Tractor Warm Up Question

[top gnome]

Hi I have about 11 hours on my b2301 and I have been starting the tractor and moving it out of the garage. then letting it sit and idle for a few minutes while I find something else to do like shovel the sidewalk. the temp has been between 0 and - 20 C 32f to 0 f I cannot see myself wasting that much fuel and time I sometimes use the tractor for a short time so a 5 minute warm up seems crazy if it means the tractor is just sitting there idling. So my question is does warm up mean just sitting there idleing for 5 -10 minutes or using the tractor at a low rpm and slowiy using the hst and hydraulics? The tractor is in a attached garage which rarely is below freezing. I pull the tractor out of the garage because I do not want the fumes in the house. When I do the 50 hour maintenance I will change to synthetic engine oil.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Letting it warm up without using it is better.

 

[Bmyers]

My tractor sits, cab gets warmed up, engine warmed up, hydro warmed up, then off to work.

 

[ve9aa]

I am a new BX2380 tractor owner. (but have owned a TG1860 diesel for 16-17yrs)

The tg1860 mower.....I start it at anywhere's between 10*C and 35*C, idle it out of the outdoor shed for maybe 1 minute and begin mowing. Just shy of 1000hrs on it. Runs strong.

The Tractor.(21hrs on it) It's in a heated (15-17*C) garage/basement, so I start it, revs at 1700-1800rpm and immediately pull it outside in -20*C to 10*c (winter), shovel a little around doors, fold up the rops, engage the blower at 1500-2000rpm and then bring the revs up to 3200wpm (I think that's where the mark is on the RPM gauge) and immediately begin blowing snow.
Total warm up time in the winter, MAYBE 4-5 minutes, but keep in mind...the tractor was already room temp. I think I've seen the temp gauge just come off the pin when I begin blowing, but I am not especially worried.

In the summer, I start it up, pull it outside, idle for ~1 minute and immediately begin mowing if using the tractor to mow. (I usually just use the diesel mower as it's more comfortable, suspension-wise)

Am I doing this wrong?

Probably.

 

[85Hokie]

Hi I have about 11 hours on my b2301 and I have been starting the tractor and moving it out of the garage. then letting it sit and idle for a few minutes while I find something else to do like shovel the sidewalk. the temp has been between 0 and - 20 C 32f to 0 f I cannot see myself wasting that much fuel and time I sometimes use the tractor for a short time so a 5 minute warm up seems crazy if it means the tractor is just sitting there idling. So my question is does warm up mean just sitting there idleing for 5 -10 minutes or using the tractor at a low rpm and slowiy using the hst and hydraulics? The tractor is in a attached garage which rarely is below freezing. I pull the tractor out of the garage because I do not want the fumes in the house. When I do the 50 hour maintenance I will change to synthetic engine oil.

The amount of fuel you are wasting might fill a coffee cup after 30 minutes! A tractor is kinda like the operator ........ get the juices flowing good and hot before doing some work! No matter what the temps are - a little bit of warmup at an idle + is good for the everything.

Most if not all of these machines NEVER get the warm up time in the winter when used commercially, depending on the operator of course. The fluids and transmissions are ready to go once the key is turned.

But for us simply users - a few minutes of warm up is always a good thing.

 

[Geezer3d]

I normally let my LX2610 warm up until I see the first bar on the temperature gauge. How long it takes depends on the outside temperature. I then use it gently until I see at least two bars on the temperature gauge. I also have a block heater, which I plug in for about an hour before starting when the temperature is below about 15F. My tractor sits outside under a roof that is just big enough to keep the snow off of the seat area.

 

[top gnome]

Thank you for all of the replies I guess I will have to get used to letting it warm up. I do have to pull it out of the garage within a minute or so. I do not want the fumes in the bedroom above the garage. then it can sit for a while. I will build a shed for it this spring then it can idle for 5- 10 minutes without moving I also have a block heater on the tractor for when it gets really cold.

 

[skeets]

If the little bit of fuel you are using is that much of a worry, son you have bigger issues than letting the little beasty idle for a half hour or so. If you question is should you let it warm up before you head off to do some work,, then yes it is better, though I have seen and been guilty of jumping on and taking off. In the winter if I am pushing snow, only once this year so far, I go out open the door fire it up and go back in for a cup of coffee and when Im done she is good to go

 

[jimh406]

If you have a block heater, you may find that speeds up warm up quite a bit. I don't think idling our non-DPF engines will hurt them.

