Diesel Cold Start How-To and a whole lot of Tractor Snow Blowing

The first five minutes of this video I share how I start diesels in sub-zero temperatures in Ice Station Zebra mode, while the remaining seven minutes is devoted to snow blowing and plowing snow, the reason why I started my tractor today.
Equipment used: Kioti NX6010 tractor with a Hiniker Plow and a McKee 720 SnowLand'r blower.
The Fuel Filter Preheater is a Wolverine 12" x 4" Model FH-100 Watt 120V and the heater seen in this video wrapped around my hydro filter is a 200 Watt Fuel Filter Wrap sized 6" x 11" sold out of Utah Biodiesel Supply. The 6"x11" just barely fits my hydro filter but these things come in different sizes.
Zerostart 3400124 (Wolverine Model FH-100) Silicone Pad Diesel Fuel Filter Heater Wrap | 120 Volts | 100 Watts goo.gl/m9uDC8
utahbiodiesels...
The Wolverine products come with a plug, the Utah Biodiesel Supply product must have a 120V plug added.
Speaking of cold oil, when I edited this video together, I edited out the section where I talked about hydro oil. Maybe I should have left it in? I'm using a J20C spec oil. Kioti specs J20C (10w20) as MobleFluid 424 and Napa specs it as their Premium Heavy Duty Tractor Hydraulic & Transmission Fluid which they sell in one gallon pails (NHF 85401), two gallon pails (85402), five gallon buckets (85405), as well as in bulk.

[@neumy1944]

Many thanks for the quick response! We work outdoors in AZ so we like to know what's going on (with the weather). Really enjoy your vids they are my little escape from the constant heat and reminders of how much I loved the snow when I lived in it.

[@MinnesotaEric]

In that case, I should also do a fishing video this summer so you get the full Minnesotan experience, LOL!

[@gullf1sk]

What a nice day, wonderful weather. Or, "Fint vær!" as we say in Norway.

[@regsparkes6507]

Yup, that's cold weather, we can tell by the way the snow flies out of the chute ! Nice and sunny though, make for a better day all 'round. I'm glad you mentioned the part about Wind Chill, not really affecting inanimate things ,... So many folks get that wrong, but the cold sure does affect fluids like hyd. oil and fuel. I use an old dip stick heater for the engine oil. ( it still works well.)

[@MinnesotaEric]

The cold is hard to make cameras work, but it sure makes snow blowers look awesome!

[@neumy1944]

Right on! last time I was there it was all used hockey skates and frozen lakes -45°. Fishing would be nice.

[@Mike-tg8gl]

Great video, the night shot is awesome. Lights and blowing snow. Thumbs up! 👍

[@kagnewmp12]

I'm retired now in Michigan with a 2020 BX subcompact Kubota and what I have done so far in the cold weather is very difficult and takes a lot of practice. I park my tractor inside my heated Garage. That's funny I don't care who you are.

[@MinnesotaEric]

Does it even get cold in Michigan? Smile.

[@kagnewmp12]

@@MinnesotaEric I live just south of the Mackinaw Bridge and it get well below zero many times which can challenge any outside machine.

[@wayneessar7489]

Wow! That machine really eats snow!

[@shiftedproductions1629]

I always run the pto to warm my hydraulics, but one thing I have done and I suggest it is a magnetic block heater, I have one for my satoh beaver 373d and it is the best, she hates the cold but when plugged in she fires right up, if I were you I'd get one big one for your engine oil pan and a smaller one for hydraulic oil pan, while using the one on the filter

[@MinnesotaEric]

I have a screw-in type block heater. The footage was ruined by the wind, and inside the cab I spaced off talking about it. It was cold. At any-rate, the oil pan on this engine isn't ferrous and if epoxied on, I fear damage when brush clearing. The biggest problem I have isn't starting the engine, it is getting heat into the hydraulic oil. Do you guys sell any 12v heat wrap?

[@shiftedproductions1629]

MinnesotaEric I think so, ill look on Amazon later and if I find one, ill give you a link

[@MinnesotaEric]

Good deal as I'm looking for something that I can use throughout the winter that works off of a switch and it is relatively straight forward to retrofit a larger Mazda alternator unto this tractor.

[@shiftedproductions1629]

MinnesotaEric ok

[@ml2trick]

In Wisconsin its against the law also. But my County lets us all plow it out and never say a thing. Been doing it for 44 years. Chains really help on tractors in plowing. Like night & day difference.

[@railroad9000]

Great music and video!

[@southlakelife]

Great video Eric!

[@dstevenpaisley]

You need one of those dip stick heaters if they still make them ! or the magnet one that sticks to oil pan

[@japowell100]

Cool video Eric. I love to play in the snow also. But living here in the Bahamas thy never get any snow. My LS P7040 tractor has been lonely with out me for few months back in Virginia. That's my home bass.

