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leeave96

Ultra Cold Weather and Wheelhorse Tractors

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leeave96

I'm seeing on the news and weather channels, the north and north east are getting hammered by crazy cold temperatures and cold weather.  Sometimes in my neck of the woods, what we think of as cold is probably a heat wave for you folks north of me.  Cold for us usually bottoms out in the mid-teens, an occasional upper single digit.  Monday, they are calling for a low of +1 degrees F and that's getting pretty cold around here.

 

Typically all I do for cold weather is change my engine oil to 10w-30 and generally run 80-90w weight gear oil in the tranny (thinner I gather than 90-140w).  The Eaton 1100's have 10w-30 oil in them per the manual.  My tractors are stored in unheated spaces too.  If the battery won't crank, I either jump it or in the case of my 314-8 with Kohler Magnum, I put a manual rope start on it and that's my battery back-up.

 

Question - how many of you folks are running at 0 degs F and below.  If so, how much below zero?

 

Any thing you are doing differently to make these tractors operate in subzero weather - from engine to tranny to implements and general operation?

 

Just curious from a warmer climate looking north at my Wheelhorse brethren dealing with the cold!

 

Thanks!!!!!!!!

Bill

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gwest_ca

I'll start at -20 F and so will the tractor if we have to. Lower than that we wait.

 

-30.2 F here this AM and it got up to -22 F so we took the day off.

 

Garry

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stevasaurus

I run the same oil all year round in my horses...either 30w (when I can find it) or 10w30 in the engines...90 wt in the manual transmissions and have not had a problem.  I have an unheated garage.  I do put battery "maintainers" on my batteries, and that keeps them topped up.  I am not used to running them in this frigged temperature..ie...it is too cold to snow. :bow-blue:   But it is snowing this year and at or below zero...give me a break.  So far the horses have started and seem to like this weather...I kind of like it also...once I get out there. :eusa-think:   On my B-100 2 days ago...I did have to push in the clutch to get it to turn over fast enough to start.  It started and ran fantastic.  No doubt, this weather is hard on an old horse, but I would not go with lighter oil.  If it starts, I let it warm up good and then go.  These temps with snow are new to me also, but so far thumbs up.  It looks like with good battery...and a couple of apples and maybe a dangling carrot...the horses are good to go in these temps.  At this point, I am not going to change a thing...and we could be at minus 9 Monday...for a high... with 4" of snow.  I'll let you know how that works. :) I have not seen a winter like this for a long time.

Edited by stevasaurus
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squonk

I have a garage I can heat. With weather like this 0's, I turn the heat on when I get home from work if I'm planning on plowing in the a.m. I get it to like 40 and have a magnetic block heater on the trans case (hydro) I run 30W oil year round. Battery maintainers on 3 tractors

Edited by squonk
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stevasaurus

WOW...Gerry...that is dangerous cold...good to take the day off.  :)

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56flatbed

Mine are all spoiled.  Got a big 'ol wood furnace in the pole barn.  As long as I feed it, it's 60F in there and the horses are comfy.  So am I by the way.

All have 10w30 synthetic in the engines and trans.  My son's manual is 80w90.  Short warmup with the synthetic.

:) Wally

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rmaynard

I'm running straight 30w in my B-100, and it was 3 degrees this morning when I started it with no problems. It had been sitting outside, under a tarp. But man, does that Kohler like the cold air. Runs like a top.

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boovuc

My God, Garry! That's so cold, it will make you take back things you never stole!

Just got back from an extended stay in Cincinnati. Gotta blow the driveway of 6 inches of powder Saturday morning and the temp will be sub zero when I start the C-175. 10w-30 oil. It has straight 90w in the rear-end. Battery tender overnight. We will just let it warm up quite a bit before we engage the PTO.  :)

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Ed Kennell

Keep mine in  the shop.....  house and shop is heated with wood stove.

Edited by ekennell

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Foozerush

Suposta be blizzard like conditions on Sunday then highs -8 on Monday -3 on Tuesday. My 416-8 is in my heated garage plus a kerosene heater to get it up to 70ish.... Can't wait to see how she does in subzero weather in Northeast Indiana pushing 8-10" of fluff.....

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47JDG

I run 10w30 and let them warm up good at idle before I work them, but I always do that anyways.

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swarfeater

my diesel tractor has always been a bear to start in the cold,even with the preheaters, so i developed a foolproof method that gets her fired up in 4 or 5 revs.  I fill up a 2 gallon garden sprayer with hot water, slowly spray the cyl head and injector pump and oil filter. takes about 5 minutes and she fires up like it was summer time. takes quite a load off the battery and starter and no doubt is much easier on the motor internals. if i needed to, i would do the same for the horse,  it'll dry out when she starts, just try not to soak inside of the flywheel .

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MaineDad

Had to snow blow at minus 35 yesterday. My tractors are in a garage that is not heated so it's not as cold as it is outside. I like to put a heat lamp under the oil pan for about 30 minutes before I start the tractor. Running Mobil 1 10w30 too.

