb

 

[Atlas]

Before filling the fuel tank and fuel cans last fall I made sure that the station had switched to the winter blend and I added Power Service to it. For under $50 a block heater was added last summer. It was easy to install. The engine fired right up in sub-zero weather.

 

[WayneB]

Although we have only had a few days that were sub-zero I had no problems starting the tractor. I do keep the tank full but do not have a block heater or have I added anything to the fuel?

 

[art]

We sell a lot of the Kubota's with out block heaters and they have started as low as -25 F with out any trouble but the fuel can be a problem and thenit might not be. Try and find a place that hasn't just filled there tanks as that stirs up the bottom of the tanks. Places that sell more fuel probably has the best fuel.

 

[Northland]

Based on my experience living in Northern Ontario where it is cold from Nov to April I would suggest:

1-get a block heater-it makes a huge difference in how easily the engine turns over, idles smoothly and how fast the tractor is useable. Same thing holds true with my car and truck. I have them all i the garage, side-by-side, on timers that go on at 6 AM. At 7:30 AM my wife goes to work and I plough if necessary.Tractor Supply House sells a $45 magnetic stick-on heater that looks like it might work well.
2- Get Mr. Funnel to seperate the water from the fuel- I had a major problem with water in my fuel shortly after I bought my B7800
3- Use Power Serve or another additive. I add 5 oz or so to each tank of diesel fuel
4-Fill you tank up at night when condensation build-up is at the minimum. In the morning, as temperatures rise, condensation occurs
5-I didn't get around to it this winter but putting in a radiator cover/wind block, like on the big trucks, makes sense. Users here suggested a 6" in circumference hole in a plastic board

 

[cp1969]

Based on my experience living in Northern Ontario where it is cold from Nov to April I would suggest:

1-get a block heater-it makes a huge difference in how easily the engine turns over, idles smoothly and how fast the tractor is useable. Same thing holds true with my car and truck. I have them all i the garage, side-by-side, on timers that go on at 6 AM. At 7:30 AM my wife goes to work and I plough if necessary.Tractor Supply House sells a $45 magnetic stick-on heater that looks like it might work well.
2- Get Mr. Funnel to seperate the water from the fuel- I had a major problem with water in my fuel shortly after I bought my B7800
3- Use Power Serve or another additive. I add 5 oz or so to each tank of diesel fuel
4-Fill you tank up at night when condensation build-up is at the minimum. In the morning, as temperatures rise, condensation occurs
5-I didn't get around to it this winter but putting in a radiator cover/wind block, like on the big trucks, makes sense. Users here suggested a 6" in circumference hole in a plastic board

Good advice but I would offer one correction--that should be a 6" diameter hole, not 6" circumference.

In addition to the above, if it really has to run, find someone who sells #1 diesel fuel. If it really, really has to run, get a fuel heater from Racor or Stanadyne.

 

[Northland]

Good advice but I would offer one correction--that should be a 6" diameter hole, not 6" circumference.

In addition to the above, if it really has to run, find someone who sells #1 diesel fuel. If it really, really has to run, get a fuel heater from Racor or Stanadyne.

thanks for the correction - I looked up the terms at Circumference. Now I remember why I was so bad in math and stuff and never became a P. Eng.

#1 is for winter use and #2 is for summer right? I buy the off-road fuel at the Citgo or Admiral stations in north Michigan. I don't recall if it is #1 or #2though.

 

[ihookem]

The only thing I do is make sure you don't have fuel from fall when it gets cold. A good diesel supplier knows what's going on and can leave it up to them. I get offroad diesel at a big truck stop and they sell more diesel than gas. In the fall I do ask if it's #1 or # 2. The owners are always close by for a question like that and they know. If it's #2 I make sure it's gone by the time it's 20 degrees above cause that's when #2 starts to gell.

 

[cp1969]

thanks for the correction - I looked up the terms at Circumference. Now I remember why I was so bad in math and stuff and never became a P. Eng.

#1 is for winter use and #2 is for summer right? I buy the off-road fuel at the Citgo or Admiral stations in north Michigan. I don't recall if it is #1 or #2though.

That's right. #1 is not all that easy to find, but it is around. Usually what you get from a station in winter is a blend of #2 and #1. But you are at the mercy of the station operator to guess the blending ratio that works. It appears that the switch to ULSD threw a lot of people a curve this year...the blending ratios that worked in the past didn't work so well this year.

 

[PMRT]

L3130. 0 to +5F this winter. Standard, cold weather diesel additive from Autozone (about $2 treats, dunno, like 100 gallons) worked like a charm.

 

[cp1969]

L3130. 0 to +5F this winter. Standard, cold weather diesel additive from Autozone (about $2 treats, dunno, like 100 gallons) worked like a charm.

Welcome to the forum, in case no one has extended that to you yet.

 

[art]

5-I didn't get around to it this winter but putting in a radiator cover/wind block, like on the big trucks, makes sense. Users here suggested a 6" in circumference hole in a plastic board

Not for nothing the whole should be in the center of the fan!!! When you don't have a hole or it isn't in the center then it causes the fan blades to flex more and weakens them to the point they fill break off!!!!! The whole should be at least the 6" in diameter as recommended

 

[Lockport]

Up here too -15F is normal in winter and my fuel line has never ever freezed.....fuel tank full to minimize the possible condensation build up. It's not supposed to freeze unless there's water.

Yup, -30F for about a week last month. Winter diesel #1 (local- so lots of cetane content {the same as you would add}) in an unheated garage and I plug it in for an hour, glow for 12 seconds and she fires right up, first time, everytime!