Yanmar's Thermostart

[4get gto]

Yea that's nice. I guess we're left to counting.

 

[4get gto]

You got me thinking winston. How does that red light work? What does it sense? Heat, resistance, time?
Maybe it's something we could add.

 

[winston1]

You got me thinking winston. How does that red light work? What does it sense? Heat, resistance, time?
Maybe it's something we could add.

Really can't answer with much knowledge. I can tell you this little black box was the control unit on it. It quit one time, I took the box apart, found something loose, soldered it back and it worked awhile longer and then quit again. It is the little box just to the left of the regulator.

 

[Neat 1500]

It doesn't get cold enough to warrant using it. She starts easily in any temp here so I just don't bother with it.

 

[rScotty]

It doesn't get cold enough to warrant using it. She starts easily in any temp here so I just don't bother with it.

OH? Well, I guess the real reason for the thermostart was to give it a boost in cold weather - especially when the tractor spent the night too far from electricity to run the block heater. But mine never does that. We live on our land, so when we come back to the house for the evening the tractor comes along too.

Besides, in cold weather I prefer to use the block heater. So on our tractor the thermostart is just a clever little gadget from another age and a different era.... somethng that a more cost-conscious manufacturer probably would have deleted. I do cycle it through now and again on cold mornings. Mostly to hear the cheerful "pop" and to marvel at diesels bred in another era.
rScotty

 

[Neat 1500]

I tried it with and without thermostart on similar temped mornings and it was no different really. 2 and 3*C mornings and it starts on the 3rd or so crank.

 

[bmaverick]

In North America, winter is here once again. Be sure to have a good working Thermo-Start on your machine.

 

[LouNY]

With winter coming, it's a good time to clean out the the thermostart reservoir and check the connections.

Thermostart itself is kind of unique to Yanmars. It's a combination of a plastic reservoir, relay valve, and heating element all located on top of the intake manifold and activated by turning the ignition key CCW then holding it in that position for a moment.

When actuated, thermostart dispenses and then ignites a small drop of diesel fluid from the special reservoir. You can hear a faint "pop" as it ignites. That's the notice that it is time to crank the engine. If you time it right, the warmer air and maybe even some of the burning fluid is swept into the manifold along with the fresh air charge.

Simple, pretty nifty and just about bulletproof.

Enjoy, rScotty

There are a lot of tractors out and about that used the Thermostart system, it is certainly not unique to Yanmars.
My IH 574 had it as an option, my NH 8160 has it.

 

[careyo63]

I have the thermal igniter still there but rarely ever used it. how I put fuel to it I don't have a return cup. It worked fine not all that great but hey!! Went with a gasser on the Ford. The off season mainly why I bought it.

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[Williy]

Our tractor 2021 YT235C has glow plugs and most of the time
I don't wait for the glow plugs to operate no need as when key
is turned to on its running very quick to start

willy

 

[California]

The photo in my post #6 above has become inaccessible.

Here's the photo again - the dead original TS from my YM240 and the Perkins box for its replacement, from the local ThermoKing (reefer trailer) dealer.

The TS with a screw terminal and the one with a slide-on terminal are identical. When I bought an aftermarket TS for the YM186D it came with an optional screw and could be used either way.

While searching my old posts for that photo I found this, copied from the YM240 Operation Manual:

And this.

ThermoStart - photos of TS flame

By popular demand, (Well I think it is interesting :D ) I just took these photos. Incidentally this was with the key in 'Start' position but with the clutch safety switch preventing cranking. I was testing to see if TS operates in Start position as well as when the key is cranked left. Vapor...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[careyo63]

The JD5103 was the same way. It was diesel. No problems there at all it stayed inside 24-7. The lady that owned it kept up with it. Always fired right up!!

 

[careyo63]

The photo in my post #6 above has become inaccessible.

Here's the photo again - the dead original TS from my YM240 and the Perkins box for its replacement, from the local ThermoKing (reefer trailer) dealer.

The TS with a screw terminal and the one with a slide-on terminal are identical. When I bought an aftermarket TS for the YM186D it came with an optional screw and could be used either way.

While searching my old posts for that photo I found this, copied from the YM240 Operation Manual:

And this.

ThermoStart - photos of TS flame

By popular demand, (Well I think it is interesting :D ) I just took these photos. Incidentally this was with the key in 'Start' position but with the clutch safety switch preventing cranking. I was testing to see if TS operates in Start position as well as when the key is cranked left. Vapor...

www.tractorbynet.com

The photo in my post #6 above has become inaccessible.

Here's the photo again - the dead original TS from my YM240 and the Perkins box for its replacement, from the local ThermoKing (reefer trailer) dealer.

The TS with a screw terminal and the one with a slide-on terminal are identical. When I bought an aftermarket TS for the YM186D it came with an optional screw and could be used either way.

While searching my old posts for that photo I found this, copied from the YM240 Operation Manual:

And this.

ThermoStart - photos of TS flame

By popular demand, (Well I think it is interesting :D ) I just took these photos. Incidentally this was with the key in 'Start' position but with the clutch safety switch preventing cranking. I was testing to see if TS operates in Start position as well as when the key is cranked left. Vapor...

www.tractorbynet.com

It was a Dirt Dobber that clogged up the Thermal Igniter, I was sure the reason the cup was never put back on. Couldn't get fuel in it!! Ran the power to it from the Ing. switch cleaned it with WD 40 and the air hose and it still works today. Only had to use it a handful of times. The old 2000 has never liked the cold weather start.

 

[California]

It was a Dirt Dobber that clogged up the Thermal Igniter, I was sure the reason the cup was never put back on.

Yeah. I had long forgotten that one of the minor issues on the YM240 when I bought it was the TS cup lid was damaged and didn't close securely. At least it hadn't caused any problem beyond spilling.

That lid was another minor thing that I bought at the local VN importer, stripped from one of their warranty-return tractors parked out back. Later that importer folded and disappeared, overwhelmed by the poor quality from their parent 'rebuild' shop.