How cold have you started your Jinma?

[Diamondpilot]

Well this morning it was a balmy -22 Deg Fahrenheit with the wind blowing about 20 mph. Wind chill was -39.

It was much warmer in the barn, -17. I plugged in the lower radiator hose heater for 20 minutes and came back and the block was warm to the touch. I have the gear reduction starter and cold weather glow plug relay kit. Anyway, gave it 20 seconds glow plugs and she fired right up with out using the compression release. I am guessing the engine did not even go through 3/4 of a revolution. It took it another 15 minutes to come up to 80C on the water temp and get the hydros working decent.

Just wondering what is the coldest you guys have started your Jinmas?

Chris

 

[studor]

Chris
I've had pretty much the same experience -- somewhere around -30 to -35 celsius (-22 to -25 or so fahrenheit and windchill don't count) -- plug in a heater that uses its own hose from the block to the thermostat housing (came on the tractor) for 20 minutes, 10 to 20 seconds of glow plug and away she goes. Original starter, glow plugs rewired with heavier wire (but no relay) and everything else in the circuit original except no clutch safety switch . There is an old expression about it having to warm up to snow which is accurate. It never seems to snow below ths kind of temp so I have not tried the tractor much below that range -- I have trouble getting started below those temps
Hydraulic fluid takes a while to move the 3ph at anything below -15c or so-- may get one of the magnetic heaters to shortcut that a little bit.
regards
Steve

 

[greg_g]

-3F this morning, KM454 started. Reluctantly, but it started. No glow plugs (not equipped), no compression release (cable frozen). Oil pan heaters are on a timer. Without them, I'm quite sure it wouldn't have started at all.

//greg//

 

[RonMar]

A magnetic heater on the hydro resovoir would save wear and tear on the hydro pump and allow fluid to flow quicker/sooner.

Dosn't get below 0 here, coldest I have started is in the + teens with no heat other than the glow plugs. Starts fine down to that point.

I always use the compression release regardless of temp for 3 reasons:
1. I believe this lowers the initial starter inrush current and possibly saves starter brush and contactor wear and tear.
2. It allows oil pressure to build a little without putting full load on the crank rod bearings, which are the last to see full oil pressure.
3. On the first crankover, it allows any fluid that has inadvertently found it's way into the cylinders to clear without hydraulically locking the piston and possibly damaging the rod or crank.

 

[Bob Rooks]

The downside of cranking the engine with the compression release excessively, is that raw fuel is being dumped into the cylinders unless the fuel stop is pulled, washing down the walls and contributing to accelerated ring/liner wear and oil dilution.

 

[GuglioLS]

Hey Chris,

-22 thats darn cold, I've seen a few reports of the deep freeze some of you guys have been through. Stories like yours remind me why I left the snow belt of north east Ohio 32 years ago.

The coldest it's been here in New Mexico since getting my tractor is -10 *F, no where near what your experiencing. Although it has been colder here but that was a few years back. I have a 2005 Jinma 354 with the TY395, E-3 engine. I have been told that particular engine is pretty much bullet proof for cold starting reliability. It cranks and fires right up, has glow plugs but never needs them. I do activate them every once in a while thinking it may burn off any carbon that might be built up on them. Like you, I never need the compression release to get 'er going either. I suppose there are arguments for and against compression release, my thinking is diesel cars and trucks don't have it..... The compression release would be good for a "run away" engine or if the fuel kill failed for some reason. I like the idea of warming up the Hydraulic fluid, and I suppose a block / oil pan heater or lower radiator hose heater for the engine is good if your constantly having to start in sub zero temps. Regardless of the temp, I let the engine warm up @ 800 - 900 RPM's for about 10 to 15 minutes before taking off or using any hydraulics. Doing that seems the right thing to do. So has it warmed up for you any?

Larry

 

[Diamondpilot]

It actually got up to about 27 yesterday afternoon after a low of -15 the night before. Today its snowing again and about 15 deg with a forecast high of around 22. We are out of the real cold stuff for now but the 30 mph winds are no fun either.

Chris

 

[3RRL]

Last year when Larry came out to visit it snowed here on our property for the 1st and only time in the 5 years we've owned it. The coldest it got was 16F (must be because of Larry) Other than that, it dips occasionally to 28F or so. Usually more like above 32F.
This year was more like others. A couple days below freezing an the rest above. Right now we have lows around 40F and the high today is predicted to be 68F. The last week it's been like that and makes for perfect weather. I only wish our Summers were cooler and that we get more rain during the hot months.

 

[markh1]

Mine started but not right away at -20 Fahrenheit. It is in the garage but I have no heater on it and I have a bad glo plug.

Mark H

 

[SPIKER]

I ran mine this past weekend, a balmy 7 degrees out when I fired her up, had heat lamp on the injector pump/line for about 15 min. I've started mine done in the -teens before and ran a while clearing stick car/snow. Sure takes a while to get hyd up & running at those low temps for sure. I run mine when called for in winter to clear snow and or pull stuck vehicles out.

I use compression release when it is very cold like that but normally never need it. I do keep float charger on it and often put a boost charger on when that cold to help the glow plugs heat better and the starter get better juice...

Mark M