How well does your Cub start in the cold?
 

Winter weather got me curious, how well does your Cub start when you call on it during the winter months? Do you take any prep to start it (block warmer, warmer blanket, etc)?

For me, I plug in a battery maintainer the day/night before I know I'm going to need it which is more of a "just to be safe" step than anything. Then, in the morning, I give it about half throttle and sometimes a touch of choke if we're above 0 or so, 3/4 and full choke if it's really bitter. Usually a turn or two and it pops right off, better than I'd expect, usually. I keep in a garage, but not heated. I let it warm up while I get ready, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes or so. Then, it's off to the races!

All my tractors start when I ask them to. No special "winter" treatment. No gas additives, no heaters, no battery maintainers..... don't even shut the gas off. Now, they may have a dead battery, but that is from sitting, and likely because the battery is getting old. But otherwise, fire right off.

No special treatment here, they sit in a cold garage, little bit of choke 1/4- 1/2 throttle one or two revs and off we go. Warm up minute or less and we're plowing snow !

Really should let it warm up more. Like Ryan does.... a long way from sub zero to operating temp. (It's a lot of degrees between 90deg ambient and operating temp. Over 100deg!) Very hard on things until they are at operating temp. That's when the most wear occurs, during warm up..... or lack thereof.

Anything under 10 degrees and it's hard to get those hydro cubs to start, mine started up no issue and it was only 20 out, no warmer or anything.

All mine start fine, some easier than others. 2182 starts the easiest maybe cause of the synthetic oil I use in it IDK.

For my cub or Ford 8n they get a shot of the torpedo heater for about 15 minutes. Mike

The 2072 starts pretty good from a cold garage which stays around 35 or better. The rest of the collection is in cold storage in the barn, carbs drained, fuel treated, batteries removed. I think they're scared of snow.

Scared of the snow that's funny! I don't think my 127 minds the snow, it sleeps outside!

But I do have a cub cadet cover for it so it keeps the snow and rain off it, better than nothing!

well I cranked my 1862 and 1641 today just to make sure one of them would run to plow if we get enough. both been sitting for 2-3 months, so it took a bit to get the fuel up to them, other than that only problem is the 1862 bendix is pretty unhappy. I need to pull it off and clean it up but haven't had time.

My 1812 starts hard when it’s cold. I’ve started taking the battery out of it and keeping it in the basement. The big cold snap we had a while back, froze my battery. Not gonna but one til spring (I hope). After I get one, I may keep a tender on it once in a while. But doubtful :BlahBlah:

The only time I've ever had a Cub that was hard to start it was because it still had 30w oil in it. My 1050 sat outside all last winter at my mother in laws and it always fired right up when i'd go over to plow.

Mine don’t get any colder than bout 40-50 in the basement garage! Lol have a battery maintainer on them. Non-alcohol gas. Throttle at idle and choke them, usually fire first time

My 124 also sleeps out side, with the seat up. I have a small car battery in it and withing 2 revs its running. Knock the snow off and let it warm up while I clean the wifes truck off and we are ready.

Change my oil from summer to winter every year, keep them turned well and I take care of them. All I have is a battery tender which is why i have had the same battery for like 6 years. last snow it was -22 deg. 782 started up on second turn.. Never an issue, I do however let it warm up in winter for around half hr... mostly because I have a lot of hydraulics on her ITS SLOW lol

My 149 with snowblower sits in a heated garage, 50 to 60 degrees in winter depending on outside temperature. Should I change to 10w30 oil or leave the 30 wt. in the tractor? Have a great day
Thanks,
Bob

I know what the ops man says and there's lots of opinions but I've used 10-30 oil year round for 40+ years without any issues, can't say if it will cause issues for anyone else or not . I don't use any fancy oils just change it when its due and keep things clean when checking /changing. Certainly not advocating that method but it's worked for me ! definitely think it helps on those cold winter days :beerchug:

Simply put, take care of your equipment and it will take care of you!

It doesn't.