[@lentully1786]

Hey Eric! Enjoying your Vids! I am in Eastern Canada, province of New Brunswick. I have an McKee Blower just shy of 8'. I am having a hard time to locate at parts fiche for it. Any chance you would know where I can look?

[@MinnesotaEric]

Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it! to your question: First, we should try to identify the model. Chase over to this link and look your model up on the link that shows all of the different McKee Snowlander models. www.flickr.com/photos/24314408@N05/22863823965/in/dateposted-public/

[@kapperoutdoors]

Brutal cold starting!!!! Dang, that cold can't be good for moving stuff.. :(. Nice vid, I never thought of running the glow plugs a couple times. I'll start doing that when its cold here.. (usually teens is really cold..)

[@BobSmith-dm3vp]

I thought the fuel-air separator is the one that gets gelled up first?

[@MinnesotaEric]

Its the wax that cannot pass through the filter element that clogs up the works wherever it happens. On this tractor the fuel filter also has a water sensor (that works like a float) that tells the operator to drain the water off the fuel filter. As a result, heating the fuel filter sorts out both the water separator and fuel filter. On larger applications like my wheel loader, a visual check on the water separator and then there are two fuel filters (for volume) that can load up with wax from cold diesel fuel.

[@tractorboy31]

I plow out into the road when cleaning the end of the driveway but everything that spills off i clean that out of the road

[@OttoMatieque]

much more fun that doing it the old fashioned way

[@davidpowell6012]

put a block heater on the engine . won't help the hydro but will start right up

[@Peter-pv8xx]

It's the phantom of krankor.

[@timdehoogh8441]

you might want to consider putting in a heated shed for your Tractor other wise nice videos .

[@MinnesotaEric]

I'd love to have any kind of shop, let alone one with heat!

[@Captkb]

Great Video! What brand / model weather station that you show in the beginning?

[@MinnesotaEric]

Thank you for the compliment! The weather station is an Ambient Weather WS-1001-WIFI which was one of the recommended weather stations from Weather Wunderground. Check it out on Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PSV10UK

[@dackerson5]

Anyone know what the name of this song is from KZbin music?

[@Pileits]

Do you people in Minnesota also backup your cars along the highway, Seems backwards to me having your blower in back on your tractor. Has to wreck your neck after awhile backing up everywhere you go!

[@MinnesotaEric]

Tractors are tool carriers. Most snowblowers made for tractors attach to the three-point in the rear. Everybody prefers to use front-mounted plows as plowing is much faster and most operating time is spent using the plow and so the plow is mounted on the front with the snow blower mounted in the rear.

[@eriknoren6218]

How cold is it when he's starting???

[@rollingacresfarmstead206]

maybe its just me but windchill sure does seem to have an effect on inanimate objects. I know they say it doesn't but I dont believe them

[@MinnesotaEric]

It sure matters trying to get to keep heat in the machine as the heat will blow right out without my blocking the radiator with some cardboard in the winter.

[@dackerson5]

Cool video.... where did you get the music from and who is it?

[@MinnesotaEric]

KZbin's royalty free music library. kzbin.infomusic

[@nwomoe6713]

Up here in northern Canada we have -40 for 6 months of the year making it hard to run tractors/machinery

[@MinnesotaEric]

It can get that cold and colder here, but certainly for not as long. The coldest I've fired this tractor up is -25°F using a block heater, and preheaters on fuel filter and on the hydro oil filter. Colder than that and I think you'd want more robust versions of what I'm doing like a permanently mounted fuel line heater, fuel cell heater, engine oil heater, and heating tape wrapped around something like the large tank return line to get the 12+ gallons of hydro oil up to operating temperature.

[@nwomoe6713]

Oh ya for sure gets colder that's around average

[@suomenkorpisoturi2439]

Hi on from Finland and se have to that -25-35c° and se have too some brand problem, dont go eyasy run, yhen se have heat the cable and block heater, it will heat up the engine and -35 degrees Celsius and not the problem Start then se have Valmet (model 6400) traktor and go -25c°(that -13 Fahrenheit Fahrenheit) and nothing heat cable Or similar and first try to go

[@burnuts007]

SnowPlowingMasters has taken this video and posted it

[@MinnesotaEric]

Thank you for the tip, burnouts007. It appears that SnowPlowingMasters channel has had all of its content removed.

[@burnuts007]

+MinnesotaEric no problems by the way great video! Learned a lot for cold start up!

[@shiftedproductions1629]

That's where I have seen this first, I was over there

[@eriknoren6218]

And why do you have THE snowblower backwards??

[@sisutrucks]

any reason the blower is mounted backwards on the tractor?. dont see that over here. i have a Duun tf220 behind my NH td5 and cleares by driving forwards. heavy buildt blower tho. think its over 1500lbs heavy.

