Warm up time

[shine]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke. Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

 

[Raw Dodge]

I dont think you'll hurt it,as long as you dont move it before it has oil pressure.Takes about 3-5 seconds to get that.Bring the rpms up nice and slow,and just enough rpm to move without any lugging or hydro strain.(probably 1300-1600rpm)then move it slowly so as not to load the hydrostat pump or engine,and no worrys.Ive been doing this same thing with 2 hydro steiners,and a ford 1910 for 20+ yrs,and no issues yet.The best thing you can do is run a full synthetic 5w40 diesel oil,so the cold starts are easier,and you get oil pressure faster.

 

[shine]

Thanks for the input Raw Dodge, I allready use syn. 5w40 thats got to help.

 

[TripleR]

A lot may depend on how cold it is.

I keep my tractor in an unheated barn and always let it run for about five minutes before operating anything including FEL. My sons often borrow my tractor and just start it up and take off, so far no problems, but who know what effect it will have in the long run.

I am interested to see other opinions too.

 

[BigD23]

Normal start up for me is to get it started then keep it just above idle while I get other items ready for the chore at hand...Time varies of course but it does give the tractor time to get up towards working temp.

Don

 

[brandoro]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke. Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

That's what I do as well, I don't think it will do any harm as long as you feather the controls to keep pressures down.
I don't believe in excessive idling in any case, takes a long time for things to warm up with no load. I do believe in operating/driving things gently until they have a chance to warm up. I think you are fooling yourself if you think the engine being up to temperature means everything else is too.

 

[LBrown59]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke.
1* Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

1*There is a big difference between working / operating a tractor and just driving it a couple hundred feet or so.

1*I keep my tractor in an unheated barn and always let it run for about five minutes before operating anything including FEL. My sons often borrow my tractor and just start it up and take off, so far no problems, but who know what effect it will have in the long run.

2*I am interested to see other opinions too.

1*So do I.
2*My building is about 150 or 200 feet from the house.
I go start the tractor up and drive over to the house and park it by the back door an go in and have a cup of coffee or something while it warms up a little.

When they say to let a tractor warm up before operating they are talking about working the tractor under load .
Moving an enpty tractor that's not doing anything else isn't considered working under load.

 

[Thomas]

When I had my B7100,started let run above idle than check for leaks etc. than 10 mins later of to play,w/L2800 I let temp gauge rech warm mark than off to play.

 

[Chilly807]

I agree with the other guys, starting in itself is the hardest thing it'll ever do. Once it's running, wait maybe 15 seconds for oil to get through the engine completely, then gently move it if you have to and let things warm up.

I was once told that each start is equivalent to adding 20-30 running hours on large diesel engines (10,000 horsepower). That's with the engine pre-heated to near running temperature and with a pre-lube pump running before the start is initiated !

So, when we crank it up in -20 weather, it's taking a toll. It's also why I insist on a block heater for cold weather. I'd like to find an inexpensive 12vdc oil pre-lube pump to add, but I'm thinking I'll wait until the warranty has expired. Not ideal, but it'll have to do.

Idling is hard on an engine too, it builds sooty carbon deposits and contributes to fuel dilution of the lube oil due to incomplete combustion. Low cylinder temps are bad news for good combustion conditions.

I'll let an engine idle unloaded for a couple of minutes once it's up to working temperature, but no more. Warming it up before you load it is a good idea, of course.

Chilly

 

[brin]

I never let my New Holland TC- 29 sit and Idle more than a few minutes...right out of my owners manuel..." Avoid prolonged operation at etiher high or low engine speeds without a load on the engine. Even with my JD - 3020.. I avoid excessive idling, I agree I think it leads to build up and not good in general. No where in any of my manuels for NH or JD do I see any warning to warm anything up excessively.

 

[leonz]

When starting my B2710 HST in the garage I raise the bucket a little then pull the tractor outside to warm up. I think it would be better to warm it up before moving but to avoid diesel smoke. Do you think this will harm the tractor over time?

Ii use my salamander for everything- cars, trucks, tractor, log splitter, wheel horse hydro 244/Kubota 2660 wanna be.

 

[ehchvac]

If its real cold I let it warm up a minute, but...
If it above freezing, I drive it like I stole it.

 

[Ken45101]

With an hydrostatic transmission, I think it's important to let it warm up when it's really cold (e.g. below 20 degrees). Also, the Kubota Super UDT is supposed to be better for cold conditions than the regular UDT.

And I think warming the transmission oil is more important than the engine oil in a hydrostat.

If it were zero, I think I'd give it a couple of minutes to warm up in the garage and then ease it outside for more warmup. Just my $.02

Ken

 

[dodge man]

I agree with the others, I think the warm up thing is hard on the tractor. The only time it is needed is when its really cold out. I just try to take it easy the first minute or two after I start it.

 

[StrangeRanger]

If it's really cold out, 0 or less, I usually run out in my skivies, start it up and then sprint back inside to dress for the weather. After about 10-15 min I head out and drive reaaaallll easy. I almost think it's easier to tell w/ the HS tranny, I can tell by the whine it makes when it has warmed up.
j

 

[ibnxe]

As I understand it, when the hydrostatic transmission is in the centered position, no fluid is being pumped. The pump for the other hydraulics is circulating fluid as soon as the engine is running. It takes a lot longer to get the transmission fluid warmed up then the engine coolant.

I start my tractor up and use it right away. I usually start by excercising all the cylinders a couple of times and then go do work. I don't use it hard for the first ten minutes, but it will warm up faster if it is being used. It is not good for any engine to sit and idle for extended periods.

Here in the western part of Washington state, it doesn't get below freezing very often. I use the UDT fluid all year round. I've run my tractor this way for five years now and have had no problems.

 

[rdsaustintx]

GREAT set of responses here.

I do the same thing, crank it and creep out of the barn to get fresh air. Grease a few zerks, fuel it, load required beverages (VERY important), adjust implements and hit the job.

I also use the same oil as you, probably for the same reasons.

Plenty of other stuff to worry about. I don't think you will hurt the tractor

 

[smfcpacfp]

It can get real cold where I live (-40 F), so I use a block heater before I start it when it gets down below freezing - the colder the longer I leave the block heater on. I let it warm up a minimum of 5 minutes and once again, the colder the longer. I follow the directions in the book for warm up period. I don't move the machine until it warmed up and ready to go.

I am retired, so I am not going to use the machine when it is brutally cold unless I have to do so. I think the coldest day that I used it was -13 F and I warmed it up for 20 minutes and had the block heater on for an hour and a half or so before starting it.

 

[LBrown59]

Here in the western part of Washington state, it doesn't get below freezing very often. .

It don't have to get below freezing to be to cold for me.

 

[NIdaho]

Freezing just means you wear long sleeve shirts instead of short sleeve shirts!

Like my dad always said "you won't be cold if you just work harder !"