Too cold to start

[bywaterdustin2]

With temps at -39c the old girl won't start (M6950DTS) got a charger on now and diesel heater on oil pan. Thank God we also have small square bales to feed just a little more work

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[AKguy09]

A block heater would be a wise investment, or one of the circulation heaters. When I lived in Alaska I would plug my tractor in about 3 hours before I wanted to use it, and it always started.

 

[bywaterdustin2]

When I am not using it it is always plugged in thinking it is finally time for a new battery

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[Kubota Newbie]

Me too. 0F here today early (-18C). Definitely a battery for me for the M4500. Not complaining, first time in 7 years that battery hasn't started the tractor. Think i'll buy another just like it.

 

[bywaterdustin2]

What kind was it and how many cranking amps?

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[Stmar]

Mine was in the barn and at sub zero even with the block heater and tenders plugged in still was the first time it did not start on the first try. Makes me glad the dealer installed the block heater and that Paul suggested the remote receptacle and all the guys that suggested the battery tender, had them on my ATVs so it made sense to add to tractor. I am also running #1, PS White and a dash of Seafoam just for the heck of it.

 

[ItBmine]

My B started at minus 40*C. But the case 580 Super M needed a boost, but i think one battery is on it's way out.

 

[JerryMT]

When I am not using it it is always plugged in thinking it is finally time for a new battery

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Are you sure your block heater is working? They do fail.

Battery heaters are also a good thing to have if you have really cold temperatures regularly, so you might want to consider that. Battery output drops and oil viscosity increases as temperature decreases so when you need more battery current, it isn't available. A battery heater together with a block heater can help.

 

[JerryMT]

Me too. 0F here today early (-18C). Definitely a battery for me for the M4500. Not complaining, first time in 7 years that battery hasn't started the tractor. Think i'll buy another just like it.

The battery on our M4500 crapped out on us and it would not even heat the glow plugs, let alone turn over. The battery was 8 years old. I installed the new one this morning and I had the block heater plugged in and it started on the first turn.

 

[prof.fate]

my 73 L175 started this morning, 3F. Started easily..sorta surprised me that it did. Been sitting a couple of days in a barn. No heaters, no nothing.
3 year old batt.
My son's car has a 2 year old battery and it didn't start today.

It's very rare it gets any colder than this here. Glad it started - I now know I don't need to do anything.

Our diesel buses at work get plugged in for single digits. Boss complains about the elec cost of doing so.

 

[D2Cat]

my 73 L175 started this morning, 3F. Started easily..sorta surprised me that it did. Been sitting a couple of days in a barn. No heaters, no nothing.
3 year old batt.

I'd say you're in good shape. If that machine is setting inside a barn in that temp and starts easily, there's nothing else you can ask of it!!

 

[Kubota Newbie]

What kind was it and how many cranking amps?

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It was a Wallyworld Everstart 27DC which is a marine/deep cycle battery. 750 MCA which makes it about 660 CCA (but with a fairly long drawdown). The 27DC was out of stock this morning so I got the 29DC @ 850 MCA. It is a little bit bigger which makes it a tight fit (has to be exactly centered in the battery tray to easily clear the hood). $90
I know... Deep cycle batteries aren't for this type of application yada yada. But hey... $90... 7 years. Evidently works for this application ok. BTW divide MCA by 1.3 +/- to get average CCA.

 

[Bulldog]

I put a Optima blue top marine battery in my M9000. It's been great for several years. I went with it because of the acc. post. Makes it easier to hook up the wires for bale monitors and such.

 

[Dave_eng]

The block heater is part of the problem unless you have the latest model tractor.

The glow plug timer looks at the coolant temp and determines if the GP's are needed. Block warm, little to no GP time.

When the engine starts inhaling -20 to -40 cold air it wont fire.

There is a trick to bypass the GP timer. On my M7040, it is to put the shuttle lever in forward and turn the key to start. Count to about 10. Shuttle back to neutral and start the engine. The glow plugs have been on while the shuttle is in forward and the key in start.

Engine fires immediately.

The latest engines with all the emission stuff, have a programming change when the dealer installs a block heater. The computer is told to look at another sensor not influenced by block temp to determine how long to turn on the GP's.

Owner's who install a block heater on their own don't know of the programming change and continue to have starting problems.

Dave

 

[bywaterdustin2]

Well a new battery and some heat to the oil pan and she started up. It was nice to put out a large round bale yesterday and not hand bomb small square. Also put out hay for neibors and got more fire wood. Good thing because I woke up to -33c (-45c wind chill) this morning.

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[Stmar]

My F250 sits outside and it was 10 below this morning, couldn't get it started yesterday but didn't try real hard. Today I used my Stanley lithium jumpstarter, have had it for over a year and never used it, and I'll be darned it worked. Hard to imagine a little thing like that starting a 460 F250.

 

[pwhite42]

I had to replace my block heater on my Massey GC2300 this spring. The circulator heater on my Kubota L2250 has held longer. Both make a big difference when it is 10 below or lower.