[@MinnesotaEric]

You're talking about an inverted pull-behind snowblower. The McKee brothers invented the modern two-stage snowblower, invented it as a push back style in this configuration. In the USA most three point blowers are this style, and not the inverted style.

[@sisutrucks]

okey :) usually that type are mounted at the three point in the front of big tractors over here. some even have one blower in the front and one in the back. new rig so have not tested it in a big snowfall yet. had IHC 633 with no cab heat last year. 40 years old, but still did good work. we can get serious snow for over 8 months of the year so ended up getting new tractor despite its kind of an overkill for hobby use hehe

[@Kioti-russiaRu]

Hello, Sir! Great video! May we use it with russian subbtitles on our web-channel for KIOTI-Russia with link to your web-channel? Thank you!

[@MinnesotaEric]

You have my permission so long as I retain the right to have you to remove the video, I'm given credit, and you link back to my channel. Thank you!

[@Kioti-russiaRu]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. I let you you when we translate it and upload it. And we are ready to remove it as soon as you ask if you wish so.

[@MinnesotaEric]

I wish our American importer shared your sense of humor. I've enjoyed your videos!

[@briancampbell5944]

Why don't you run a block heater since you have 110AC?

[@MinnesotaEric]

I have a block heater and do use it.

[@tractorman8785]

why don't you use your block heater?

[@SierraOne]

Great vid...please tell me the name of the first music track, Les Paul?

[@MinnesotaEric]

That toe-tapper is called Morning Stroll by Josh Kirsch/Media Right Productions.

[@BillTheTractorMan]

where abouts in MN are you? I'm in south eastern Otter tail county. looks like a beautiful area there. we plow across roads into the ditches with the farm land, never have heard any complaints.

[@MinnesotaEric]

I'm in Hubbard County. If a county or state plow truck hooks a blade and flies off into a ditch from the rut caused from a berm from a driveway plow, it is on you. That said, I get it: really, where else should we stack snow? Even so, the plow operator can complain and a ticket can be issued.

[@BillTheTractorMan]

MinnesotaEric maybe our ditches here are different than yours, ours are fairly deep and even after a lot of snow throughout the year there's room for more snow to fall off the edge. if anything by us pushing the snow off the edge it helps the plows. they usually build up a burn, we go and push it off into the ditch.

[@OfficialMattMorehouse]

How come u wear ear protection in a factory cab? Just curious not trying to be rude

[@MinnesotaEric]

Because it is loud enough to trigger my tinnitus.

[@Briebabcock8052]

MinnesotaEric I hear you on that, I have to wear at least one ear plug while working on the side of the road. Have tinnitus in my right ear.

[@neumy1944]

what wearher station did you show at the beginning of the vid?

[@MinnesotaEric]

That is an Ambient Weather WS-1001-WIFI that I purchased through Amazon. The Ambient Weather WS-1001-WIFI is one of Wunderground.com's recommended weather stations. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PSV10UK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@coryboyd7958]

Why not use a block heater?

[@MinnesotaEric]

I do, but the footage didn't turn out.

[@lucashaskins5536]

Why wear hearing protection in a cab so quiet

[@Farming_weeds]

You need a 6 series John Deere that's what I run my loader snow blower and 3pt salt spreader with plus not a glow plug engine

[@MinnesotaEric]

Aaron, not having glow plugs is a detriment to starting diesels in very cold weather as glow plugs are a heating device used to aid starting diesel engines. Glow plugs become necessary in cold weather when diesel engines can be difficult to start because the mass of the cylinder block and cylinder head absorbs the heat of compression, preventing ignition. Glow plugs pre-warm the combustion area aiding in the starting of cold diesel engines.

[@stevenmichaud8733]

why stereo ear phones ? don't you have a stereo in your tractor ?

[@MinnesotaEric]

Because of copyright law I cannot play commercial music without loosing the rights to my own content. This means I wear headphones to listen to toe-tappers and the news while recording video in my tractor rather than playing the tractor's radio.

[@TedBishop1]

personally I could do without the music I would prefer to hear whats going on

[@grayswandir47]

Is the color drift in the video an artifact of the temperature?

[@MinnesotaEric]

A combination of waining daylight as well as decreasing ambient temperatures I think. I genuinely have trouble with my lithium batteries freezing up in these temperatures.

[@PhatboyHD88]

All ya have to do is add “Lucas” anti gel fuel additive and ya dont have to worry about any of that fuel stuff..it will never ever gel no matter how cold it gets.. just a pro tip for ya...

[@MinnesotaEric]

Lucas winter is good as it Opt-X winter, but I use Power Specialties year round as it is good down to -20ish below and don't run bio-diesel whatsoever. Thanks for watching.

