Tractor hard starting

[bohawg1]

To you guys that have tractors, My tractor is under shelter with no heat. Would the radiator hose heater work for starting in cold weather?? In the twentys and my ford 1910 is cold hearted. once it gets below 40 seems to be hard to start.

 

[Rookie1]

Has it always been that way? When is the last time it was tuned up? I would check the basics first before you get too involved.

 

[thenorth]

hi, i have a FOTON 404, it was hard to start...

this year, i made up a device to hook a hair dryer into, such that, the hot air blew right into the air intake filter.....

i no longer have to use the glow plugs
try it, it does work
john

 

[laynes69]

I have a radiator hose heater on my diesel and it works well. I also have an intake manifold heater on it, but the hose heater does the job. I leave it plugged in a couple of hours before I need the tractor.

 

[LumberjkChamp]

Some tractors are like that. Others will fire right up. Diesels are pretty picky though. Engine cranking speed, compression, injector condition, injection pump timing and other factors all play a pivitol role in the starting of a diesel. Often ambient temperature just makes these issues more noticable.
Oil weight might also be a factor. I swiched to 0W-40 synthetic oil a while back in my tractor. It made starting at temps. as low as -20F a non issue. My machine is also in an unheated building and without any coolant or block heaters.

I'm not familier with your particular tractor but you shouldn't have too much of a problem at 40 degrees. But, then again, if you're working with a high hour machine that may be the case.

To answer your initial question, I am not sure whether a radiator hose heater will work. Maybe some more info. on the issue will help work it out.

 

[hanniedog]

Check with your local ford dealer they can probably get you a block heater. Turn it on a hour before use and you start right up.

 

[blackdogon57]

:agree2:

block heaters are cheap and easy to install

 

[Steve NW WI]

I have a "heater line" (no cab, no heater on mine) tank heater. They come in bigger wattage than the freeze plug block heaters do. It works well for me, 1 hour plugged in and it's ready to run. I have a cheap timer on my plugin, and it runs for 3 hours every morning, just in case it's needed. I know, wasting energy, but convenience/peace of mind is worth it to me.

Diesels get cranky as they age. As said above, injection system is the most common culprit, followed by compression. Neither is cheap to get back to new condition, and you'll likely never wear it completely out, so just let her warm up before starting.

>>>I HAVE NEVER BEEN A FAN OF STARTING DIESELS COLD IN COLD WEATHER, IT'S HARD ON EVERYTHING<<<

Friend of mine spent a ton of money on a Deere combine engine when it sheared the injection pump drive shaft trying to start it out in the field in 0° weather. Steering wheel holders with a can of ether scare the bejeezus out of me as well!

EDIT: if you add a heater, either block or line heater, take care to make sure nothing hangs out where branches, etc can grab it. I've replaced a heater or two because of not following this advice!

 

[crashagn]

IH656 hydro utility with gas engine. Has a block heater and only have to use it if we kept it outside in the winter. These days we keep it in the shop out of the wind and a touch of the choke and she pops right over ready to run. The hyd. on it are a different issue.. pushing snow and halfway done it will finally warm up. My other/ other job the IH 1256, 1466 and etc (all the red tractors) all start easily in the winter time and if they are plugged in for a few hours. If the Hyd are still slow after the tractor has been ran awhile then we might put a couple of gallons of diesel into the resavoir. The older - ok every single deer he has at the place, 4630,4640, 4840, 8970, 8630, 8760, 8400... Plug them in at night and if they dont start up cacklin then its ether time, or worst case.. get the salamander heater out and start heating up the block....I dont like using ether either but as long as you turn the engine over before you start spraying and only spray a little then you "should" be alright

And no iam not prejudice on the color of the tractor as long as it can do the job at hand effectively and somewhat efficiantly

 

[wkpoor]

MY 5400 Deere starts and runs easier than any of my gas engines ,cars included in cold weather. In 0 degree temps with no heat and setting all night it will fire up instantly. I let it set awhile at 1000rpm before I work er though. Incredible for a diesel I know. I heard other complain about this model in cold weather so I must be lucky with a good one. I do however run it exclusively on jet fuel. Don't know if that helps or not but that fuel doesn't gel.

 

[wdchuck]

Dipstick heater in the loader arm for the hydraulic oil.

The tractor engine is gasoline, so it starts slow if its 0* or less, just like a car. It spends winter in an open(one end) concrete/block shed. 1972 Ford.

10 minutes of running and the loader control levers will jerk a little, that's my cue things are all in order to start working.

The farmers around me have 1200watt block heaters to warm up the biguns.

