i know it's reality...

[BlackOps]

last year after and during excessively cold weather and snow that i needed the tractor - no start - fuel just too cold. been treating it with the diesel anti-gel stuff all year just to have it in the tank for when needed - again been close to zero for a week or so and expect to have 8"" of snow or so and went to start it today - errrrrrrrr errrrrr errrrr errrrrr errrrrrr errrrrr. **** - charges the battery a few times and tried to start and even doubled the glowplugs before each try - notta. got dark so had to leave the charge as is and stop for the night. will try tomorrow - may be a bit warmer. 20's almost 30 maybe??? today - should be above 32 for a while but 23 or 20 tonight. yes it is outside and no way to put it in any building - shed way to small and no other shelter. just a reality of what i got going on. But ****...when i need it for this snow scene- i get stuck having to shovel - a lot to shovel and am an old man.

just a story...

 

[KubotainNH]

Sounds like your glow plugs are not working properly or you need to run them longer. Make sure the glow plugs are getting 12volts on them. On my old tractor I need to run them at least a minute when below freezing. Even with that it sometimes takes a 2nd or 3rd try but the glow plugs are a must or it wouldn't start. If the engine doesn't catch the first couple seconds then it gets more glow plug time. When there's enough heat it fires right up.

 

[BlackOps]

the glow plug light comes on and after so long they go off and i was told to start. so even after the light goes out you mean to let it keep heating for another 15" or 30" and then try to start? thank you!

 

[Rustyiron]

On some stubborn diesel's, I'll blast an (elec) heat gun or hair dryer in to the intake as close to the "point of use" or the cylinders as I can. The longer the better but at least as long as your glow plug cycle. Keep it going during cranking and until you have a solid idle.

 

[KubotainNH]

How old is this tractor? The model looks pretty new. First thing I would do is put a volt/ohm meter on each glow plug with the other end grounded then turn them on. If you have 12volts on each one then measure each one to ground (key off, meter set to ohms). It should show as low resistance seeing they are heating elements. You could have one that is bad. You could try running the glow plug cycle a few times in a row to see if that helps. Something is not working properly, you put anti-gel in the fuel so that shouldn't be the issue.

 

[KubotainNH]

On some stubborn diesel's, I'll blast an (elec) heat gun or hair dryer in to the intake as close to the "point of use" or the cylinders as I can. The longer the better but at least as long as your glow plug cycle. Keep it going during cranking and until you have a solid idle.

I was thinking a Halogen light close to the intake area may also help. It would need to be on there for at least 30 mins.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

Have you installed a block heater or a hose heater?

last year after and during excessively cold weather and snow that i needed the tractor - no start - fuel just too cold. been treating it with the diesel anti-gel stuff all year just to have it in the tank for when needed - again been close to zero for a week or so and expect to have 8"" of snow or so and went to start it today - errrrrrrrr errrrrr errrrr errrrrr errrrrrr errrrrr. **** - charges the battery a few times and tried to start and even doubled the glowplugs before each try - notta. got dark so had to leave the charge as is and stop for the night. will try tomorrow - may be a bit warmer. 20's almost 30 maybe??? today - should be above 32 for a while but 23 or 20 tonight. yes it is outside and no way to put it in any building - shed way to small and no other shelter. just a reality of what i got going on. But ****...when i need it for this snow scene- i get stuck having to shovel - a lot to shovel and am an old man.

just a story...

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

I once had to thaw out a car engine with a torpedo heater and a moving blanket to get it to start. I used the blanket to build a makeshift tent from the open hood to the torpedo heater and warmed the engine that way. However it was really cold when I did that, about -30F. At the temps you describe my guess is glow plugs not working or just cycle them longer. I cycle mine for 30 sec and it has always fired right up. You could also try a block heater or oil pan heater if you can get electricity to the tractor.

 

[Bota4me]

last year after and during excessively cold weather and snow that i needed the tractor - no start - fuel just too cold. been treating it with the diesel anti-gel stuff all year just to have it in the tank for when needed - again been close to zero for a week or so and expect to have 8"" of snow or so and went to start it today - errrrrrrrr errrrrr errrrr errrrrr errrrrrr errrrrr. **** - charges the battery a few times and tried to start and even doubled the glowplugs before each try - notta. got dark so had to leave the charge as is and stop for the night. will try tomorrow - may be a bit warmer. 20's almost 30 maybe??? today - should be above 32 for a while but 23 or 20 tonight. yes it is outside and no way to put it in any building - shed way to small and no other shelter. just a reality of what i got going on. But ****...when i need it for this snow scene- i get stuck having to shovel - a lot to shovel and am an old man. just a story...

i noticed you have a mahindra. These are hard starting when cold out..... Coworker has one and his wont start under 25 or so degrees. He s ays his glow plugs are working but im not sure. My Kubota fires up below zero with about 10 seconds on glow.... Dance

