Really Cold Start

[MHarryE]

Two days cold temp between -40 and -55. Kubota M110GX failed to start for feeding livestock. Started fine when it was in the -30 to -35 range but at -40 it no go. This morning the weather broke and -16 so no problem. Problem isn't gel. We really haven't had this cold since the early 1990s but has anybody had luck starting at these temps with tractor plugged in sitting outside? Cattle have to be fed so staying inside isn't an option.

 

[atsah]

I assume you have a block heater, How about keeping a battery tender on it. that's what I do. If you need the tractor and it wont start have you put a set of jumper cables on it so that you can get your animals fed? Those are brutal temps for sure..

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Maybe check your glowplugs, to make sure you don't have one going bad? Is it cranking at normal speed? Is it even trying to fire?

Mine sits outside year round. I have the regular block heater, an oil pan heater, and a hydro sump heater. Never had any problems getting mine started at -40 F. I also have synthetic engine oil in mine. I did have to replace my original battery last winter, as it dropped stone-dead on a -30 F day.

 

[3Lfarms]

What does “plugged in” mean? At those temps, I wouldn’t expect any diesel to start without having synthetic oils, 50/50 antifreeze, a block heater, oil pan heater, battery blanket, and a trickle charger all plugged in.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Well mine would start fine with only the block heater, and the OEM "dino oil", it just took longer to warm up. And when it's that cold, until the hydro warms up, you can't move the FEL, 3 pt, or move the tractor (HST).

I've never had to use more than one glow plug cycle to start mine. Kind of why I'm wondering if maybe one or more of the OP's glow plugs quit working. Maybe only one or two are working, which may be enough to start it until it gets "up here" cold.

 

[MHarryE]

Like I said until it got below -40 and now back in the -30 range again no problem. Battery needed no charge after it warmed a bit. Engine heater is always plugged in. Oil may be a problem because I believe nephew uses mineral oil, probably 10W-30 in this tractor. Ones I care for always get 0W-40 synthetic. By the way I am not talking wind chills. Looking at the other responders - I realize Bismarck, Roy, and Maine but we have the lowest temps in the lower 48 due to how the Arctic air sweeps down from the north.

 

[farmalldx33]

Get a salamander type of forced air heater. I use that on mine when it is below zero. Only takes 10-15 minutes usually.

 

[Bavarian]

Two days cold temp between -40 and -55. Kubota M110GX failed to start for feeding livestock. Started fine when it was in the -30 to -35 range but at -40 it no go. This morning the weather broke and -16 so no problem. Problem isn't gel. We really haven't had this cold since the early 1990s but has anybody had luck starting at these temps with tractor plugged in sitting outside? Cattle have to be fed so staying inside isn't an option.

View attachment 589928

I had a simular issue with my 6430.
It's equipped with the block heater, pump sump and transmission heater.
The transmission heater seemed like it wasn't working, since the display doesn't show any "heat" for the transmission lately.

The heater system was lugged in all night at-40 and it would crank next to not at all. It warmed up a bit during the day and I had to get it running.
I run 0-W40 in the engine but this time the transmission was the problem. I assume the dealer put the standard JD HY GUARD oil in there. It has a pouring point around -40 C/F. The honey in the transmission is too stiff for the starter to properly crank the engine.
Pushing in the clutch doesn't work either, since it's hydraulic actuated and honey doesn't want to do it's job.

I got my semi truck running, backed it up to the tractor, hooked up a tile hose to the exhaust, blew the luke warm air under the transmission and it started at -30C transmission temp.

Getting the loader moving was the next challenge, honey was in the way.

Funny part, the low viscosity oil is sitting in the garage in pales, waiting for it's job. But it's too freaking cold right now.

 

[3Lfarms]

Well mine would start fine with only the block heater, and the OEM "dino oil", it just took longer to warm up. And when it's that cold, until the hydro warms up, you can't move the FEL, 3 pt, or move the tractor (HST).

I've never had to use more than one glow plug cycle to start mine. Kind of why I'm wondering if maybe one or more of the OP's glow plugs quit working. Maybe only one or two are working, which may be enough to start it until it gets "up here" cold.

Slowpoke, your profile says you have a Branson. I’m curious if that has one of the Cummins clones in it? Does it use a grid heater instead of glow plugs?
If the Branson dealer had been better, I probably would have bought one.

Cummins engines in Dodge pickups are known to start when cold better than the powerstrokes and duramaxes. I believe a lot of that is due to the higher compression ratio of the Cummins. Glow plug diesels seem to have a harder time when it’s cold. My Cummins has started at -15F without plugging anything in. Lots of guys will remove the grid heater altogether and they will still start down to about 0*F.
In comparison, a friend has a 6.0 power stroke, and when the glow plug harness wasn’t plugged back in after a repair, it would barely start at 25*F. It finally started after about 5 minutes of cranking and made a huge cloud of white smoke when it did fire off. Reseated the connector, and it fired right up when cold.

 

[atsah]

Like I said until it got below -40 and now back in the -30 range again no problem. Battery needed no charge after it warmed a bit. Engine heater is always plugged in. Oil may be a problem because I believe nephew uses mineral oil, probably 10W-30 in this tractor. Ones I care for always get 0W-40 synthetic. By the way I am not talking wind chills. Looking at the other responders - I realize Bismarck, Roy, and Maine but we have the lowest temps in the lower 48 due to how the Arctic air sweeps down from the north.

-40F ambient temps are pretty brutal for sure. That extreme cold is hard on everything and I'm not surprised in the least you had starting problems in those temps. If it starts at -30F I would say your tractor is in good shape..