Ultra Cold Weather and Wheelhorse Tractors

[953 nut 51,762]

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

 

   Forecast for Tuesday morning is below O, lowest in a few decades; most winters we get to the teens at night and 40s in the day at worst.

[cheesegrader 433]

I just finished clearing a foot of snow at the cabin.

Not bad today, 5-10 degrees, but it will be -30 tomorrow, with a windchill -55 to -65.

It won't improve for three days.  There hasn't been a stretch like this in the U.P. in twenty years.

I use Amsoil 10w30 in the hydros.  I've noticed a big improvement in cold weather warm-up time since making the switch from conventional 10w30.

It is what most people use in snowmobiles here.  Brutally expensive, but I don't change the hydro oil every year.

I started using 5w30 synthetic in the Onan this winter from O'Reilly Auto Parts (relabeled Mobil 1)

Starts right up.  I think it helps.

I add a dash of Marvell's mystery oil, use seafoam in my gas, and only use ethanol free 91+ octane.

I can't justify the last the last few habits with science, but that is what I have used in my boats, and they are all more than 20 years old.

I worry most about the hydraulic pump and cylinders on my loader.  I don't think engine heat helps it much, and the seals can't be very flexible in this weather.

[brandonozz 168]

 

I just finished clearing a foot of snow at the cabin.

Not bad today, 5-10 degrees, but it will be -30 tomorrow, with a windchill -55 to -65.

It won't improve for three days.  There hasn't been a stretch like this in the U.P. in twenty years.

I use Amsoil 10w30 in the hydros.  I've noticed a big improvement in cold weather warm-up time since making the switch from conventional 10w30.

It is what most people use in snowmobiles here.  Brutally expensive, but I don't change the hydro oil every year.

I started using 5w30 synthetic in the Onan this winter from O'Reilly Auto Parts (relabeled Mobil 1)

Starts right up.  I think it helps.

I add a dash of Marvell's mystery oil, use seafoam in my gas, and only use ethanol free 91+ octane.

I can't justify the last the last few habits with science, but that is what I have used in my boats, and they are all more than 20 years old.

I worry most about the hydraulic pump and cylinders on my loader.  I don't think engine heat helps it much, and the seals can't be very flexible in this weather.

 I feel the cold is the reason why I lost a seal in the loader a few days ago and it wasn't nearly as cold as it is up there these days. I got the loader running this summer for the first time after it had been sitting for about 6 years so even though there was some oil residue in the system, I'm sure they were in poor condition and the cold got to them. One of the backing rings next to the O ring on the piston broke to pieces and started leaking badly.

We had some snow year before last and it got down to 0 or just under and when I went to move my truck the next morning the flexing of the truck driving over the rutted up snow in the cold temps cracked my windshield.

Cold temps can cause some things to happen you don't expect.

[formariz 11,861]

The weather here dropped to 0 yesterday and it has been unusually cold. I have my plow tractor the Electro 12 inside an unheated garage and my starting problem is not from engine or battery but from choke and throtle cables frozen solid. Always have to disconnect them from carburater and start tractor that way. In about 5 minutes they will be back to normal until the tractor is off for an hour or so. A real pain.

[6wheeler 586]

We get  below zero cold here often in the winter. However, this the coldest I've seen in a long time. I usually don't even start the tractors in the winter. But, yesterday I put the propane heater and tent on the 520 to get her started. I use this same setup for my air-cooled Bobcat too. I used the 520 and trailer to spread  sand on the driveway. Since we had a heat wave +7 degrees, I figured it was a good time to do it. Friday nite we had freezing drizzle (at -6 degrees) so it was a little slippery. By the way, We do not have very much snow on the ground here. Only about 3". This year apparently, we are taking  the cold, not the snow. Some of the weather models are showing us at poss. - 35 to -40 act. temp. tonite. Windchills in the -65 to -70 range. The Gov. closed all public schools tomorrow. Our company is shut down as well. But we will be open on Tues. Because its only going to be -16 to- 20. Believe it or not? We are still pouring concrete outside. Oh well, put the tractor away. Added an extra heat lamp in the chicken house and buttoned them up. Took a couple of small birds out of the garage freezer for dinner tonite. Checked the propane tank (again). Time to hunker down.

[rollingflat 123]

Sun. January 5 in central Il. ...its a cool -9 on my temp. gauge. Expected to get to -20 by to night. snow started at 9pm. sat. and has not stoped yet, wind started about 12am.

So far we have about 6 to 8 inches but hard to judge with it all blowing?  Just finished getting my 414 ready for winter,put chains and wheel weights on this am. New muffler and first start in 6 to 8 years... fired right up   these tractors are amazing! heres some pic I took a few mins.ago ...