 

[sesmith]

I have a radiator hose heater on my diesel and it works well. I also have an intake manifold heater on it, but the hose heater does the job. I leave it plugged in a couple of hours before I need the tractor.

Yep, the heater hose ones work well. They circulate the coolant some and heat it, are easy to install and even get my 1957 Farmall 350D to start.

 

[ericjeeper]

Well this morning at 12° my MF300 dozer caught up with my lack of fuel system maintenance. Started right up and ran nicely for about 3 minutes then died.. I went out and pulled the drain off of the first fuel filter.. Nada drop.. I thought.. I had ran it out of fuel. so I packed a fiver out to it and It barely held it... HUMMMMMMM.. Ok went for wrenches.. First fuel filter water separator was a block of ice. so wasn't the second.. I had new filters for it in the shop.. Cleaned all the water out installed new filters.. Checked the water separator on the other side.. It too was all Ice.. Removed it took it into the shop and ran it under hot water in the sink.. Put it back on.. tried to bleed system.. No luck. Called a farmer buddy.. He comes over we try and try.. I finally pulled off the first fuel filter and he says.."you put the O ring on wrong.." I said crap I did em both the same way.. So he and I reinstalled them properly and finally got it all bled out.. she fired to life and ran flawlessly all day in the woods..
I honestly do not know how long those filters have been on there.. I have owned it almost two years. And I had not gottern around to changing them.. And no I never drained the bottoms out either... Obviously..
I bought a bottle of dieselx anti gel tonight..
Boys we have to do our PM when it is warm and not 12 degrees. LOL

 

[crashagn]

Dipstick heater in the loader arm for the hydraulic oil.

I had 1 of them type of heaters a few years ago and now since you mention i do believe that is 1 heck of a good idea. Dont know were i stored the dang thing but might be better to buy a new 1, i think the 1 i had was for a 4 cylinder and was short.

I do believe that there idea deserves some rep:rockn:

 

[A. Stanton]

I bought a block heater for my Kubota. It's magnetic; just stick it on the oil pan, then pull it off when you start. Got mine from Napa for about $40.

 

[Suz]

I've got an old Ford tractor that had a lower hose heater in it for years. I have only used it a couple of times but it worked well when I needed it. Right now I don't think I could find the cord to plug into the heater, but my garage is warmer now than it was before so I don't need it. They are easy to put in, but, if you have a thermostat in the tractor it will not circulate the coolant.
But at 40 degrees you shouldn't need a heater for the tractor to start.
Time to check the spark and carburetor. How fast does the engine turn over when you try to start it? If it turns over pretty slow, then maybe your battery should be updated. If you take all the "juice" out of the battery to crank it over your spark will not be up to the task.

 

[TonyK]

A helpful hint on the use of ether and diesel engines with glow plugs. DON’T do it. If the ether pops off early because the glow plugs ignite it the results can be devastating. I have seen entire intake sections of the engine intake blown apart from the block from this. A plug in heater is the best way to preheat it.

 

[Torin]

Nothing wrong with adding a heater. I would think you may have an issue with the glow plugs though. Either individual ones or in the circuit in general. Certainly not unheard of. I've got a 28hp Mahindra that still starts well at low to very low temps, using glow plugs. A low battery can also be an issue with it not turning fast enough. I've been using synthetic Rotella oil in it for awhile now.

 

[builder1101]

not sure if it fits your application, but i installed snap couplers on all my diesel equipment.....

drive truck up to equipment, quick connect into the cooling system, wait 5 mins, warm block. no wires,eletricity, or extension cords needed.

the equipment has the longest leads, so the truck has just ~6" that stick out the grill.....

time will factor on hot engine size to cold engine size...

about 15 mins for a gm 350 to warm up a 6 cyl C cummins...not like running warm, but enough so the fuel ignites without missing...

none of my stuff has glowplugs....

 

[Cowboy Billy]

hi, i have a FOTON 404, it was hard to start...

this year, i made up a device to hook a hair dryer into, such that, the hot air blew right into the air intake filter.....

i no longer have to use the glow plugs
try it, it does work
john

Hi North

That's a great Idea I am going to try that in my off grid diesel generator.

I have a JD 450 dozer no glow plugs and it starts great in the winter. Until the battery cables get corroded then it does not spin over fast enough to start. And it has to start as I use it to block the doors on my generator shed on out off grid property.

I haven't tried it yet but I have been told to use propane to get the engine started. Its a lot easier in the engine and does not wash the oil off of the cylinder walls. I blew the head gasket on my loader two years ago starting with either.

Billy