Haha.

It's a hydrostat. We all know how those are.

I also put a trickle charger on it the day/night before I intend to use it. It sits in an unheated garage so it's out of the wind, but it still gets cold. I haven't yet gone the rear end magnetic heater (if it gets real bad) or the heat gun/hair dryer into the carb trick yet.

I have a small torpedo heater that I use to warm my 125 so it starts. It lives in an unheated shed so it actually spins fast enough to start after being warmed for a bit. Plus I have a battery tender jr on it too.

My garage stays around 40 *F. No real special treatment. Pull the choke, half throttle, and crank her to life. I use the same procedure in the summer months too. I run pure gas with a little Marvel in it year round. I run 30 weight oil year round too, but when I change it for winter duties I do cut it a little with Marvel at the recommended 20% ratio.

Interesting reading: :beerchug:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Mystery_Oil

I guess I am glad my Cub Cadet isn't a Piper Cub... :bigeyes:


I run Marvel based a lot on positive reviews on OCC and at the recommended ratios on pretty crude equipment in respect to airplanes. Thanks for the good read. :beerchug: (is it to early for the beer chug?)

The products we use or consume always have side effects, some good, some not so good.
I laugh at the TV commercials that promote a product.
Then they list possible side effects, sometimes including death.
It makes a person wonder if the cure is better than the illness.
I think better to not use something controversial or in excess.
There are so many variables it is impossible to say something is good or bad.
Oh,
and everybody dies :angry:
How sad.

I don't drink, smoke, or frequent questionable places.
Oh chit,
I left my cigarettes in the bar.:beer2:
Now back to the topic of kold klub kibbits :biggrin2:

Keep in mind, the vast majority of those claiming "good luck" or giving "good reviews" are neither mechanics, or guys who put thousands of hours on a tractor. They likely do it for the reason you stated.... "someone else said to do it, so I do it too and never have any issues". Well, I don't do it and never have any issues.... so, the proof is in the pudding. As a general rule, "snake oil" is just snake oil.... and I for one am not putting snake oil in my engine every time. Yes, MMO does seem to loosen up stuck parts, and clean up carbon, but that kind of thing isn't good to run year round in the gas and oil.

I have rebuilt (literally) hundreds of engines. Seen a lot of failures, and I've rebuilt motors that were well taken care of that just simply wore out. Based on what I've seen, there are certain oils I won't run, certain reman engines I won't buy (or sell to someone) and I won't constantly run fuel or oil additives.

But, it's you machine to do as you wish, just be careful who's advice you take. Not everyone has good reason for the things they do. Or know if they really are a good or bad thing.

Most of mine start very easily.. choke and quarter throttle.. but it rarely gets below 40 degrees for more than a few days in South GA!:biggrin2::biggrin2: The 782 can be a little cranky in the cold but the original KT17 is old and tired so I usually don't ask it to work in the cold!:beerchug: Plus we have no snow to push or blow... so it would only be making a few trips to the woodpile anyway!:biggrin2::biggrin2:

40° is cold? :bigthink:


Sorry Jay. Not making fun.... just funny when it's been zero and below here. :beerchug: Not today though!

To us 40 degrees is cold!:biggrin2::biggrin2: Probably a summer day for you guys though!:beerchug:

But it has been in the low 20's here for two weeks which is really abnormal for us... and we had 3" of snow two weeks ago.. I've only seen that much snow here 3 times in 40 years.. so we average snow once every 10 years!:beerchug:

I don't understand this post, I have never had a cub that didn't start in a Nebraska winter -20+. I bought a 122 it had sat in a back yard for 3 years not touched, I had it running the day I bought it. 2 months later WINTER all I had done was ancarb kit, clean and tune up, oil. That's it.
It never missed a beat, always started on first try. Something just ain't right if your cub don't start...sorry....

I must be doing something wrong. Pretty much none of my kit will start right off in really cold weather.

