Cold cranking

[Hogdaddy]

How do you guys up north crank stuff on a regular basis? When it gets to 15 and below here, my stuff takes a little help.  Does anyone use starting fluid? I try to avoid it if theres any way out of it. Any useful tips?

And, the other day when around zero, I had a hard time cranking my 500i.... anyone have the same problem?

[chevytaHOE5674]

If your close to grid power a block heater of some sort is the easiest.

Best option if away from grid power is a webasto style preheater.

Circulating tank heaters plugged into a little honda generator are also a good option but takes a little bit of time.

Depending on the equipment and what kind of vehicle you drive coolant "Spit swapper" hoses can be an option.

[mudfarmer]

I thought you said "15 below" and then saw your location! the kubotas with glow plugs have no problems at all, I try not to do anything much below -5F because it is hard on me and the equipment. Saws (husky  ) don't mind, this john deere without plugs needs jumper cables at around 15F so far and may need block heater below that. Looking forward to the responses on this one we've had pictures of fires under equipment and all sorts of things in the past. I would like to get one of those tiny new jumper packs. No starting fluid for me but I know of a couple Detroits that are addicted to the stuff.

[moodnacreek]

We have been spoiled here with warm winters the past few years. It has been in the teens here and that is the point where we have to think ahead about what has to start tomorrow .  Chain saws need to go into a warm place, even the chicken coop is better than outside. Tractors and such up against the shop out of the north wind, perhaps a trickle  charger or engine heater. On old diesels it is fast cranking that's needed and then just a little sniff of starting fluid. A heat magnet on the pan and real good heavy duty batteries. A hair dryer blowing in the air filter is another trick.  The oldtimers would leave the engine running while they milked the cows and then shut it off and cover with a tarp for the night.  The farmer that takes my sawdust said the last trip 'stay ahead of the weather' when he pulled out.

[Rhodemont]

Glow pugs on my tractors and trucks when temp drops below 20.  Everything but the Gator start up easy.  For the Gator a 40 amp boost off the charger gets it going.  Note, if below 10 I do not even bother trying to start anything!

[Hilltop366]

I have always been told it is not recommended to use starting fluid on diesel engines with glow plugs or intake heaters, as it can cause pre ignition which can damage pistons and rods.

For the saws if you remove the plug and crank it over for a bit (choke off) you should feel it loosen up as the cylinder warms up from the friction then re-install plug and start like usual.

[Kodiakmac]

What chevytaHOE5674 said about a circulating heater and a portable generator is probably the best way to go.  My old JD440 just had a standard block heater and it would spin nicely at -5 F after half an hour or so on the generator.  My buddy went a step farther with his C5.  He had a circulating heater and an electric battery blanket that he plugged into his generator.

On really cold days I do my logging on Forestry Forum.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Back in my youth when I was hand cutting saw timber we would put the saws in the truck cab from home to the woods, then hook a little generator to the skidder block heater and battery charger and off to the woods and cut while things heated up.

Don't miss that at all. Haha

[OH logger]

Back in my youth when I was hand cutting saw timber we would put the saws in the truck cab from home to the woods, then hook a little generator to the skidder block heater and battery charger and off to the woods and cut while things heated up.

Don't miss that at all. Haha

This is what I do now

[LogPup]

My first truck, a 67 International cab-over, had a compression release I could pull.  Left it sitting at the wharf  over the weekend never got above 15 degrees. She spun over and fired right up with a little squirt of ether.  Sat there chugging for about 15 minutes sending up smoke rings.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

It was -12 on my landing the day before yesterday.  The TJ needed a shot of starter fluid to get going. I hate it every time I have to use the stuff. All I can say is get it rolling BEFORE your spray. Much easier on an old Detroit that way.

[Joe Hillmann]

Parking in a heated shop is best.

Plugging in a heater; block, battery, oil pan,dipstick.

It is fairly common to see people warming up equiptment with propane weed burners.  Have a fire extinguisher on hand and make sure the engine isnt caked with grease and oil.

It used to be common to put a pan of burning charcoal under the engine.  Sometimes combined with covering the machine with tarps and blankets.

I bring my batteries in at night and charge them.

I have a small woodstove made out of a barrel about 16 inches tall.    I have one tractor that has issues with water in the hydraulics.  I park it over the stove and if the hydraulics freeze up I light a fire under it.  As long as the batteries are warm and fully charged my tractors will start without added heat.  The stove is nice to warm up a tractor and tool box if I have a break down.  It is much nicer to do mechanic work on. a warm machine with warm tools.

Plugging in is best because you can keep them warm all the time or on a timer so they are ready to start as soon as you get there.  Burning propane, wood, or charcoal can eat up a lot of time and you have to keep an eye on it.

Some have used generators to use electric block heaters away from the grid.  You can let it warm up without having to keep an eye on it.

One guy claimed he covered  his tractor in tarps and ran the exhaust from his truck through a pipe under it to warm it up.

