Winter cold start tips

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[@daveman5860]

With my Belarus, I made sure I parked it where the sun would hit the engine block in the morning. And I would put a big mirror on the other side so the sunlight was hitting it on both sides of the engine block. It really helped a lot!!!

[@Jthumper]

I Took fuel from 3 of my top stations I visit- put it in 3 glass jar's and threw 'em in the freezer- the results were amazing. This proved that the Cheap station was selling B20 bio without any pump signage!! The fuel was solid as a candle! the others were identical and no gelling what so ever, so stay away from stations that are exactly .30 cents less- as that's the federal tax they are allowed to skip by selling B20 in Oregon. I made a video of this, and sent it to Oregon dept. of ag who oversees diesel quality- those stations had BIO signage within the month!

[@farmingnodak]

Glowplugs vs grid heaters, block heaters, oil heaters, batteries, warm intake air, and engine oil types have a big effect on how it will start. However one of the biggest things overlooked is to try to have your machine out of the wind. Even on some of these sub-zero days we've had, and being -10F inside of the building, it really helps keeping the heat where it needs to be and makes any internal heater more efficient at what it's supposed to do. The wind carries heat away quickly, henceforth why you see windchill temps or indexes. Even from the previous days from the engine running, that internal heat can be kept for quite a long time after the engine has been shutoff.

[@TheMetalheadHomestead]

I came out the other morning and my fuel was gelled solid like a kid's hair in 1999! I was super bummed that I couldn't enjoy the -25 wind chill and scrape snow. Going to keep some Hotshot on hand for now on though.

[@MrTks1959]

Thanks for the tip about the treated fuel. I buy treated fuel, but didn't realize that I should be adding more because my tractor is being parked out side while my shop is being remodeled.

[@teaganryan9787]

another thing that can make your tractor hard to start in cold weather is when the battery is 2-3 years past due for replacement.

[@KubotaBXathome]

Love my block heater on my BX!

[@SweetLou0523]

We had a brand new RTV1100 for all of 3 months before a new hire fired it up at -15, and went full throttle with no warm up time for the hydro pump. Needless to say, that was one very very expensive repair. Took our dealer 2 months to get parts from Japan.

[@piarasmacgiollaiosa4012]

Roll on spring,Neil!

[@tractorboy31]

My 60 year old JD wasnt really starting that well a few winters ago so i was using a propane torch to warm the manifold then a bit later i needed to replace my ring gear cause engines like to stop in the same place new ring gear meant new starter bendix so i pulled my starter off and took it in and it only tested less than 20% of spec so i had it rebuilt now the battery is 5 yrs old the old girl still starts good but im needing a new battery soon

[@supersnot4]

sounds like you need a new Kubota

[@tractorboy31]

@@supersnot4 i will stick to the "old girl" tried and true. Still very reliable. Heck i pushed up and formed a 7ft high snow pile with just the back blade this winter and has a new battery since and i havent touched the charger and also i did my own alternator conversion since the generator took a crap at my tractor show. Tractor is funny will not start if you choke her but always starts

[@mesh1248]

For me it’s nothing more enjoyable then replacing shear bolts on my snow blower in negative 25 degrees lmao god i hate winter

[@wildbill23c]

Another point to make is adding fuel additives to prevent fuel from gelling is only going to work if you add it and run the engine for several minutes to get the treated fuel throughout the fuel system....cool you added the additive to your fuel can and fuel tank, but that doesn't do anything for the fuel lines, filters, pumps, injectors, etc. So add the fuel treatment and run your equipment for a while, and preferably add that fuel treatment several months before it starts getting cold that way you have the fuel on site treated as well as the fuel system in your equipment.

[@shaneruff7035]

One thing I do is warm up the batteries. Unhook them and bring them inside to warm up then put them back on and start. Keep your batteries charged up. For me I find it is always a battery issue. Yes, even with winter diesel additives are needed. There is a 911 bottle you can get if you gel, but I don't have that issue as I always use it when fueling.

[@capt.sparrow34]

I plug the block heater in the night before a storm is coming, starts up like it's 90 outside.

[@rikertvonfulton16]

I am buying a Kubota and having block heater installed.I was concerned because Kansas gets cold.

[@johnharris4893]

Thank-you from Canada.

[@johnwright4271]

After I start my BX, I let it run a couple of minutes before driving out of the garage at idle, because of the fumes. Should I be doing that? Thanks for the videos.