 

[sd455dan]

last year after and during excessively cold weather and snow that i needed the tractor - no start - fuel just too cold. been treating it with the diesel anti-gel stuff all year just to have it in the tank for when needed - again been close to zero for a week or so and expect to have 8"" of snow or so and went to start it today - errrrrrrrr errrrrr errrrr errrrrr errrrrrr errrrrr. **** - charges the battery a few times and tried to start and even doubled the glowplugs before each try - notta. got dark so had to leave the charge as is and stop for the night. will try tomorrow - may be a bit warmer. 20's almost 30 maybe??? today - should be above 32 for a while but 23 or 20 tonight. yes it is outside and no way to put it in any building - shed way to small and no other shelter. just a reality of what i got going on. But ****...when i need it for this snow scene- i get stuck having to shovel - a lot to shovel and am an old man.

just a story...

my old ford 3000 (1967) is a real hard starting tractor in the cold weather -but with a block heater (main coolant line) and just a cheap poly tarp large enough to completely cover the tractor it has started at -35*f no problem. If you can get a coolant block heater to fit, that tractor should start like it's 70* outside. jmo

 

[mike69440]

Gelled Fuel or dead battery is usually the only thing that keeps older Kubota's from starting, i'm not sure about tier 4.

 

[bamboozled]

Some of us with the Max28's are having a similar issue, there is a thread going on the subject.

As mentioned, try ignoring the glow plug light. Turn the key to on and leave it on for two minutes, then see if it will start.

I'm going to leave mine outside this weekend and perform this test myself. I typically do the cycle on/cycle off thing watching the light, but one time I left the key on and walked away for a few minutes doing something else when it was failing to start. I probably cycled the glow plug light 10 times and still no start. Came back and turned the key and it fired right up. Not sure if it was a coincidence and it just decided to start then, or if the glow plugs were on all that time despite the light/timer going out.

 

[BlackOps]

thanks for everyone - it is tier 3 - i did not want 4. bamboozled - i will try it. thanks!

 

[oldpilgrim]

Is it where you can plug in a trickle charger for the battery? This will keep the battery warm and you'll be surprised how much better it will turn over when the battery is warm and has a full charge. Cold will rob the battery of about 50% of it's power.

Also synthetic engine oil will help.

Glow plugs:
Turn on the key and wait until the glow plug light goes out. Turn key off and repeat a couple more times. Then try starting. This works for a lot of people.

 

[DavesTractor]

Where I am in CA it doesn't get much below freezing, so I have little real experience. 25 degrees here is cold. But as mentioned, a battery has way less power in cold temps, yet the engine oil is thicker and the trans fluid is thicker so it needs more power just when it has less.

I'd first make sure all the glow plugs are working. If so, a block heater set on a timer should do the trick. I have family in Fairbanks, AK. They typically have a battery blanket, a coolant heater, and a pan heater to warm the oil. Plug these in to a timer, and the engine thinks it's in Hawaii.

Of course fuel will gel if untreated at certain temps, and water in the fuel can freeze. But using winter or treated fuel should eliminate that.

I think at zero degrees with a tractor stored outdoors, you need at least a coolant heater. At 20 degrees, it ought to start fine. But hey, I'm from sunny CA......

 

[airbiscuit]

Best first option is a block (coolant) heater. Option 2, throw a blanket or tarp over it and let an electric heater run for a half hour or so. Some diesels will start in very cold weather, but why stress them like that?

 

[4570Man]

Do you have a block heater? I have started my tractor at nearly that cold without any problems. I have started it at about 30 degrees without a block heater. I try to just let my tractor hibernate. I don't much care for the idea of being out on the tractor with it 0 outside.

 

[BlackOps]

no block heater and no $ to install one now. sorry another reality. I have been and am charging the battery and i did try holding the plugs longer and also a few times like oldpilgrim said. going out in a while to try again. glow plugs seem to be working because whne in the past i first started it when warmer i did use them and it started.

 

[aczlan]

Glow plugs:
Turn on the key and wait until the glow plug light goes out. Turn key off and repeat a couple more times. Then try starting. This works for a lot of people.

Yep. If the glowplug light goes out on a timer, you need to cycle the key like that 2-3 times when its really cold...

Aaron Z

 

[Uncle Hulka]

I have a friend whose unrestored, but well-maintained 1940 Farmall M has to sit outside here in CT year round. It starts fine, unless we're having a real cold snap. What he does is put a regular incandescent work light right up against the side of the manifold where it meets the carb. He covers the tractor with a tarp and leaves the light on all night. What a difference that makes. You wouldn't think it, but it starts right up the next morning. Now I know diesels are totally different animals, but the principle applies to both. I'm not saying it will solve your problem, but it just might be enough to make a difference.

Good luck and keep us posted!

BTW, I agree with the others; I think you either have a glow plug problem or fuel gel issue.