Too cold for tractor?

[BrentD]

Robot or human?

This is what i have been using in the old tractor for the last 2 winters.
The farmers tell me it willnot cause problems if I mix too much in.
So I add above recommended abounts.
ran last week at -10 with no problems. I have a good tank heater though and
put a sunflower heater under the hydraulics for an hour or 2 before using.
Stored inside

I used it with #2 diesel, abt half of the tank has been in there since last Aug,
so probably a summer blend

I'm using the same stuff. However, I gelled anyway last year. The guys in the JD dealership told me that the white bottle was the stuff to use and save the red bottle for when you are already gelled.

They also told me to be careful of using too much. I'm the sort of guy that if a little is good, more is more betterer. They said that can have an opposite effect. I know I over used it last year. This year, I'm measuring precisely. Seems to be working alright, but I'm keeping the machine in the garage during the worst of this. There are electric heater muffs you can buy for your filter and separator, but they are usually sold out at this time of year.

 

[Straight Arrow]

They also told me to be careful of using too much.

Thanks for the info. I also overdo it.

 

[Irrelevant]

life long diesel mechanic here. These are my thoughts. I can say you probably lost the prime on your pump after jelling or have plugged your filter with wax.
Her is what I do.
First put a white bottle of power service in the tank.
Next Follow the fuel line from the tank to the engine. Does it go through an electric or cam driven pump? If so does it have any type of leaver, piston or bulb that you can pump to prime?
Regardless take the fuel filter off fill it half with diesel and half power service 911. Put it on. Does the filter housing have any leaver, piston or bulb?

Now Follow the line to the injection pump. If you found any type of hand pump you can use it to prime the lines and filter Here is how.
At the injection pump there will either be a pretty obvious bleeder screw or you can crack the line where it meets the injection pump.
If you didnt find a prime pump you continue following the fuel line it will be split into separate lines for each cylinder. Follow those to the head. They will usually meet the block with a flared nut type fitting like this
View attachment 311210

Crack some of the fittings loose and turn the engine over for a few seconds or until the engine tries to fire. Shut it off and immediately tighten the lines so no more fuel leaks out.
The engine should now start. It may be rough while it works the air out of the lines. In the future put a white bottle of power service in the tank and run it through the lines before cold whether hits.

That sounds way too technical for this poor inept Washingtonian.

I like my tarp/heater setup, while I eat dinner and drink wine... but again, soft people require soft solutions.

 

[Elkmagnet]

That sounds way too technical for this poor inept Washingtonian.

I like my tarp/heater setup, while I eat dinner and drink wine... but again, soft people require soft solutions.

I understand it sounds tuff but its a 5 min job really. It will be easier to do when it warms up fyi running that engine with an air pocket in the injection pump can cost you big money. The fuel is the lubricant for the pump and the tolerances are very tight. They will usually survive some air but bad fuel/no fuel is a major problem.

Looks like $800-1200 for the part plus labor.

https://www.google.com/search?q=yan...ile&ie=UTF-8#sbfbu=1&pi=yanmar injection pump

 

[Irrelevant]

I can say you probably lost the prime on your pump after jelling or have plugged your filter with wax.

Why would you conclude that and how would it then start running for an hour after I warmed it up? And why would I still need to do anything at this point?

I genuinely don't understand this internal combustion wizardry.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Why would you conclude that and how would it then start running for an hour after I warmed it up? And why would I still need to do anything at this point?

I genuinely don't understand this internal combustion wizardry.

First. Did you add power service like we all suggested?

 

[KB_]

Why would you conclude that and how would it then start running for an hour after I warmed it up? And why would I still need to do anything at this point?

I genuinely don't understand this internal combustion wizardry.

Thats why god gave us gas.

 

[BrentD]

Thats why god gave us gas.

But God hasn't given us decent 40 horse gas tractors anymore. They all be diesel, unfortunately.

 

[406dn]

My JD dealer has recommended kerosene even as much as 50 ,%

Kerosene and #1 diesel are the same. Some stations will have a 50/50 blend of #1 and #2. But I prefer doing it the way I posted earlier in the thread.

