Plugging in your tractor

[skeets]

See now if you had a cab tractor you could spend a lot more time out side,,,

 

[torch]

See now if you had a cab tractor you could spend a lot more time out side,,,

Dealer probably said it wasn't necessary...

 

[sheepfarmer]

Actually the B2650 does have a cab . That was the whole point of getting it! The old Ingersoll and its front snowblower still work, kind of, but running it provided more windblown snow in the face than is fun. I keep telling you skeets you need a cab tractor! That L5030 at msu is still available... I

 

[troverman]

I don't really see plugging in as necessary. If its really cold, cycle the glow plugs a few times. My 2002 L4310 started flawlessly in really cold weather (it hit -22F a few times) without being plugged in. My B2920 also starts without issue. These are mechanical IDI tractors. My new MX4800 should start even better being common-rail, direct-injected, and using EUI's.

 

[Ironman2]

Personally, I would just get the Kubota block heater... they are somewhat competitively priced. Your BX may take a 3/4” threaded heater, but I loose track of which ones use that or a 25mm freeze plug type. Both of my L’s took the freeze plug type.


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Mine started yesterday at -5C or 23 American. Used the glow plugs and when it started I kept the plugs on til it smoothed out. As my tractor is from 1972, I would be hesitant to disturb the frost plugs. Bear in mind that frost plugs were not put there to be the best location for heaters, they were put in for casting purposes. If I ever need to use mine in cold weather, I would install a glue on oil pan heater. When I lived in the north I found that was the most effective heating system for diesel engines. Heat rises from the warm oil, and as soon as you turn it over, the engine is pumping warm oil to all the nooks and crannies of the engine.

I would go with a small 75 watt heater, or max 150 watt. There are also thermostatically controlled pan heaters, too.
Bear in mind that you should not leave it plugged in 24/7 as it may coke the oil if the heater is high wattage in relation to the sump capacity.

 

[NoJacketRequired]

I would go with a small 75 watt heater, or max 150 watt. There are also thermostatically controlled pan heaters, too.
Bear in mind that you should not leave it plugged in 24/7 as it may coke the oil if the heater is high wattage in relation to the sump capacity.

In support of Ironman2's statement, firstly I offer my condolences to you for having a -5C day so early in October. We've only had a couple of frosts so far here in Ottawa, so I don't envy you the cold and snow you've had so far this fall.

With respect to pan heaters, this is the standard heating method for air-cooled engines. I have them on my airplane engines, as well as cylinder base heater bands. While the issue of coking oil is very real, it would take a significant wattage to do so since pan heaters are spreading their heat out over the surface of the oil pan. In the aviation world we have seen serious coking issues with "dipstick heaters". I've seen one that wouldn't come back out the dipstick hole - it looked like a chocolate popsicle with all the oil baked onto it!

An inline water heater or frost plug provides an opportunity for higher power densities than are practically achievable through typical silicon stick-on oil pan heaters. I've found the stick-on oil pan heaters require several hours to warm a tractor the size of a Massey 135 to the point where it is comfortable starting at -20C while a heater in the coolant system can produce many more watts thus takes less warm-up time.

Several studies on this topic have been conducted and most seem to confirm that engine wear is greatest in the first minute or two of engine running, thanks to oil not yet coating the high contact pressure rotating parts. Pre-heating engines, whether by heating the oil pan or the coolant, is a good investment in its longevity.

 

[torch]

I noticed these tips in the articles section of the website (buried in the starting fluid article)

10 Quick Cold Weather Starting Tips

1 Have a good strong battery with 850-1000CCA (cold cranking amps).

2 Use a magnetic block heater if your Kubota does not have a water jacket heater to keep the engine block, oil pan and oil warm.

3 Crank over the engine for 15-30 seconds with the cylinder head decompression knob pulled out to circulate warm engine oil to the upper parts of the engine.

4 Glow the glow plugs for the appropriate time as dictated by the outside ambient temperature. Below zero give them 60 seconds of preheat. Over-glowing does not hurt.

5 Service your tractor regularly, change filters and fluids.

6 If the engines begins to fire and is running a little lumpy, quickly turn the key backwards to reactivate the glow plugs and bring the temperature of the combustion temperature back up.

7 Set a trouble light on top of the engine for an hour or so to warm up a frozen engine. Place it by the air plenum and injector lines but do not leave it unattended or overnight.

8 Remove the battery and bring it inside the house if necessary. A warm battery will crank your Kubota over like a hot day in July!

9 Park in a heated garage if possible, if not, even an unheated shed offers a degree of protection.

10 Make sure the fuel in the tank is fresh, number 2 diesel. If you store your own fuel, make sure it has been treated with an extender and it does not hurt to use a little cetane booster.

(I'm not sure I fully agree with #10. I think #1 diesel is a better choice in winter)

 

[twomany]

You know these "ten Tips" sort of things are just plain useless.

In the list above, If Tip #9 is followed. and the tractor is parked in a heated garage, NONE OF THE OTHER TIPS MATTER!

Jeesh. The world is filled with "Tips for IDIOTS!@

 

[Tim Horton]

It depends on the vintage of the tractor, Older needs to be earlier.
This is likely good advise. Depending on the individual tractor.
X X X X X
My experience has been with my late 1980s compact, it had a real aggressive block heater. Half an hour on the coldest day and it would be too hot to put your hand on the valve cover. It was a real tea kettle.

Our present 2015 year compact stays backed into an oped front barn. The open side is very sheltered from wind. This tractor has a real low output block heater. More a warmer than a percolator the older model had. It works best plugged in 24/7 once high temps sink to 0C to -5C. The valve cover never seems to get too warm to hold your hand on. But that is all that is necessary at this time.

