cold weather starting question

[kbeatty-L225]

This is my first winter with a diesel tractor. I have an old Kubota L225!
I expect to continue to store it outdoors and use it to plow snow this winter.

Is there anything I should do to make it easier to start once the weather gets cold? I am a novice with diesel engines so I am basing my fears on seeing diesel highway vehicles plugged into people's home outlets to keep the fuel warm. Is the glow plug enough to start my tractor when it is 15 degrees outside or is there something I can purchase to safely heat it before starting?

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[kuboman]

You will have a lot less grief if you have a block heater and plug in when it gets below freezing even if it is for only an hour. Also make sure you have your tank filled with winter fuel. And then throw a tarp over the tractor to keep the weather off and the wind. Keeping the wind off really helps with starting and fuel issues.

 

[mendonsy]

My B7500 has lived outdoors for 10 years with no problems. It is still starting on the original battery without a block heater which is amazing.
You will need to use some sort of fuel conditioner in the winter to keep the fuel filter from gelling when the air temperature gets below about 15 degrees. Something like Diesel 911 or Tractor Supply's cetane boost works well. I add it to every tank of fuel.

 

[hodge]

You don't heat the fuel, you heat the block. I have seen diesels that would start well in cold weather, even without a heater, and others that wouldn't at all. A heater makes life much easier, and does not cost much. It saves on cranking, keeps your oil thinner for initial startup, and doesn't cost much to use. I plug my truck in at night, and figured it up at about .07 cents a night.
I don't have a heater on my Kubota or skidsteer, but they are kept inside, so they don't get quite as cold.
You can get an inline heater for the coolant hose very reasonably, and it is worth the effort to make sure that your glowplugs are good. I pull the decompression knob out when starting cold, so that it spins freely for a few seconds and gets the oil flowing before combustion.
Keep the fuel tank topped off (which is good to do all year long, to keep out condensation), and an additive like Powerservice is good so that your fuel doesn't gel. Get the white bottle, not the 911/red bottle- that is only for use if you system is already gelled up.
Make sure that you have good antifreeze in it- not water or too weak of a mixture- and let it warm up before moving if you have a hydro.
A tarp will mean that you don't have to clear it off before using it, and it will keep moisture from snow and ice out of critical parts. Inside is better yet, if you can. It can be 5 or 10 degrees warmer inside an unheated building, and can make a difference.

 

[helomech]

It varies by the tractor. My massey would start right off the bat with nothing being done. It was stored outside, and even at 10 F never gave me a issue starting. My kubota, which I like muuuuuch better is a little more finicky. I have to use the glow plugs, and it still sputters and dies a couple times before it fires up. Then it needs some time to warm up before it will drive off.

 

[Stubbyie]

I second the prior comments:

Get a Kats "red T" inline heater (~$30)for the lower radiator hose. Put it on a timer or give it 3-hrs head start before trying to crank.

Use fuel admixture: Stanadyne as recommended by Bosch for their injectors in your machine.

Throw a tarp over the engine to prevent wind-cooling while trying to heat the block.

If you have a manual decompression valve, pull it open, crank up to full spin, push in knob, engine should light. Lets everything start moving under low compression. Be sure to let the glow plugs cycle even with a heater.

Feel your glow plugs and determine if all are working.

Keep your battery up no matter how new. Use a 'maintenance'-type trickle charger. I like Schumacher; forget about Harbor Freight.

We are real conservative and keep a battery maintainer on every machine year round, with the clutch locked 'disengaged', and the block heater set to come on at 45-F (+/-). One plug does it all; every time we park we plug it in.

Sure cuts down on hard starting and keeps batteries at peak charge.

Please post back your experiences so we may all learn.

 

[slgrafton]

I have an L245 my Dad bought new in the 70's.
Has always been hard to start in very cold weather.
Use an inline heater, tarp it against wind and use a trickle charge on the battery like the others say. The trickle charger warms the battery too.
You may want to replace the glow plugs as an added measure.