If temperatures allow #2 is cheaper and produces more miles per gallon.

 

[Redman]

Instead of a block het I recommend a circulating coolant heater. Easier to install and circulates the coolant throughout the cooling system vs just block or cylinder head. Draining fuel water seperator as part of weekly maintenance helps a ton. Fuel additives are a good idea but making sure you put winter blend fuel in when it turns to the cold season should do the trick. We were in the -20 range with wind chill and my F450 started with 0 issues and did not have it plugged in or fuel additives and it was parked outside.

 

[406dn]

Wind chill is not the number to worry about with diesel gelling. It is only the actual temperature. The wind will more quickly get the diesel to what the ambient temperature is, but a 5F temperature with a 40mph, will not gel diesel...ever.

 

[mtmuley]

But God hasn't given us decent 40 horse gas tractors anymore. They all be diesel, unfortunately.

Ford 9n. Used a couple. mtmuley

 

[BrentD]

Ford 9n. Used a couple. mtmuley

Ah yes. That's is something that I know about. 19 horses or less at the drawbar, no reasonable FEL, no live PTO, no lots and lots of things. But for 15 yrs+ I made do with a very early 8n (1947 I think - pre model year). Anyway, I finally gave up on Vintage tractors. Vintage guns are enough.

 

[mtmuley]

Ah yes. That's is something that I know about. 19 horses or less at the drawbar, no reasonable FEL, no live PTO, no lots and lots of things. But for 15 yrs+ I made do with a very early 8n (1947 I think - pre model year). Anyway, I finally gave up on Vintage tractors. Vintage guns are enough.

I used one to pull an irrigation pipe trailer around for my first job. I was in 6th grade. mtmuley

 

[Southern Elk]

The biggest piece of shit tractor I’ve ever had the privilege of being around was a Massey Ferguson 135 gas burner. The diesel models were good tractors, but you couldn’t give me one with a gas engine.

 

[Irrelevant]

First. Did you add power service like we all suggested?

Yes

 

[Elkmagnet]

Wind chill is not the number to worry about with diesel gelling. It is only the actual temperature. The wind will more quickly get the diesel to what the ambient temperature is, but a 5F temperature with a 40mph, will not gel diesel...ever.

You are using the temperature of stagnant diesel like in a fuel tank.
Diesel can gel at a warmer air temperature when it is pumped up to pressure then travels through restrictions in the lines like fittings and the filter. When it goes through a restricted spot as the pressure drops so does the temperature of the diesel. It's a fluid property known as choked flow and its associated with the venturi effect.
That's the main reason to change filters when you have a problem.

This is the same way that a air conditioning system works.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Yes

Ok cool you are in good shape. Most likely you had gelling somewhere and when the temperature was brought up you were able to overcome it. Imo what I suggested is better for the pump but I don't think you would have ran the pump dry if it started.

 

[Irrelevant]

Ok cool you are in good shape. Most likely you had gelling somewhere and when the temperature was brought up you were able to overcome it. Imo what I suggested is better for the pump but I don't think you would have ran the pump dry if it started.

I'll try to remember this thread next time. But I'll also just try to fill it up prior to winter

 

[KB_]

But God hasn't given us decent 40 horse gas tractors anymore. They all be diesel, unfortunately.

There is a couple options out there still that are pretty good. I grew up around Kubota's and I'm kind of stuck on just using those. We have two 40hp Kubota's at the farm and one is a hydrostat. Both from the 80's and wonderful running tractors. The big tractors were sold after dad retired the tree farm.

When I was 16 I was delivering a tree with one of the big Kubota tractors and my dumbass had the throttle up to high in 3rd gear and the damn thing did a wheelie and thru me off like a rag doll. I'm sure that was pretty damn funny to watch.

Funny enough my dad just got one of those gas zero turns and I'm pretty sure that could pull a tree out of the ground.

I love tractors, they are so fun.