[@erixmacleod6097]

I keep my l4760 plugged in all night is that ok or is it bad to always keep it plugged jn when we are in the minus weather

[@michaelanthony5335]

Ours stays plugged in a good 4 hours outside and it always fires right up

[@daveknowshow]

good stuff Neil!

[@daveman5860]

I told a guy to only turn your glow plugs on for no more than 10 seconds. And he argued and said he can do it for 30 seconds. I said no that's too long and can burn out your glow plugs. And then I had to explain that the glow plugs are retaining a little bit of heat between starts, and that the compression is also heating the combustion chamber, what is it,, between 700 and 900 degrees?

[@ROTAXD]

Agreed on the letting the hydraulics warm up. Up here (tug hill ny), you would not believe how many folks I see start running their hydraulics asa the machine fires up. When it's time for snow removal, once the old girl fires ('70 massey 3165), I go in and have a cup of coffee before we start working.

[@FISHH00KS]

From Fairbanks AK - Absolutely no diesel fuel additives ever used in cold weather. In October, the fuel dealers sell #1 diesel (for cold weather and used in "above" ground home heating oil tanks) and I've never had a problem even down to -40. No I don't use heating pads. Just a block heater, battery blanket and synthetic oil. Of all the research I've ever done, nothing else is necessary. However, if you just "ask" people, they'll tell you to use heating pads, but can't tell you what the difference is anymore. #1 just has a higher level of cetane - that's the only fact common around the country. Additives are a gimmick used by local oil distributers and can neither be verified or trusted.

[@888timberwolf]

I'll be checking my fuel filter next time.

[@Bummy425]

I have the same hat 😎

[@casycasy5199]

would love to see you show us how you would change that fuel filter .do we have to worry about getting air in the line

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

Turn the fuel valve just above the plastic bowl off. Unscrew the ring that holds the bowl, dump it out, and pull the filter off. Put the new filter in, and loosely thread the ring holding the plastic bowl back on. Turn the valve let the bowl fill back up, and when it starts to "bleed" fuel around the threaded ring, tighten it up. There may be a better way, but I've never had a problem.

[@MLJenkins]

My new L6060 has a bleeder on top of the fuel filter. The manual states how to bleed it, but essentially you loosen that bleeder screw/bolt and try to crank it over until you see fuel come out of the hole. Last time I tried I never saw fuel so after a couple times of cranking I just closed it up. I suppose each model is likely different, as my last NH tractor had a bleed function on the fuel valve above the combined fuel separator/filter bowl. I had to bleed my L6060 after the fuel my dealer put in my tank gelled up and I had to put Diesel 911 in the tank and fuel separator bowl to get it going. Real pain in the butt, lesson learned not to trust anyone that says the diesel is already treated. As stated in the video you really need to add your own additive to your diesel to guarantee you don't have issues.

[@casycasy5199]

thanks jim

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

casy casy not a problem.

[@shaneruff7035]

Changing the fuel filter is routine maintenance. With diesel engines is done way more often and something I do with oil changes. For my Kubota tractor it was covered in manual. As for air in the line there will be a way to bleed the air out which should be covered in the manual.

[@smartass6071]

I got an idea! Move farther south.

[@BiffsEquipment]

Watch my Kubota bx polar vortex cold start video 😂

[@Adam-uo7lh]

Y’all already shooted and edited a video and I just woke up at 10:30 😂

[@darthvader4hire]

WTF no cold starts????

[@scottstemple8105]

why would you leave those brand new tractors outside I don't consider them new any more water will enter engine and transmission from changing temps I now I am a tractor mechanic

[@MessicksEquip]

virtually every dealership of all makes keeps their equipment outside. The biggest concerns are paint, after 2-3 years you can start to see UV fade. Other than that, the weather does no harm.

[@on4acres]

Have you ever seen any type of dealership, car truck tractor etc, that houses their inventory inside? Your statement was unrealistic.

[@kubotaman3440]

@@on4acres very well said

[@No_bread-and-circuses]

@@MessicksEquiptalked to a guy who told a story about a long time ago, a large tractor manufacturer was asked by an engineer how sales were. He said his parts sales were good, but new tractor sales were not. The engineer suggested that he use paint that will fade quickly and look old. The logic was that once peoples tractors looked old, they will buy a new one. And now when I look, I can see that pretty much every new tractor out there has paint that will fade quickly, and yet paint on automobiles can last for 20 years and look new.

[@OShackHennessy]

You seem trustworthy, but that part about coming out on a cold morning and pushing snow around makes me think you’re a pathological liar! 😂

[@samjrharris]

great info and advice..wish I had you here in Nova Scotia to ask for guidance.