 

[kbeatty-L225]

Wow! You guys are quick to share your experience and I very much appreciate it!

I will buy a block heater and trickle charger and I will tarp the tractor. It does sit under a car port so it will not be directly in the weather. Fuel additive is a must also.

Embarrassingly, I never considered checking my antifreeze quality and will just replace what is in there since I have no way of knowing how old or diluted it may be.

I will have to research the block heaters to find out what name brand I should buy and who the suppliers are. Messick's maybe?

Thanks for all the guidance received so far.

 

[Stubbyie]

Most dealers have some type of inline lower radiator hose electric element heater available. Messick's may only sell the Kubota block freeze-plug insertion type--a major PiA to install.

We use several KATS made / sold by Five Star Manufacturing out of Tennessee (if I remember location correctly).

Got the last one at Tractor Supply; NAPA had them under another brand and more expensive but were otherwise identical. O'Reilly's crossed the part number (I had in hand from a prior install on another machine) to a silver-y aluminum baseball-size thing with lower wattage output.

KATS / 5 Star is a red epoxy-plasti-coated 'T' shaped (fits into lower radiator hose by cutting out a short section---even comes with hose clamps) heater. Recommend them highly. Even had good warranty when one quit working after one season: sent replacement within a week of being contacted.

Please post back with your continuing experiences so we may all learn.

 

[coachgeo]

I see your still around Kbeaty so I'll ask you (or anyone else with an L225) Does your L225 glow element on dash ever heat up (get red)? I get no red glow at all. No orange, no glow of any kind.

Mine does starts ok at 45degree and above though with out much difficulty. Have not tried starting it yet now that it is at well below 32degree F. May need to back blade snow at some point. Had one 5-6" snow week ago but no more expected and will in another week hit warm enough to melt some so I've not bothered.

But ol' man winter can fool ya so Im attempting to stay prepared so this is plan thus far: Heat shed with old Keorsene heater before starting while digging out of my storage for an inline electric heater I know I have.

Just fixed the kerosene heater(output at 9600 btu) than I got for 5 bucks. So this is what will use it to heat tiny shed tractor sits in for many hours before attempting to start. Tractor barely fits in shed.

Will this potentially do, or am I probably stuck at a no start situation till I get storage dug thru, and inline heater installed and/or glow plug fault? situation remedied?

 

[Diydave]

Does your L225 glow element on dash ever heat up (get red)? I get no red glow at all. No orange, no glow of any kind.

Mine does starts ok at 45degree and above though with out much difficulty. Have not tried starting it yet now that it is at well below 32degree F. May need to back blade snow at some point. Had one 5-6" snow week ago but no more expected and will in another week hit warm enough to melt some so I've not bothered.

But ol' man winter can fool ya so Im attempting to stay prepared so this is plan thus far: Heat shed with old Keorsene heater before starting while digging out of my storage for an inline electric heater I know I have.

Just fixed the kerosene heater(output at 9600 btu) than I got for 5 bucks. So this is what will use it to heat tiny shed tractor sits in for many hours before attempting to start. Tractor barely fits in shed.

Will this potentially do, or am I probably stuck at a no start situation till I get storage dug thru, and inline heater installed and/or glow plug fault? situation remedied?

Have you turned the start knob to the left, or opposite direction of start, to engage the glow plugs? It's not automatic, like on a car or truck...

Also, I pre-heat mine with a little coleman single burner stove, placed under the oil pan, sufficiently low enough to not set the tractor afire... Takes about an hour to get the motor to about 150 degrees, at the valve cover, depending how cold it is to start with.

Also, search Kat pre-heaters, on amazon, and Ebay. You can get either a LR hose heater, or a freeze-plug type, generally for less than $50...