The old Farmall absolutely refuses when temps get near 0. I remember once chaining it to the truck and having my wife drag me around on it trying to get it to light. Didn’t, wouldn’t, next nice sunny day it started without hesitation.

The Yanmar will start but you have to crank it a bit and restart it twice or three times and put up with the complaining ‘till it warms up.

The 147 will light off if you are patient and crank it a while. After cranking for a minute or two It will start puffing white smoke and then catch, and then lots of black smoke and noisy coughing followed by an intense moment of quiet. Crank it again and it will start and run for about 30 seconds. Once more with feeling and you’re good.This is between 0 and 20F. Haven’t tried in below zero temps.

We have an old YTD snow thrower that we inherited from my FIL; my wife bought it from his neighbor when they moved and the FIL stopped using it because the fellow across the street has a fancy blower and does most of the block (simply because he can). So we have it. It lives in a heated garage. It seems to know if there’s work to be done - on any given day I can go down there, flip it on, hit the primer bulb, put it in choke and with just one or two yanks it’s going. If there’s half a foot of snow on the ground, though, you can yank on that thing ‘till you’re blue and are sure a heart-attack is just one pull away. It’s probably quicker to just get a shovel and git-er-done. I use it mostly on the walks ‘cause it’s small and maneuverable.

Ok the quick answer, either it's not tuned, not taken care of, bad fuel IE I never use gas with Ethanol in it, use the right oil for the weather, good clean plugs, strong spark, ECT.
There are so many things that can prevent an engine to not start even simply that the person dosent know how to do it.(sorry) . I'm just saying that if you have taken care of your equipment and maintained it , kept it up and kept it clean, you shouldn't have any issues. The only thing I do in the winter is a battery tender, oil, and a little gas additive (HEAT). Nothing else and I only use a little gas junk just because it's not unheard of to get a little moisture in the tank.
I Can't Stress Enough,,,, Take care of your machine,,,,, Rescue11 jokes with me all the time About why I'm messing with my Cub. I constantly check over my equipment (PMCS) military thing I guess was always taught you don't want your equipment to fail at an important or inopportune time. AND MINE NEVER DOSES....

I can assure you that none of my machines is lacking in care or attention. They all get used with a fair amount of regularity (except the MTD) and the fuel is fresh and no alcohol. Never use fuel treatments or MMO or anything. There is no electricity available on "tractor row" so I lug a gen-set and charger up there and charge everything monthly during the winter. Batteries usually last for many years.

I'm just saying that there has to be a reason for the hard start issues. The point here is ISSUE it's something you haven't found yet. Engines just don't hard start if they are in proper working order. Simply put, if a engine was in proper working order than well logic dictates it would start in almost any condition I.E. -20°. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything just stating a fact. JMHO!!!

Dude,.. you had me going there for a minute, :manlaughing: :bigrin2:

But seriously, I was wondering how the summer gas vs winter gas plays into this? :bigthink:

I've heard someone say more than once " I used it all summer and parked it in October and now it won't start, :bash2:.... any ideas?:bigthink:

Thanks; for a while there I had the feeling that my attempts at humor were a lost cause. :-)

It may be the different seasonal formulas. That hand-me-down snow thrower is the weirdest thing. It really will start easily any time until there's snow to throw then forget it. A new plug usually cures it but it's a nuisance to mess with it when there's work to do. And it isn't just me, my wife and kids complain about it too.

122 is manual trans. The 122 I had started much easier than the 125 due to having to spin the hydro too to start the engine.

My 147, 782, 1864, all start the same way, every time.

Was quite impressed by my 149 about a week ago. Was hovering near zero out. No maintainer. It had been sitting outside for a couple weeks. Popped right off and ran on the third rotation... ONLY hydro machine I've ever had thay would fire up thay cold without a booster or a heater on the rear axle

How well does your Cub start in the cold?
 

I have three 3000 series hydros and all three started right up in the recent single digit cold snap. No battery tenders and storage in an unheated garage. I would agree that hard starting indicates an issue somewhere.