Warm up time at 0°F?

[Elkins45]

How long do you warm up your diesel tractor before using it at 0°F? My practice has been to wait until the temperature needle begins to move off the bottom peg, but should I be waiting longer?

I’ve noticed that in this really cold temperature the needle only rises about 1/3 while in the summer it rises to the middle, but I have no idea if this has any significance.

 

[steve tym]

I usually start to move my tractor at 100 degrees. I don't start to really work it until it's at least 150. Operating temp is 180. Oh, and my stupid tractor didn't come with a temp gauge, I had to add an aftermarket one.

 

[Thomas]

I let our tractor warm for good 15mins. plus at lowest setting,than increase rpm slightly slowly operate attachments.

 

[Jstpssng]

I usually wait until spring.

Actually, in cold weather I go out, atart it up then wait about 10 minutes. That gives it a chance to warm up while I have a cup of coffee.

 

[SatchmoIsBack]

I think it depends a lot on what weight oil you're using. The whole idea of warming the engine is to get the oil moving. Well, most of it. Cold steel can break easier but common sense applies here.

 

[anomad]

I leave it warming up long enough for the cab to get nice and warm and the windows to defrost. We never see 0 Fahrenheit here now. Even though my county set the state record low of -19 Fahrenheit back in 1982. It was the front page article of the local newspaper. I need to see if that record still stands??

My old 1980ish Yanmar had stickers for everything. It said to warm up at 1500 rpms for 5 minutes before working it. That gets the temperature gauge up. In normal temperatures I will just walk the tractor real slow to where I am doing work while it warms up.

 

[RayIN]

I doubt any of us work their tractor hard enough in freezing weather to break anything.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Remember that the engine has the benefit of fire explosions going off inside to heat it up ... The hydrostatic transmission does not, and takes much longer to warm up ...

A couple of weeks ago I went to change the hydraulic fluid in my tractor, I got it up to temperature in about 10 minutes ... It was 15°F outside ...

The engines oil pan was definitely warm! But the hydraulic fluid was more like BBQ sauce!

 

[bdhsfz6]

The only time I use the tractor this time of year is to plow snow or spread anti skid. The manual for my Kubota recommends a warmup time of 20 minutes in temps near or below 0F. I usually take it out of the barn with the engine just above idle and go shovel the walks by hand. This usually takes 20 minutes or more and by then the cab is toasty warm inside.

 

[Hay Dude]

Warm up the engine (depending on the size of the engine-bigger blocks and pistons take more time) until the temp gauge is reading out of the cold zone. As far as moving/driving and operating hydraulics, start out slow and drive around slowly for a while. Your transmission will still be cold, but will warm up as pump and fluid begin to warm up and circulate. Move your loader & hydraulic accessories gently at first.

 

[dodge man]

I usually warm up just a couple of minutes. An example is I haul wood up to my house a short distance. I keep the rpm’s fairly low, like a fast idle and just go slow starting out. Then as it warms up I just operate normally.

 

[crazyjake8493]

Even if I plugged it in ahead of time, I'll let it run 5-10 minutes. 10-15 if I didn't have it plugged in. Gives me time to shovel off the porch and deck before clearing the driveway snow.