Tractor would'nt start today

[George2615]

If you haven't done so already, check your battery and cable connections. Today was the test here. Temp got down to about 5 deg F last night. Two things happened.

First, the 36 month old 60 month battery did not have enough cold cranking amps to spin it over very fast. Tried jump starting but still cranked hard. Load test showed a bad battery.

Second, the fuel gelled up. Apparently I did not have enough Service Power 911 mixed in even though I followed the guidelines on the bottle. Had to fire up the salamander heater and place it at the back of the tractor blowing heat underneath and put the battery on the charger. Went back in for coffee and read the morning paper. About an hour later it finally started so I added more SP additive and drove around for a while to get it into the fuel lines then parked it in the garage. Next step was to buy a new battery with a higher CCA rating. Painted battery plate it sits on, replaced battery and cable ends. The tightening bolts on the original cable ends had rusted and corroded to the point no wrench would fit them so had to use Vise grips and terminal puller to get them off.

Also had to replace an in-tank fuel pump on a friends truck which stopped working yesterday, but that's another story.

 

[DANOCHEESE]

Check to see if you are actually using power service 911. ( red bottle) You should be using the white bottle plain old power service. The 911 is more for getting it un-gelled ( there is a term) You want to condition the fuel. Also the red bottle 911 contains alchohol I beleive, and that is not good in large doses.

I use the white bottle and -19 here and the PSD fired up fine and ran great.

 

[George2615]

Yes I am using the red bottle. It says it is for de-icing frozen fuel filters, reliquifies gelled diesel, removes water from fuel, and kills microbial growth in fuel. I guess i'll pick up a white botte next trip to the store.

 

[PBinWA]

It was a slow turn on my 2615 in the 3 degree (wind chill) weather but I cycled the glow plugs 2-3 times and it took. I was worried for a second though as it was real slow cranking.

Sounds like out tractors are about the same age. I'll plan on a new battery next winter!

 

[3RRL]

Funny you posted about getting a new battery and having starting problems. I'm going through the same thing right now except my tractor is 235 miles away.

 

[sandman2234]

Mine wouldn't start when I got home from work last night. I wanted to clean up the mess on the back of my property with the box blade. The mess was from a Cat D-6 spending almost an hour digging out two huge pine stumps that have been back there for about 5 years. They were working on the property next door and I asked about hitting those two stumps and a price.
An hour of that big Cat cost me a 12 pack of Augie's finest...
I think 4 year old batteries might have something to do with the sluggish starting...
David from jax

 

[charlesw]

If you haven't done so already, check your battery and cable connections. Today was the test here. Temp got down to about 5 deg F last night.

Well, it was 1F here this AM. Luckily last night I checked the auto timer on my block heater and gave it a little more leeway. 3 hours for it to warm up before I started the tractor. And... Vroom! And away she went! Then I went and shoveled what needed shoveling, brought in wood and cleaned the cars off. Now, plenty warm, I went and plowed the drive. Nice!

 

[wushaw]

I had to replace two batteries within a week last month on a tractor and mower.

 

[GaryE]

I change my battery every other year. Some think it is excessive, but it would have avoided some of your problems!


Good luck,


Gary

 

[Billy_S]

Good timing with this post.

Daughter went out last night to spread horse poop. Came in and said the Kubota wouldn't start. It has been cold the last few days, but I have never had any trouble starting it before. I bundled up and out I went. You know what we discovered? The darn thing starts a whole lot easier if you put the HST lever in N.

Another problem solved. I am a genius.

 

[billbill1]

Unfortunately, the cold always brings out the flaws in anything. Bad batteries, bad connections, gelled fuel, and poor hydraulic flow. I changed to a better battery without having a problem-cuz I didn't want a problem later. A lower radiator hose heater can help too, at least it does for me.

 

[JoeL4330]

change the oil to synthetic 0W-something or 5W-something

 

[Iplayfarmer]

We hit -15 or so each night for a week or more. Highs were in the single digits. I froze my 5 month old battery solid. After a full day sitting inside the parts store the battery was still frozen.

They warrantied it no questions asked. They just earned my business for another few years.

I still haven't been out to install the new battery in the tractor yet. When it's this cold, it doesn't snow. When it doesn't snow I don't need to plow. When I don't need to plow I stay inside and read old threads on TBN. It's warmer that way.

 

[cp1969]

Second, the fuel gelled up. Apparently I did not have enough Service Power 911 mixed in even though I followed the guidelines on the bottle. Had to fire up the salamander heater and place it at the back of the tractor blowing heat underneath and put the battery on the charger. Went back in for coffee and read the morning paper. About an hour later it finally started so I added more SP additive and drove around for a while to get it into the fuel lines then parked it in the garage.

How did you know the fuel was gelled?

 

[3RRL]

I change my battery every other year. Some think it is excessive, but it would have avoided some of your problems!


Good luck,


Gary

Gary,
With that in mind, every other year does not sound too excessive. It is good prevention for about $50 bucks a year I'd guess.

 

[k6dyc]

I don't know what they put in the red diesel here, but I have had no fuel gelling problems even without additives. The temps have been between minus 15 and minus 31 every night for well over a week, and the Toolcat (Kubota engine) started even without being plugged into the heater except for the coldest mornings.

It has been taking a long time to warm up and heat the cab, but I just sit inside and wait it out .

 

[john_bud]

I guess that different parts of our great country have different expectations for cold. It was -18F the other morning and my son told me that it was his favorite temperature. (Huh?) He said, "The snow would be around longer". Can't argue with logic like that from a 7 hear old.

One tip from the frozen tundra, in the late fall run the tractor till the tank is nearly on fumes. Then fill up with winter blended fuel and add the recommended amounts of the White and Silver Powerserve additives. The while will keep you from gelling and the silver raises cetane which helps in cold starting.

 

[George2615]

CP1969,
I knew the fuel gelled because I could see it in the plastic fuel filter bowl. It looked like grease stuck to the filter. Kinda looked like bacon fat grease once you drain it into a can and it cools down. A half hour with the salamander blowing under it re-liquified it so it would start.
I replaced the battery with the highest CCA capacity group 58 battery they had. 763 cranking amps at 32 deg. F. 610 Cold cranking amps at 0 deg F. About 100 more than the stock battery. Also put new ends on the cables since the original bolts were corroded. I just got in from plowing and snowblowing some driveways since we got about 8 inches of the white stuff today with more coming tonight.

 

[cp1969]

I asked because usually gelled fuel does not prevent an engine from starting but causes it to die in a few minutes.