How hard to crank in the winter?

[davesisk]

I realize it just became summer, but one of the things I'm looking forward to using the PT for this winter is moving snow on my property, plus a couple of neighbors. Wooo whooo,...er...uh...I mean..."hard work".../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Anyway, since I've never before needed to crank a small gasoline engine in the cold winter, I'm wondering what I need to do to make sure it starts and runs when I actually need it this winter. (I'm in Raleigh, NC, so the COLDEST we usually see is 30 degrees or so during the day, maybe teens at night.)

1) Add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank.
2) Do an oil change prior to insure clean 10W30 synthetic oil when it gets cold.
3) Do I need any sort of starter fluid for a small gas engine (or is that only for deisels...?)
4) I installed a new battery recently, and I've got a spare portable starter battery, so should be OK there.
5) Anything else?

Dave

 

[MossRoad]

<font color=blue>COLDEST we usually see is 30 degrees or so during the day</font color=blue>

That's what we call a nice day /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I usually don't have trouble with small engines until it gets into the teens. Even then, just choke it and it starts. Once in a great while on older small engines I will give it a shot of ether, but only have had to do that when it is below zero.

 

[pajoube]

In Montana its very dry in the winter. I have never had a problem starting a vehicle until it dips 30 to 40 below zero. Then I usually put a light bulb under the hood covered by a blanket. The largest problem is the fuel pump on Honda vehicles which is located inside the wheel well. Tractors, well they just need a little more luv.
PJ

 

[ernemats]

Dave:
You should have no problems at 30 degrees, here in PA we get much colder than that , over the 2 winters I have had mine it has started right up, you will just have to let it run for a short while till it gets warmed up . the draulic fluids are thicker and will stall the tractor if you try to run it as soon as you start it.

 

[wasabi]

I don't know about other PT users, but I get cranky below 30 degrees too. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I know you are referring to gasoline engines, but for what it is worth, it only takes one or two "cranks' for the Deutz diesel to fire up....every time!

 

[MossRoad]

I never had good luck with diesels in the winter. That was one of the main reasons I went with a gas engine. On those -10F days I want my machine to start.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

MossRoad

Wasabi: <font color=red>"...it only takes one or two "cranks' for the Deutz diesel to fire up....every time!</font color=red>

MossRoad <font color=red>"I never had good luck with diesels in the winter. </font color=red>

My experience matches both of yours. The Deutz is the easiest starting diesel I've ever worked with. Even after changing the filter and aerating the system, it cranked a bit and fired up. The coldest I tried it was 30 degrees, in January, and it started right up. No hassle, no glow plugs - just like a gas engine. (But have I mentioned that it's a bit louder than an E series Mercedes?)
I don't have any plans for a block heater or other preparation for winter.
With the current temperature heading for 100, it's nice to think about cold weather performance.

 

[MossRoad]

Yep, its been over 90 here for the last 6-8 days. PT starts with very little choke in this weather /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif. The nice thing is I haven't had to run it much since the grass doesn't grow fast in hot weather.

Last time I ran it was last Wednesday or Thrusday. I left work, drove 10 minutes to my home, mowed my one acre, had a roast beef sandwich and a pop, put the tractor away and got back to work 61 minutes after I left /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[wasabi]

I have not had this machine in cold weather yet, so I'll have to confirm my impressions later. My main experience with diesels was with my old Mercedes 300D that I owned for ten years. It did have a glow plug, but was always reliable, even in Indiana's coldest spells. Wish I had held on to that old girl!

Actually, I find our Kawasaki mule to be more tempermental than any other vehicle/engine I've ever had....needs choke, even on mild mountain mornings. My chainsaw starts easier!

Re: the noise factor....I am actually not overly bothered by it....but after blissfully fooling around for about an hour while my wife was working near by, I was summarily lectured for not buying her a pair of pro-ears too! /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif.

 

[bubenberg]

although we have not had bad winters for the 18 month we own the pt425 properly maintained, running the beasty a few minutes each week .... like 10 minutes to the local pub ... or even more to the point chores. this thing will start every time.

we have the identical engine on an exmark z turn mower and we did push snow and leaves around for two winters before we got the pt. servicing and keeping a good battery will never let you down ... an old german saying: "what rests rusts".