kt17 Cold Weather Starting Woes,...1711

[johncub7172]

hello folks, and happy new year! having trouble starting in the cold temperatures of 20* and lower. the tractor cranks over slow. just installed a new batteryand cables. nice clean plugs, gapped at .025, and clean points holding .019 thousandths gap. acceptiable spark varified on each cylinder. if i heat the shop up, warming the tractor after an hour, tractor starts, and of course the battery is being aided by battery charger too. once its running, preforms as should. seems like its always started up for duty, but i dont remember those winter temperatures of years past. ideas, experiences, and suggestions for this problem would be interesting to read about.

[jsoluna]

If you are running SAE30, I would switch to a multi-vis oil (15w-40 is what I use year-round) to aid in starting/cranking. Factory calls for 10w-30 in colder temps.

It's also somewhat likely that your starter is getting weak and not able to use the battery voltage to produce the power it used to.

As long as your connections are solid on the positive and ground side and you have no significant voltage drop across the solenoid, then the only issue left would really be the starter internals. Check voltage at the starter lug and confirm it is virtually the same as battery voltage when cranking.

[Sam Mac]

One thing that helped a hard starting 1210 that I used to own was running a ground wire from the battery to a starter mounting bolt. Cub has the battery ground bolted to the frame. I also up sized the cables and in the winter I put the battery from my race car in the tractor. Link to the battery.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/d...RoCVScQAvD_BwE

Expensive but it will spin the engine.

[Farmall450]

A shot of ether works well.

[johncub7172]

Originally Posted by jsoluna

If you are running SAE30, I would switch to a multi-vis oil (15w-40 is what I use year-round) to aid in starting/cranking. Factory calls for 10w-30 in colder temps.

It's also somewhat likely that your starter is getting weak and not able to use the battery voltage to produce the power it used to.

As long as your connections are solid on the positive and ground side and you have no significant voltage drop across the solenoid, then the only issue left would really be the starter internals. Check voltage at the starter lug and confirm it is virtually the same as battery voltage when cranking.

you know, i'm using the sae 30wt, because i often purchase by the gallon. i will definately switch to the oil{s} you suggested immediately.

Ok, check voltage at starter when cranking...funny that i forgot to mention that the starter does infact make a hi-pitch squeel often after engine pops off but when engine doesent stay running at first. now i'm suspect to it, thanks. i have anothe used starter on the shelf, but thats a bit of work on a used replacement part, lol!

[johncub7172]

Originally Posted by Sam Mac

One thing that helped a hard starting 1210 that I used to own was running a ground wire from the battery to a starter mounting bolt. Cub has the battery ground bolted to the frame. I also up sized the cables and in the winter I put the battery from my race car in the tractor. Link to the battery.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/d...RoCVScQAvD_BwE

Expensive but it will spin the engine.

thats a nice battery! never realized those were available. im in luck too because i have a summit near buy that i frequent on my powerwagon build. the batterys around here are...... the extra ground wire sounds logical, always on my quiteline models, and i never considered on the "82" series,.. oh, and i did replace the battery positive to magnetic start switch with a normal, thicker wire, as mine had a 7 inch short wire here, assuming factory wire. i will just toss this current battery in my 124 anyway.

[johncub7172]

Originally Posted by Farmall450

A shot of ether works well.

sure does! when i do that, the engine stops cranking, as if too much compression. starter seeming even more suspect now,.. i'm glad i asked the questions! thanks everyone. i will report back.

[1711Cub]

A few thoughts on this subject:

The lawn and garden batteries as a whole suck in this weather, as most are low CCA. Try to get the highest CCA available.

The starters on these engines are mediocre at best, as are the small gauge battery cables.

The hydro oil is thick when cold, so cranking will be slower even with a decently thin engine oil

I run 10w30 in my M18 powered plow tractor. I never have any starting issues.

[Farmall450]

Originally Posted by 1711Cub

A few thoughts on this subject:

The lawn and garden batteries as a whole suck in this weather, as most are low CCA. Try to get the highest CCA available.

The starters on these engines are mediocre at best, as are the small gauge battery cables.

The hydro oil is thick when cold, so cranking will be slower even with a decently thin engine oil

I run 10w30 in my M18 powered plow tractor. I never have any starting issues.

Magnums start better, especially in cyclops w/ the big battery.

[johncub7172]

turns out to have been a bad starter. once i removed the engine, ( and i realized its much easier to reinstall the motor to the engine plate both outside of the tractor ) and then the starter, the starter bearings were severly worn/wrecked.

my spare starter proved to be functional so i installed it to the motor. put the tractor back together which was a a good sum of work and got out and pushed snow off the drive way! the high temperature today was around 25*. and was glad to see the engine spin over quickly again.


i will be following through with a new starter, and the suggestions. thanks for all the help!