Wiinter Diesel Starting ?

[Stocker Steve]

I have a JD diesel tractor with 10W 30 and a fresh battery. It groans when I hit the start key, but if I stop and then try to again it will crank fairly fast and fire. What cause the initial slow groan?

 

[jltrent]

It is either the starter solenoid, brushes worn or starter itself. I would take the starter and have it gone through and needed parts replaced ASAP. Also check for corroded cables and poor connections to the battery. Also during the winter months in a cold climate I would consider going with 5W-40 Synthetic diesel oil as it doesn't thicken up like Dyno Conventional oil when it gets cold.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/shell--ro ... gQody8ADlQ

 

[John SD]

I have Rotella 5W40 synthetic in my Kubota. Have also used it in my Fords. To be honest, I really don't notice any difference in cold starting qualities between 5W40 synthetic and dino 10W30 I don't use 15W40 at all.

I agree it might be time to have the starter gone over at your local auto electric shop.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Thanks. Don't want to be doing starter work at -30.

 

[John SD]

Thanks. Don't want to be doing starter work at -30.

I understand :nod: Subzero cold has a way of bringing out all the mechanical bugs in any machine

You might get a reman starter just to have on hand, then swap the starter if you luck out and get a break in the cold :idea:

 

[Silver]

I would check the battery before I started doing starter repairs. A bad connection between plates in the battery can give you 10 volts one minute and 12.5 the next, which can account for the different cranking speeds.

 

[wbvs58]

Yeh I would look at the battery, next time hook up your truck to it with jumper leads for the first crank and see if the extra battery capacity spins her faster on the first crank.

Ken

 

[dun]

Do you have a heater in it, block or radiator? I don;t remember if it's closed or open center tractors that have issues unless the hydraulic fluid is also heated. The cranking it could be that you are getting the cold (stiff) hydraulic fluid sirred up so it can turn easier. But I would sure check the starter to eliminate that as an issue.

 

[quartermeter]

Mine starts but I have to thaw out the glass filter bowl with a blow drier even at 30°. I have added POWER SERVICE 911 to the fuel to prevent freezing but I still have to use a blow dryer. I used to take the whole glass bowl off and clean and change the filter. Put it back together and bleed it and it would start then. But the blow dryer is just easier takes about 30 minutes sometimes if its down to 20 degrees. But it'll finally starts. It always cranks good. The 911 power service should take care of any water in the tank. I added half a bottle today when I filled up the tank so we'll see if it doesn't better.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Put the battery charger/maintainer on it every night, will help keep them warm, and help the out put. Also a few gallons of good'ol jet fuel (kerosene) will help.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Do you guys have glow plugs down there?

 

[Mat Man]

My Kubota m8950 starts good when using glow plugs.Will see next couple of days with single digits temps coming.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Do you guys have glow plugs down there?

Air pre heat on 5075E. Nothing on the vintage tractors.
Got the new starter in before the polar weather arrived. Plug it in when I reload the wood boiler and then feed after lunch.
Had it gel up on #1 half way across the yard. It gets real quiet when 300 eyeballs ware watching and waiting for lunch at -20.

 

[Nesikep]

Neighbor with an old JD (1830 I think?) finds it starts better if you rock the steering wheel back and forth... this relieves the hydraulic pressure from the closed center hydraulics and helps it crank better... I didn't think of it until now

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

My feeding tractor gets squeezed inside for the winter and stays plugged into a Battery Tender trickle charger 24/7 then plug the block heater in a couple hours before I'm going to need it. Run #1 fuel treated with white bottle Power Service and haven't had any issues down to -30* (knock on wood).

 

[John SD]

My feeding tractor gets squeezed inside for the winter and stays plugged into a Battery Tender trickle charger 24/7 then plug the block heater in a couple hours before I'm going to need it. Run #1 fuel treated with white bottle Power Service and haven't had any issues down to -30* (knock on wood).

If I already have straight #1 fuel in the tank and not concerned about gelling, I usually run silver bottle Power Service (Diesel Kleen) instead of the white bottle. The silver bottle has more cetane booster in it, but no anti-gel. The white bottle has anti-gel, so does not contain as much cetane booster. The way I understand it, the cetane boost helps with cold starting :idea:

Someone posted about Power Service 911. 911 contains alcohol to absorb water but the alcohol is hard on pumps and injectors. IIRC, 911 is only to be used in "emergency" situations to get your diesel going after it has gelled or frozen up. For routine use, white bottle Power Service is the product to use and make sure all your supply tank and tractor filters are either new or in good conditon going into winter.

 

[John SD]

Put the battery charger/maintainer on it every night, will help keep them warm, and help the out put. Also a few gallons of good'ol jet fuel (kerosene) will help.

I've done the kerosene thing on my old Fords with good results. 2.5 gallon jug in 43 gallon tank.

Does anyone know if kerosene meets the newfangled ULSD specs? Without knowing for sure I'm a bit afraid to put kero in the Tier IV Kubota with DPF. I did put a gallon of Sea Foam in the 50 gallon tank of #2 fuel along with a stiff dose of white bottle Power Service. Kero ain't exactly cheap, but Sea Foam gets kinda spendy in a hurry :shock:

 

[ddd75]

Do you guys have glow plugs down there?

Air pre heat on 5075E. Nothing on the vintage tractors.
Got the new starter in before the polar weather arrived. Plug it in when I reload the wood boiler and then feed after lunch.
Had it gel up on #1 half way across the yard. It gets real quiet when 300 eyeballs ware watching and waiting for lunch at -20.

my 5065 does the same thing.. it doesn't want to turn over if its 15 or below. The battery needs replacing on mine, but i just keep it plugged in. If it won't start I point a jet heater at the oil pan with a piece of aluminum on the driveshaft to blow the heat up to it.

after about 10 minutes of that she'll fire right up

 

[Nesikep]

Stocker steve.. I thought it would get really noisy with 300 eyeballs not seeing the hay where they want it.

I found a really good way to start our old 1965 Ford County (Ford super major/ 7000).. I put a bung in the air inlet between the air filter and manifold, and I put a heat gun on max in it for about a minute or two before cranking it over.. REALLY helps starting and much easier on it that ether... It will still hardly turn over from the thick oil, but it'll fire and idle right away, as long as you leave the heat gun on... if you take it out before the cylinder warms up it'll start coughing and sputtering... once it warms up enough i put the cover back on the bung and away I go.