Yesterday was not an enjoyable ride on the WH!

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47JDG

my diesel tractor has always been a bear to start in the cold,even with the preheaters, so i developed a foolproof method that gets her fired up in 4 or 5 revs.  I fill up a 2 gallon garden sprayer with hot water, slowly spray the cyl head and injector pump and oil filter. takes about 5 minutes and she fires up like it was summer time. takes quite a load off the battery and starter and no doubt is much easier on the motor internals. if i needed to, i would do the same for the horse,  it'll dry out when she starts, just try not to soak inside of the flywheel .

Sounds messy. I use a heat gun a lot in the winter for things like this. Have you thought about just making a jig to mount your heat gun on and point it at it for a little while? I bet you could accomplish the exact same thing if you ran the heat gun over the areas you mentioned that you spray with water. Obviously you need to be careful when doing this and keep the gun back a safe distance, but it works really well.

Edited by 47JDG

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Kai Thomsen

Maybe it's just me being too careful, but i would never start mine (or any splash lubricated engine) in below zero temperatures without heating the engine some way  before starting.

Until the engine is warmed up the dipper on the conrod just plows thru the thick oil and the cylinderwall and bearings is starving for oil.

I change to 5/30W in my B&S Vanguard twin, just in case the winter gets really cold and still heat it a little with the heatgun before i fire it up.

 

 

10/40w from the freezer (video is not mine)  but i have done the same test with straight 30W oil, and it's even worse:

 



 


 
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GlenPettit

My 312 and 416 will always start, even well below 0º, because:

•  Keeping a 'trickle charge' on the battery, and

•  I have an 8 watt bulb/nightlight on between the battery and engine and then cover the hood

area completely with several layers of blankets and tarps down to the floor.  Tractors are in a

wood barn and cement floor w/wood under the wheels, engine runs for several minutes before

going out, (fresh 89 octane with ethnyl remover).

•  Going to be -20º of less tomorrow, bet they will both start, and I'm adding a 'heated seat' tonight.

Glen

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Sparky

 

•  Going to be -20º of less tomorrow, bet they will both start, and I'm adding a 'heated seat' tonight.

Glen

Care to elaborate on that heated seat thingy??

Mike.........

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shorts

I keep my running horses in my shop, with the thermostat set at 40f, the results of to many years of chasing no starts in the winter. probably one of the best economical ways to preheat a cold horse is to put an incadesant light bulb under the engine/battery for 45min or so prior to trying to start. oops you can't buy them any more, try a little 1 or 1.5k ceramic brick heater under the tractor and throw a couple of blankets over the tractor like Glenn described above, preheating the oil will allow it to flow better for proper lube on startup and warming the battery will help it work better. I don't remember the specific details but batteries lose efficiency fast when they are cold. another quick easy way to preheat a horse is with a torpedo heater pointed at the tractor be careful the heat is intense enough to melt plastic parts etc

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HorseWhisperer

Too much like work.Trickle charger and run with it.My horses fire up everytime without blankets or special dances.You can't take these things with us to the grave.These are designed to last,cold weather taken in consideration.

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520HC

I agree with Kevin. I started both my 418C and C-175 today  sitting in unheated polebarn. [10 below here yesterday morning]  No problem, just let them run a while to warm up before putting them to work. Have done this for a lot of winters, never broke one from cold starting yet.

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GlenPettit

Heated seat:  It's just a regular electric car seat that plugs into a 'cigarette lighter', (which I have one on my WH that is just wired, that clips into the battery terminals), really helps keep the bottom and body warm, as I don't have a cab on yet (to be installed someday).  Placed it just under my cloth seat cover.

Heated Seat cost is about $15, local box stores, plus the clips and receiver, $5.

 

Screenshot2014-01-04at72336PM_zpsedfbf6a

 

I also sometimes use a set of Tow Lights (like for towing cars, $20, Harbor Freight), on rear fenders, held on with their magnets - the regular Wheel Horse tail lights just don't give off enough light to make me feel safe when plowing near the road/highway.  Using both of these on the battery at the same time may be draining the battery too much, but extra lights are just use/on for 10-15 minutes by road.  Takes me about 2.5 to 3 hours for mine and neighbors drives.  Might look into LED tail lights someday.

Edited by GlenPettit
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Martin

ALL my horses get spoilt. they live in 55-60 degrees through out the winter. i make some room to get my truck in there on real cold nights, but for the most part its just the tractors.

hey, they are my babies, I'm not ashamed to admit that. even though the 416H that i use to plow gets pushed hard out in the cold regular, it spends its down time in the garage when not in use. it gets started up and pulled out into the cold to run for a few minutes and then it gets a good couple hours workout......

put it away in the warm garage, all the snow and ice melts off and its ready to go again next time......

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dmoore

All your posts are a constant reminder to me not to move north or west of my location! :teasing-neener:

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dmoore

Oh, its 35 here now and........................no snow! :greetings-clappingyellow:

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Jrblanke

That heated seat is the bees knees! I might have to get one of those! Especially since my 876 has a cig lighter!

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