 

[Tooljunkie]

I prefer the insulated shed for a necessary piece of equipment. I know it will go when needed, but if i was to keep it outdoors,a tarp and battery charger would be a must have. Even a 60 watt bulb under the oil pan ( out of the wind) will help a cold engine start.

 

[coachgeo]

Have you turned the start knob to the left, or opposite direction of start, to engage the glow plugs? ...
Also, search Kat pre-heaters, on amazon, and Ebay. You can get either a LR hose heater, or a freeze-plug type, generally for less than $50...

Yes I allways turn it to the left as did the used tractor dealer/antique tractor restorer whom I bought it from. Also held 30 sec or less, the glow plug button on my Unimog and other old MB cars. On this bota though the coil has never lit up though. I suspect it was by passed. Should really get in there and test to be sure.

As to inline hose heater you describe. I totally understand the logic in your thought to just go buy one. Just does not fit my situation.

You see I have two $50 dollarish in line hose heaters, along with years of tools, family memento's, generator, and lots more .... these are things Im digging out of the storage/cabin I just spent 10 thousand dollars to have delivered to my home in OH from TX. that's alot of money and would be foolish to go buy something I just spent so much money to have delivered to me already.

PS- the resale value on the cabin alone; pre all the stuff and tools etc. is about 17 thousand. New it is 45-50 thousand.

thus.. a digging and rearranging of stuff I must go. But first must create room to put the stuff.

 

[Diydave]

Check the connections at the glow plugs, themselves, they have a weird kind of nut, at the top of the GP, takes a rather thin bladed flat screw driver, to tighten. Many times they loosen with engine vibration, and lose the connection.

 

[olthumpa]

- - - deleted - - -

 

[D2Cat]

With key on, turn your glow plug switch counter-clockwise, and at the same time connect a test light from first GP connection and ground. If it lights up go to the second GP, and then the third. If the wire is not connecting to the first one the remainder will not light, same for the second. So, they need to light up in sequence.

If you have no power to first GP could be the heater coil. If it's burnt power can't flow from there. Needs replaced in that case.

Next would be the switch, and all the wires. between switch and GP's.

 

[Daren Todd]

On my switch, it has three terminals that give you power out. One when you turn the switch to the left. Wire goes through the coil indicator on the dash then ties in to the glow plug wire. When switch is turned to the right it has two terminals that power up. One goes to the starter to tell it to engage, the other t's into the glow plug wire to power glow plugs while cranking. It will power the glow plugs while cranking, even if the indicator on the dash is burned out. Fourth terminal on switch is power in from the fuse panel.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Folks Look at the dates... I would hope he got it started 2 years later!

coachgeo,
You've done enough posting on forums to know better than to lead the troops into a box canyon!

 

[olthumpa]

Folks Look at the dates... I would hope he got it started 2 years later!

coachgeo,
You've done enough posting on forums to know better than to lead the troops into a box canyon!

Thus my deleted post.

 

[coachgeo]

Folks Look at the dates... I would hope he got it started 2 years later!

coachgeo,
You've done enough posting on forums to know better than to lead the troops into a box canyon!

Age of the thread is irrelevant in this case. Sure there are others where it is. Such as some of the ones both you and I have pointed out lately. topic of this thread is cold starting an L225 tractor and is an area I had a question in. Found this thread via a search which is what a poster is suppose to do first ALWAYS. I did not ask, nor care in this case if OP got his tractor started. As you state after two years most likely it has. Point of my posting in this thread was to ask an on topic question within an existing thread; instead of starting a new thread. AKA Cold start and Glow plugs/coil in an L225.

Established "Netiquette" routine is to; instead of starting new thread, search first and continue in an existing thread second; on its area of topic, if question your seeking answer/clarification has not been hit yet. This always the path that should be taken instead of starting new threads.


Continuing existing thread for deeper clarity also saves the host a ton of money cause archiving 100 threads on the same topic is a waste of paid storage on a Server. For example everyones favorite repeat thread of.. WHAT OIL DO YOU USE