Cold starting options

[dun]

In the low double digits and colder the tractor turns over pretty slow. I was told that putting a trickle charge on the battery would help but I'ld have to open up the floorboards to get to the battery. I had considered a dip stick type of heater or a small heater to drop in the top of the radiator. Cab;t get to a freeze plug to put a block heater in.
What are your opinions on the best (and easiest) method that would be effective?

Thnaks

dun

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

I'd go the electric dip stick warmer. Keeping that oil warm and thinner is 75% of the battle. Easiest too.

 

[dun]

I'd go the electric dip stick warmer. Keeping that oil warm and thinner is 75% of the battle. Easiest too.

That's the way I was leaning, other then block heaters I've never tried any of the others.

dun

 

[shorty]

We tried a dipstick heater years ago , if the tractor was cold and you plugged it in it took forever to get it warm that it meant anything , but it did help if you plugged it in while motor was still warm when you shut it down for the day and started it the next morning. we used it a while but then we put a block heater in , that works best.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

A brooder lamp suspended over the engine might also help keep it warm in the engine compartment if it's fairly well enclosed.

 

[RAWCJW]

mine has a heater that connects between the hoses it seems to work pretty well if plugged in for about 4- 5 hrs.

 

[cfpinz]

We've used a couple that went in heater hose lines, circulates the coolant as well as heats it. Work better than any other ones we've tried.

cfpinz

 

[dun]

We've used a couple that went in heater hose lines, circulates the coolant as well as heats it. Work better than any other ones we've tried.

cfpinz

On the old tractors it wasn;t a problem hooking stuff up. This thing has everything so packed in you can;t even see the engine and the hoses are all buried under stuff.
Friend of mine has a magnetic heater, gonna put that n the crankcase and get a dipstick type for the hydraulics. That should get things going. Just hate to go work on it in the snow, even though it's under cover, it's still snowing.
Come on spring

dun

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Dun, if you can't get to your heater hoses to put a circulating heater on it, your next best option is an oil pan heater. All it is, is a 1500 watt element that replaces your oil pan drain plug.

You may also want to check your batteries. Low double digits really isn't all that cold in the grand scheme of things. Any of my old worn out tractors around here will start at those temperatures, not plugged in. It may simply be that your tractor battery has a low cold cranking amp rating, and stepping up to better battery may solve your woes.

Also, what does your tractor have for cold start assist? Glow plugs? Manifold heater? Check that these are functioning properly.

Rod

 

[rmcva]

In the low double digits and colder the tractor turns over pretty slow. I was told that putting a trickle charge on the battery would help but I'ld have to open up the floorboards to get to the battery. I had considered a dip stick type of heater or a small heater to drop in the top of the radiator. Cab;t get to a freeze plug to put a block heater in.
What are your opinions on the best (and easiest) method that would be effective?

Thnaks

dun

I tired the lower radiator hose heater. Works pretty good but then saw a neighbors tractor that had a split in the radiator from that type of heater. Haven't seen one in that style with a thermostat on it. It just heats and keeps heating.

Tried the dip stick style. It sure heats the oil and have heard some say it could break down the engine oil over time. Doesn't do much to heat the head or combustion chamber. I guess either of those types will do OK but I wouldn't want to leave either plugged in over night.

I went to tank type heaters some years back You can size the wattage for the engine. 60-80 HP I use a 1,500 watt and a 2,000 watt. Have them on timers. They warm the coolant enough to make the thermostat on the tractor open and it's like starting on a summer day. The engine gets warm whereever the coolant flows. The Kats brand has a thermostat built in the tank. So as long as that works it won't over heat the engine. In my area the tank type will heat an engine enough to start good in about 45 min. with the proper size heater. Leave it on for 1 1/2 hours and the engine is close to operating temp. Leave it on longer and the temp. guage on the tractor starts going up like the engine is running. The tank type has to be plumbed in with automotive 5/8's heater hose. Also has to be plumbed in correct to operate. And the tank is mounted where ever you can get them on the side of the engine or loader brackets. They use more wattage but heat faster and on a timer I think they may be a little cheaper to operate than some of the smaller types.

I have one tractor with the block heater(came on the tractor new) but it never gets the engine anywhere close as warm as the tank type. And that's if I leave it plugged in overnight.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Dun, I have a problem with the hydraulics on my old 1486 in the Winter. Takes for ever to come up after starting. I started hanging a heat lamp on the case to keep it warm(er). Seems to work pretty good or at least good enough so that when I get it fired up the hydraulics are ready to work. Just a thought and it's easy to hook up.

 

[jkwilson]

In the low double digits and colder the tractor turns over pretty slow. I was told that putting a trickle charge on the battery would help but I'ld have to open up the floorboards to get to the battery.

A trickle charger will boil a battery dry. I like the freeze-plug style heaters myself, but you need 3 or 4 hours notice to get the block good and warm. Inspect your battery cables. They like to corrode up under the insulation and can really slow down a starter.

 

[dun]

I stuck a magnetic heater on the oil pan and a dipstick type into the hydraulics. Hopefully that will keep the fluids a little more fluid like. I'll find out in a couple of dayswhen I have to put out hay again, or grade the lane tomorrow if we get much snow

dun

 

[jkwilson]

I stuck a magnetic heater on the oil pan and a dipstick type into the hydraulics. Hopefully that will keep the fluids a little more fluid like. I'll find out in a couple of dayswhen I have to put out hay again, or grade the lane tomorrow if we get much snow

dun

That post made me think of something else. Some tractors have a means to disable the hydraulic pump during cold weather cranking, which can be a big deal with cold fluid.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'd go the electric dip stick warmer. Keeping that oil warm and thinner is 75% of the battle. Easiest too.

That's the way I was leaning, other then block heaters I've never tried any of the others.

dun

I have a magnetic one that goes on the block that seems to work well. It was cheap as well 20 bucks I want to say.

 

[Matt S]

Before I'd spend any money on heaters, I'd clean the battery connections all the way to the starter. Then get the battery load tested. If it checks out ok, then it should turn the motor over just fine.

 

[Wewild]

We got the freeze plug type heaters on 2 of our tractors. All of them are on 12v system with 2 in series 6v batteries. I never use them anymore. We don't get too cold, but if we do I hook up a F250 desiel when I know from the first pull that they just aren't gona make it. Sometimes I use one jumper cable. Sometime I use a second on the other battery. Sometimes I use ether. I don't have to do any of these much at all. I feed a lunch or in the evening. I don't have glow plugs.

I think hooking up the truck is less costly option in the long run for here anyway. The Deere's battery's are easily accessed and it only take a sec.

 

[frenchie]

Dun...


A battery blanket may help .

you got a lot of plastic or fibreglass near your engine block :?:

As an absolutely last resort I use ( depending on the tractor involved )a tiger torch & propane either directly on the block or a stovepipe to direct the heat ..or better yet in a 45 gal steel barrel laying on its side cross ways under the block . cut a small hole in each end . Put the torch in one end

Works real well but you got to be careful.. I usually stay put while its heating .Good luck..

 

[dun]

No problem with the battery. Even at 5 degrees the load test said it was in the high side of good. My load tester only shows good or bad, no in betweens. When it takes a long time for the hydraulics to start to cycle, odds are it's thick fluids. It takes a couple of minutes for the engine to even come upto speed once it does start.

dun

 

[Wewild]

It takes a couple of minutes for the engine to even come upto speed once it does start.

dun

What temps are you at when you see that? It seems I can see that with the desiel. Maybe not that long.