[@philrusciano115]

I really enjoyed this video but may I suggest you mount your video camera insode the cab and learn to focus sown the trail I will subscribe in hopes that you really are good at video taking.

[@MinnesotaEric]

You mean like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3jYp6mqmr5oqbs

[@philrusciano115]

ok you will get better you are young enough to learn I enjoyed the starting ritual on the diesel tractor

[@trulysurprised-bk7cy]

Your hydraulic pump isn't moving fluid while it just sits.....move your loader to warm up the system. Sitting the idling does nothing.

[@MinnesotaEric]

You're thinking my tractor is a closed center hydraulic system, but my tractor is an open center hydraulic system so it does warm up just idling. Closed center is like the water system in your house in that it is always under pressure and fluid does not move till a valve is opened. Open center is like a spray pump where the water goes round and round in the system until it is needed, then diverted off in another direction by a valve.

[@marklong2528]

your going to burn your glow plugs, don't hold more than 15secs

[@MinnesotaEric]

I hear what you're saying and I tend to agree. That said, tier IV engines use computer controlled glow plugs. Heating the glow plugs takes up to 15 seconds. The "wait to start" light won't go out until the glow plugs are ready. During cold weather, the glow plugs will take longer to heat, thus the second, key off, key on cycle with a shorter wait time on the second cycle to warm up the glow plugs. One of the "tricks" to starting any engine during cold weather is to crank the engine as soon as the glow plugs turn off. Waiting a few seconds and the glow plugs and air will have cooled off again. As you're obviously aware, most diesels have a "wait to start" or "glowplug" light on the dash. When the light goes out, crank the engine immediately. If you miss it, turn the key off for a few seconds to power the computer down and then turn the key on again to cycle the heaters again.

[@marklong2528]

Why are your hydraulics making noise? I bought a new tractor few years ago and placed winter oil in it thinner oil, I think it was 68 or 32 not sure, but I lost all my hydraulics and was making similar noise, came to find out my tractor ran even thinner oil., i had wire harness issues aswell, New tractors are to complicated and delicate, so sold it and found a old international 65hp with only 2500 hours on it , can;t be happyer, i open winter driveways in canada , new Brunswick, 6th storm so far

[@MinnesotaEric]

Looking at Weather Wunderground and Weather.com, it looks as though New Brunswick is frequently 20-40 degrees warmer than northern MN in the winter. Kioti specs a winter weight hydro oil year round. I'm using a J20C spec oil. Kioti specs J20C (10w20) as MobleFluid 424 and Napa specs it as their Premium Heavy Duty Tractor Hydraulic & Transmission Fluid which they sell in one gallon pails (NHF 85401), two gallon pails (85402), five gallon buckets (85405), as well as in bulk.

[@marklong2528]

It gets down to -35c in feb here, and my tractor does not make that hydraulic sound, my other one did, I would check to be sure you have right winter oil in it, you said only +1F Check your motor mount bolts, mine came loose and inlarged the threads on 2 bolts, had to put lock tight to stop them from coming loose, only on one side of motor this happen, Good luck

[@MinnesotaEric]

The noise you hear is coming from the two-sided hydraulic pump. The noise went away once the oil had enough heat in it. Remember, this is a different tractor than yours and it is kept outside. Thanks to 45NUTS for posting the video link, the J20C spec oil is the cold weather spec oil. There is a J20D spec oil that has better cold weather flow characteristics. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHmwmahsfsuqapY

[@Stevesmith-di5ke]

I would not treat my tractor like that letting fuel drip inside the cab

[@MinnesotaEric]

Steve smith what are you talking about? No fuel is dripping inside.

[@timr31908]

Thats no cold enough..... 20 below and lower is cold enough

[@MinnesotaEric]

Cameras don't work at that temperature.

[@eriknoren6218]

One fucking degree!!!!! Wtf i start my traktor when its about -25 to -30 degrees no problems

[@MinnesotaEric]

1°F is -17°C which is about as cold as I can film and still have a camera work outside for a few minutes. The snowblower is on backwards because the McKee brothers who INVENTED the modern two-stage snow blower made it that way. Do you have any other stupid remarks to make or are you done?

[@zfilmmaker]

All unnecessary, most dealers selling off-highway diesel treat fuel with anti-gel.

[@MinnesotaEric]

Which part is unnecessary? The warming up of hydro oil since we can hear the hydraulic pump cavitating, or the checking of the fuel in an area that can go from 50°F to -20°F in one month and its last month's fuel in the tank?

[@ЮрийНефёдов-ь6ш]

матрасники нежные без наушников ну никак

[@MinnesotaEric]

The headphone help keep my ears warm! =)

[@philrusciano115]

you must be Minnesotan you are so damn pale. so am I

[@MinnesotaEric]

LOL!