[ehp]

biggest help is using a winter grade motor oil, Im running 5w40 oil, that alone is huge , my machines start at -35 with no trouble . Make sure its warmed up good before taking off with it . Ether is not a problem if used correctly, when I lived up north where -40 plus was very common we used cases of the stuff , you cannot use it on a engine with glow plugs or intake heater but we never had a problem with ether

[Firewoodjoe]

☝️ hit the nail on the head. Well said.
And good premium fuel. I add cetane

[mike_belben]

Anything i own that has to start in cold gets a port made from maple syrup tubing scraps plumbed from the intake elbow to the dash or cab somewhere that my non key cranking hand can shoot ether into, which i endeavor not to have to use.. most of the time i can just wait the temp out a day or two. I will only ever whiff the stuff a little puff at a time on a rolling engine after a good few revolutions to prime the lube system. never ever hose an air filter then get in and start cranking.  Thats a recipe for putting a big wet shot into the one cylinder on the intake stroke and then pounding the rod bearing into a taco or blowing the ring lands off the piston.  Ether season is always good for business at the diesel shops.


Before i grab a can of ether i bottle torch or gas grill under the oil pan, oil filter, fuel filter and so forth.  On 353s i heat the blower elbow and lines too.  If the motor isnt rolling over fast i dont bother going further.  Batteries need to be at high voltage and cranking fast or youre just burning up the starter brushes and commutator with a high current voltage drop condition.  Maintaining starters, cables. Glow plugs and batteries is a big deal for a cold weather machine. 

[moodnacreek]

In the Ford Louisville, 290 Cummins I have a barb fitting in the intake manifold with small hose to dash [in cab] with a petcock/ prime cup on this end. You squirt just a little either in and leave the cock open, hit the starter, she starts and close the cock.  So there Mike Belben . 

[dogone]

  We just finished 7 days of 38 below zero. You do not need and shouldn't use ether except in extreme circumstances. I've spent 70 years on the farm. A can of ether lasts for years.
    Put a block heater on and park inside. I bet there is more ether used in Texas than all of Canada.

[barbender]

 I'm pretty averse to using ether, but I spray my 3-53 with it with no regrets. I'm not saying it might not hurt it, either😁

[Firewoodjoe]

  We just finished 7 days of 38 below zero. You do not need and shouldn't use ether except in extreme circumstances. I've spent 70 years on the farm. A can of ether lasts for years.
    Put a block heater on and park inside. I bet there is more ether used in Texas than all of Canada.

Pretty tough to do in the woods. That's why there is pro heaters. And yes that's the best option. But not everyone has one and they do break also. I have two that are currently not reliable. That small shot of starting fluid does less damage than the summer oil laying in the oil pan. And just like out fuels. Starting fluid isn't what it used to be. It's almost hard to blow up a tire with it. It just burns like gas rather than exploded. Manufacturers used to put either aid right in the machine when new. Push button right in the dash. It's like anything else. Anyone can make it bad.

[cutterboy]

On a 13° morning a few days ago, I brought my two chainsaws from the cold barn to the warm basement of my house to warm up because I wanted to use them in the woods in the afternoon.
At lunch my wife says "I smell oil"
I went to the basement and both chainsaws were leaking gas and b+c oil. The gas and oil in the full tanks had expanded as they warmed and leaked out. Luckily I had placed the chainsaws on newspaper. The saws went outside and the newspaper into the wood stove.
My old MS460 does not like to start in the cold so warming it up is the best option. It did start OK that afternoon. My MS291 will start anytime.

[chevytaHOE5674]

If I have to use ether I always try to use a warm can. A can of ether at -10° doesn't really vaporize to well causing it to not disperse as evenly. That can cause it to pool in the intake and cause issues. A warm can sprays and burns better.

Using either used to be common place for sure. Rebuilding engines at 5k hours with blown off ring lands was also more common. Now with block heaters/small generators and webastos it's not uncommon to see 20k+ hours without a rebuild...

[Magicman]

My old 1530 JD farm tractor is factory plumbed for ether but I have found that my late Dad's solution was the best....don't start it when it's cold.   

[chevytaHOE5674]

Also worth a mention that a webasto style preheater can and should be setup to heat your hydraulic oil as well. This saves considerable wear on pumps trying to pump molasses oil at -20°. Being able to show up at a job at -20° fire up the warmed machine and be cutting wood in just a few minutes pays for a webasto heater in no time.

[Corley5]

  Glow plugs, block heaters, circulating heaters, Pro-Heat, ether, generators to power electric heaters. I've used them all. Never started a fire under a piece of equipment. The Iron Mule I had was equipped with spit swappers that I never used. The Pro-Heat was my favorite. All my stuff is home with electricity now. I've got timers so the block heaters come on when I want them to. The tractor, Bobcat, and firewood machine all have glow plugs but have block heaters as well. I'm hearing horror stories about ether. I guess you've never ran an out of fuel diesel on ether until it picked up fuel ??? :D :D ;)

[doc henderson]

I have a FASS fuel pump system on my Chevy 2007 3500.  It helps to prime up the injectors if I run out of fuel.  That happen cause the 60 gallon between-the-frame fuel tank can slosh back or forward when stopping on an incline when under 1/4 tank.  It has happened at fuel stations several times, and once at a pig roast at Jeffs.  fill with fuel, or coast to a flat spot.  occ. use diethyl ether but you have to use caution to not be impatient and cause the engine to run away and rap up.