My 5 cents of experience.

 

[NoBiffBetter]

On my Kubota Bx I leave my block heater plugged in only when it’s below freezing 32 degrees F. and Lower.. every engine starts a little differently in the cold, learn your motor and what it likes and what it doesn’t like.. mine tends to run pretty rough on first start up when temps are lower than 35 degrees F. Or so. Just remember that cold starts are nearly 80-90% of engine wear in a lifetime of the motor.. so yah I warm my block to help it start easier but more importantly because it saves the engine and the bearings as well as the pistons and cylinder walls..

Aluminum Pistons expand much faster than steel sleeves/ cylinders do so what happens when you constantly start your engine in cold temps with out a warmer it slowly but surly scuffs your pistons and cylinder walls loosing compression over time and doing other various slow degration of your engine.

I also always keep my tractor plugged in to a battery tender 24/7 when I’m not using it.. this helps the motor turn over quickly but also saves your battery and helps to keep those cold cranking amps up high when trying to start your engine in freezing conditions.


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[jmf78]

You know these "ten Tips" sort of things are just plain useless.

In the list above, If Tip #9 is followed. and the tractor is parked in a heated garage, NONE OF THE OTHER TIPS MATTER!

Jeesh. The world is filled with "Tips for IDIOTS!@

"If" #9 is not an option, what say you, oh wise one?

Do you ever post anything useful or do you just verbally beat people up? You took torch's tip #9 and made it completely different than what he said in a way to make it possible to negate everything else that he said.

If I had to guess, I'd say you are full of knowledge but too much of a jerk to have anybody stick around to hear or care about what you say. Hence, why you come on here to demean others.

 

[twomany]

"If" #9 is not an option, what say you, oh wise one?

Do you ever post anything useful or do you just verbally beat people up? You took torch's tip #9 and made it completely different than what he said in a way to make it possible to negate everything else that he said.

If I had to guess, I'd say you are full of knowledge but too much of a jerk to have anybody stick around to hear or care about what you say. Hence, why you come on here to demean others.

Torch did not author those "tips", only a copy and paste.
I made directed effort to condemn the "tips". Not any person behind them.

You seek a fight with a ghost of a ghost. Good luck.

 

[jmf78]

Torch did not author those "tips", only a copy and paste.
I made directed effort to condemn the "tips". Not any person behind them.

You seek a fight with a ghost of a ghost. Good luck.

I don't care who authored them. And you didn't condemn any tips.

You misrepresented one tip, in which he said "if possible", "if" being operative, with which you attempted to negate the rest of the suggestions. Do the other suggestions have merit? No? Say so. Explain why if possible?

If you want to condemn them all in one shot, you should do better. Make a better point. You're not helping anybody with that kind of message.

I'm not chasing ghosts. Just here to learn and help where i can and people like you aren't making this forum attractive at all.

 

[twomany]

I don't care who authored them. And you didn't condemn any tips.

You misrepresented one tip, in which he said "if possible", "if" being operative, with which you attempted to negate the rest of the suggestions. Do the other suggestions have merit? No? Say so. Explain why if possible?

If you want to condemn them all in one shot, you should do better. Make a better point. You're not helping anybody with that kind of message.

I'm not chasing ghosts. Just here to learn and help where i can and people like you aren't making this forum attractive at all.

You will benefit by following those tips.

tip #9,..... IF is also part of the earlier post. Perhaps you had missed that "operative".


It's a big world outside.

 

[twomany]

Do you ever post anything useful or do you just verbally beat people up?
.

See post #2 of this thread '=]

 

[jmf78]

You will benefit by following those tips.

tip #9,..... IF is also part of the earlier post. Perhaps you had missed that "operative".


It's a big world outside.

So instead of saying:

You know these "ten Tips" sort of things are just plain useless.

In the list above, If Tip #9 is followed. and the tractor is parked in a heated garage, NONE OF THE OTHER TIPS MATTER!

Jeesh. The world is filled with "Tips for IDIOTS!@

You could say:

You will benefit by following those tips.

However: Tip#9 will provide the most protection.

In one instance, you're discrediting potentially beneficial information. In the other, you're giving value (as stated above) to beneficial information.

 

[jmf78]

See post #2 of this thread '=]

Ok. Along with the topic we've been discussing. 5C.....in a garage or....out?

 

[twomany]

Ok. Along with the topic we've been discussing. 5C.....in a garage or....out?

My tractors do not suffer wind chill. In or out, 5C is 5C

Perhaps other tractors are sensitive to being put outdoors...

I can't imagine... Wind chill? Freezing water jugs?

 

[twomany]

So instead of saying:

You could say:

In one instance, you're discrediting potentially beneficial information. In the other, you're giving value (as stated above) to beneficial information.

Let me be clear, It is YOU who will benefit from these tips. I'm being selective !

Some reasonable people don't need more than common sense to get along just fine.

 

[dlundblad]

" I have 2 fairly new tractors and two different dealers recommended against installing block heaters "

I would be interested in their thinking on not installing heaters. I did not even ask for mine, the dealer installed it as a normal setup and I am sure our winters are similar to your's. Just curious. I did not plug mine in one day when it was cold and when I started it I could really tell the difference, did not like the way it sounded at all.

FWIW, my dealer said a block heater wasn't needed with an L2501. I'm sure the time will come, but I really don't plan on being out there when it's well 0*F anyways.. Lol.

As someone said, it depends on the vintage of the tractor. I'm sure my 1985 G5200 would prefer anything below 32*F.