Leaving tractor in unheated garage,starting ideas?

[SDBOB]

Just curious what some of you do to start plow tractor in unheated garage? For years I never worried just tried starting it. Now I'm older,75 and thinking is there a heater I could use say for half hour to warm oil before starting. Thanks.

[DSarow]

I'm thinking of what I would do here in Wi.I would make sure,I have a 125.Make sure you have the correct grade of oil for your lowest temperature, the battery needs to be strong.Get a battery maintainer to keep it up.Since I have a Hydro,get a magnetic heater for the rear end ,the cold fluid really drags the starter down.Then why not a heater for the oil,and make sure your carb,points,plug are all in correct adjustments.Remember fresh winter grade gas,non ethanol ,and you should be good.

[Radioguy41]

and the highest CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) battery you can fit in it. Too often people shop batteries by price and never consider the CCA rating when in fact it should be the number one criteria.

[West Valley G]

To add to what Dean and Radio Guy said. Anytime it is above 30 degrees. Which
can be a stretch at times. I start my tractors. Keeps things moving
and charges the batteries. Plus I get to start my tractors.
If I have not started them for longer then I would like do to weather.
I put the old Milk House Heater next to them and throw a piece of
good plastic or a tarp over the top. Give it an hour or two and it
is pretty incredible what a difference it makes. If I know it is going
to be a long long time. I pull the batteries and bring them in where they
won't freeze. I personally am kinda tired of winter before it even starts.


Ken

[jbrewer]

Put on the choke, and bring a jump box out to the shed. :-)

[ol'George]

All good suggestions BUT.
Since you didn't mention what you are using for a "plow tractor"
I'm going to have to assume a lot of things here.
Its a cub?
Its not a diesel?
it's is a diesel?
Its a Hydro?
It's not a hydro?
its a cast iron rear?
its not a cast iron rear?
Its got a dip stick in engine/hydro, you can slip in a 110V heater?
You do have power in the shed?
Shall I go on?

In a nut shell, let it set as normal.
if it don't start get out the set of 10' triple zero gauge welding cable jumper set you made up , and hook them up to your vehicle and start it up as if it was
a *70 sunny day.
A few $$ well spent reaps many benefits as far as good home made jumper cables and they last a lifetime (unless you lend them out)
And unlike a "jump box" they never need charging.
Works for me!

[Red Dave]

Originally Posted by SDBOB

Just curious what some of you do to start plow tractor in unheated garage? For years I never worried just tried starting it. Now I'm older,75 and thinking is there a heater I could use say for half hour to warm oil before starting. Thanks.

I've been using my 125 as my snowplow tractor for 20+ years. I keep it in an unheated shed and rarely, if ever have had trouble starting it when I needed it.

Now, granted I live in south central Pennsylvania, not Frostbite Falls Minnesota, so it only gets into single digits, rarely spends much time below zero F.

All I have ever done was to use synthetic oil in the engine, keep a good battery in it and I do change the Hydrostat oil every 4 or 5 years. Occasionally I will put a battery maintainer on the battery if it goes more than a couple weeks between uses. That's it.

If I was unsure whether it was going to start, I'd start with a battery maintainer all the time. Nothing like full voltage on the starter and the ignition system for reliable starting.

[athomas]

Mine sit in an unheated garage for weeks or even months at a time over the winter if no plowing is needed and never been an issue , as long as your battery is good, the timing is correct, valves adjusted properly, coil, plug and fuel are good ! That being said I put MMO in my gas jug every time I buy gas and the last gas I buy in the fall I add the marine grade stable and all is good. If it starts fairly easy in the summer then it should start ok in the winter but I've seen some you can crank till your guts fall out before they want to fire and needless to say there is some underlying issue !

[SDBOB]

It's a stock 100,stick 3 spd. Been very reliable over the past 23 yrs. I was thinking some kind of oil and block heater. I've never bought or know what to buy.

[jbrewer]

Stock 100?

I'd not bother with a block heater. Given that it's only splash lubed I would not think a block heater would do anything in regards "crankability" anyway.

If the choke works and the timing is right, it should start right up.


If you happen to live in Minot ND, I think the cub manual specifies a lighter oil viscosity (which would accomplish the same thing)