Starting your tractor in the winter.

[rsallen]

So far on this thread I've read at least twice and I think more that a warm up period to allow for oils, greases and engine to come to terms (so to speak) with each other as a waste of time and fuel. Is it also a waste of time and fuel to allow a cool down idle period before shut down?
IMHO in todays world with multi-grade oils and syn. greases it's no where near as bad as it was in the 'good old days', because back then block heater or no it made no difference to that mass of 0 degree metal under the seat and that 90 weight grease forget it that has the viscosity of a popsicle.
But even in the easier world of syn. and multi-grade oils why not let the gazillion parts in a tractor to at lest in part to expand together as a unit before putting as little strain as possible on them? Seems like a gallon or two of fuel over the life a tractor a small price to pay if I don't have to do a head gasket or rod bearings or cyl. sleeves etc etc etc.

In those same posts I heard about warm up times causing condensation. I like to know just how that happens as moisture condenses as air cools not as it heats up.

 

[Ilovemytractor]

What would happen if you let the tractor slow idle in cold weather. I am looking to buy a tractor and this will be my first. Owning a tractor is more complicated then owning a car it seems.

 

[Ilovemytractor]

I want to thank everyone for their input. Thanks again. I am learning.

 

[rsallen]

Would you think about jumping in your car first thing in the morning, start it up to run a race? Or would you get up early enough to warm it up first, drive a lap or two to heat up the tires, get the brakes and rotors working together and that tranny, diff and axles warm enough to absorb the shocks to come?

The modern auto trans have temp sensors for that reason, because people want to jump on them before things have a chance to come to working range.

 

[Egon]

Well, yes, but isn't some condensation in those areas about unavoidable? That moisture will be cooked and vented out of anything air can enter or leave, with the exception of the fuel tank/system. If air can't enter, how much condensation could there be? Condensation can happen in the fuel tank any time of year--No?

I did once see a ring of ice crystals just beneath my fuel cap, sort of floating in the diesel. I dipped some out and the rest disappeared on its own, without an additive.

Not all the water gets cooked out and some may help form acids.

 

[dave1949]

Not all the water gets cooked out and some may help form acids.

I'll swap a warm seat for a little acid any day. :laughing:

Seriously, I don't think that can be 100% prevented. That's one reason why oils get changed.

 

[RoyJackson]

Not all the water gets cooked out and some may help form acids.

What really causes condensation problems (and not just with tractors or diesel engines) is starting, idling and shutting down in a relatively short period of time. The system doesn't get hot enough to evaporate the condensation.
Consider how long it takes your car or truck to warm on a cold morning...by "warm", I mean up to operating temperature. It's normally 5 miles or there abouts...in suburban areas, this is 15-20 minutes at moderate load.
So, don't start your tractor just to warm it up for 5-10 minutes, then shut it down...don't start your tractor unless you plan on operating it for a period of time (clearing your drive as an example)...say 30-60 minutes.

 

[fieldman12]

I prefer not to start any of mine when it is cold out. If I have to plow snow I plug them in first for at least a few hours. I let them idle for about 5 minutes and then raise the rpms to around 1200 for a few more minutes. By this time the temp gauge should be up some so I start moving around a little. a diesel really takes a long time to get to the operating range unless you start to move it around some. Even though the engine may be warm cause It was plugged in does not mean the hydraulic fluid is warm yet so that is why I like to be easy on it for a bit. Your machine will let you know if it needs more time. I rather be on my snowmobile when its cold

 

[buickanddeere]

What would happen if you let the tractor slow idle in cold weather. I am looking to buy a tractor and this will be my first. Owning a tractor is more complicated then owning a car it seems.

All other factors being identical. The slower the rpms, the lower the combustion chamber temp. Lower the combustion chamber temp the more condensation, more unburned fuel, more lube oil dillution, more cylinder wall washdown.

 

[vtsnowedin]

So far on this thread I've read at least twice and I think more that a warm up period to allow for oils, greases and engine to come to terms (so to speak) with each other as a waste of time and fuel. Is it also a waste of time and fuel to allow a cool down idle period before shut down?
.

If your tractor has a turbocharger you definatly want to let it cool down at idle as per the manual to avoid frying the bearings to the turbo.