 

[top gnome]

thank you all again. I will keep warming it up once it is our of the garage and use the block heater

 

[William1]

I too, fire it up, get it outside fast idle and get together what I need to do (for five or ten minutes) and off I go. It is always five to ten minutes more drive time before real work gets done. While I am working I rarely shut it off for reasons mentioned above. Fuel usage at idle is insignificant. Ounces per hour. Only if I know it is going to sit for 30 minutes or more will I shut it off. Otherwise, it runs until I am done for the day.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: I do not want the fumes in the bedroom above the garage.
You best get the garage SEALED, which here in Ontario it has to be by code
I bet your bedroom is cold,compared to the rest of the house too ?

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

this question comes up frequently.
I myself tend to follow the highly paid, big educated engineers who designed and built my stuff.

Me I ain't smart enough to think I know more so I will follow their rec's at least as a minimum.

I figure if I don't then I have no sway to complain if something breaks.

 

[58Ford]

And keep the revs low to warm up properly. Don’t race the engine so you are in the catalyst range faster as demanded by climate fanatics - or do it….., your choice………. but the climate fanatics are eerily non existent when your engine repair bill is due.

going off in a tangent but listen to your engine! It will let you know when it’s comfortable moving into higher revs. Working with a guy today I asked him what’s wrong with his truck? 99 F350 Cummins. It was idling but also hunting+ a blowoff hiss. He had no idea - it’s just an appliance.

 

[top gnome]

thank you for all of the answers i will continue to get it out of the garage and let it warm up. The garage is sealed. I just do not want the garage full of fumes so that when I open the door to the basement the fumes get in the house. Also when I close the garage door with the fumes in there they tend to stay there. The garage is insulated and drywalled with a 4 season porch and bedroom above. the bedroom stays warm but the bedroom floor is cold. one of the few disadvantages of heat pumps. the garage rarely is below freezing even when the temp is 0 f outside it is in the high 30s in the garage. the snow melts off the tractor and there is water on the floor. I store our onions and other root vegetables out there and our freezer is also out there which probably adds some heat. thank you again for the answers it is very helpful to have this forum to ask questions on. This is my first diesel and first new tractor. First tractor that is not at least 65 years old. It is nice to have a padded seat. The tractor seems to have plenty of power and I have not gone past 2000 rpm yet. Even with studded chains traction/weight seem to be the limiting factor. power steering rocks. thanks again

 

[ve9aa]

From my BX manual. Seems I am not far off the mark, for winter use....I might be a little bit agressive for the summer. Although I am sure it's correct for some situations and tractors, there's no way in HE-double-hockey-sticks I have the patience to wait >30minutes as someone else posted.

I've owned a couple older VW diesels (apples/oranges) and grew very impatient waiting for the thing to blow heat in the dead of winter. Best idea I ever had was a coolant heater on a timer. I'd come out at 7am, windshield would be thawed out in most cases and I had a small amount of heat once I started driving.
I know it's different, but a block heater is not a bad thing at all.

 

[mcfarmall]

Just spent $50,000.00 on new tractor, worries about $1.00 of electricity for block heater and $0.05 of diesel fuel. The REAL question is how much damage to the DPF are you doing while idling to warm up? (Only applies to DPF equipped units)

 

[B737]

get a set of tractor tuxedo covers from @bird dogger , I leave the front cover on for anything 32° and below, it warms up a lot faster and stays warm.

I think he has a set made for B2601, might fit a B2301?

Kubota B2650 Winter Front Grille Cover

The Kubota Derby: The Engine Temperature Competition & Making of My Winter Front Covers Before the Race There might be enough "saddle time" accumulated to now post the findings and fixes for operating in subzero temps and above with my new B2650. It may also apply to or help any other smaller...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[Goz63]

Just spent $50,000.00 on new tractor, worries about $1.00 of electricity for block heater and $0.05 of diesel fuel. The REAL question is how much damage to the DPF are you doing while idling to warm up? (Only applies to DPF equipped units)

Worried and asking a question are not the same thing. I honestly have wondered this too. Can I afford to burn some diesel to warm it up? Sure. The question is does it really matter. Apparently it does and thank you op for asking the question. I learned too.

 

[bird dogger]

get a set of tractor tuxedo covers from @bird dogger , I leave the front cover on for anything 32° and below, it warms up a lot faster and stays warm.

I think he has a set made for B2601, might fit a B2301?

Thanks for the reminder, Kevin. I had sent @top gnome a link to the covers that would fit his tractor in a "conversation" but got no response back. Being a new member, he might not have seen the message. Here's the link to the covers that will fit the B2601 and thus the B2301: B2301 Winter Front Covers
There's more pics on that post. But here's a teaser on the '01 series


@top gnome If interested in a set of covers, I'd be happy to get a set to you. Let me know. You should see a message from me....select the envelope in the top right corner of the page.

David