# Cold Weather Starting



## sturmgewehr1961 (Nov 28, 2021)

I have a Jinma 284 tractor that apparently doesn't like cool/cold weather. It's obvious that I need a block heater (the previous owner said he used one) but it's in a location that I really can't get an electrical cord to. Tried the glow plug warming and compression release and have put anti gel in. Any other tricks I could try. It's my first tractor as well as diesel vehicle so I am unlearned. Thanks in advance.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Welcome to the forum. The block heater should already have a cord on it that you can hook your extension to. You could always get a magnetic heater to stick on the side of the oil pan an hour or so before you need the tractor.


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## sturmgewehr1961 (Nov 28, 2021)

pogobill said:


> Welcome to the forum. The block heater should already have a cord on it that you can hook your extension to. You could always get a magnetic heater to stick on the side of the oil pan an hour or so before you need the tractor.


My issue at the moment is just to get the tractor started so I can move it closer to an electrical outlet. As far as block heaters, I was aiming to go with a portable type. Any brands/types better than others? Wasn't thrilled with some of the reviews. Block heaters melting and causing fires? Yikes!


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

If you have a good fully charged battery, the glo plugs if working correctly will start the motor. You probably have a weak battery first off and possibly weak glo plugs. The last thing that owners in general think about is the starting battery. Never plugged in either of my Kubota's. Kept in an unheated barn with no electricity. Both have block heater I've never used. My starting batteries get renewed every 5 years, always. I consider a starting battery a consumable, just like motor oil.


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## LouNY (Dec 15, 2016)

What you can do is cycle your glo plugs on for a cycle, does your tractor have a pre determined cycle or are you just holding the switch for so many seconds?
What you can do is run through one cycle or time it for so many seconds, then just bump the engine over just a partial revolution. Then do a second glo plug cycle
and go for a start. As far as your battery make sure all your cable connections are good and clean, if you have a boost pack hook it up to the tractor while you are
doing the glo plugs and cranking. Of you don't have a jump pac bring your vehicle to it and use your booster cables.
Also if you are holding the glo plugs on for 15 seconds or however long use your watch to time it , you will be surprised how long that actually is.


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## sturmgewehr1961 (Nov 28, 2021)

SidecarFlip said:


> If you have a good fully charged battery, the glo plugs if working correctly will start the motor. You probably have a weak battery first off and possibly weak glo plugs. The last thing that owners in general think about is the starting battery. Never plugged in either of my Kubota's. Kept in an unheated barn with no electricity. Both have block heater I've never used. My starting batteries get renewed every 5 years, always. I consider a starting battery a consumable, just like motor oil.


I a


LouNY said:


> What you can do is cycle your glo plugs on for a cycle, does your tractor have a pre determined cycle or are you just holding the switch for so many seconds?
> What you can do is run through one cycle or time it for so many seconds, then just bump the engine over just a partial revolution. Then do a second glo plug cycle
> and go for a start. As far as your battery make sure all your cable connections are good and clean, if you have a boost pack hook it up to the tractor while you are
> doing the glo plugs and cranking. Of you don't have a jump pac bring your vehicle to it and use your booster cables.
> Also if you are holding the glo plugs on for 15 seconds or however long use your watch to time it , you will be surprised how long that actually is.


Switch position for glo plugs. Manual says to hold for 20 seconds. I do connect a booster but my battery may be too far gone. Will try the glo plugs and bump. Now do the glo plugs need to be cleaned or replaced like regular spark plugs?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Sorry, I misunderstood! You could also pop the battery out and charge it up over night. 

In the far north when we had cold starting issues and no power, we'd use a couple of lengths of stove pipe with a 90* elbow on the end. Shoved under the tractor so the elbow was pointing up at the oil pan, we'd apply a little heat by inserting a propane weed burner / tiger torch to the other end of the pipe and send warm air up under the engine.
Hoard in the engine compartment with a tarp if it's windy, but do not use a lot of heat and never leave it unattended, you don't want to melt or burn anything!!


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Main culprit... Shot battery. The most neglected part on any tractor, next to the air filer,


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## LouNY (Dec 15, 2016)

Most of the newer diesels seem to start quite well in cold conditions.
And I'll agree that a good battery is very important to starting.
On many older engines even with a good battery a second round of engine heat
and a booster pack or jumpers and a second battery are what will get an older engine running.
Especially if it's still on regular petroleum oil and not a synthetic.
And as we get into the older diesels many of them didn't like to start when it got down to 40F.
Our Ford 8000 was never a good starter in cold weather even when brand new, it did not have any glo-plugs or intake heater
once it got even close to zero if not plugged in on the block heater it was going to be a bear to start. Tow it or coast start it on a hill
and she will be up and running quickly and easily, my IH 574 is the same no provision for glo-plugs and no manifold heat.
Unless you want to add the English Thermo-start system to it, make a diesel fire in the intake manifold.
Now either of those will start well with jumpers and a propane torch heating up the intake manifold.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Guess my 2002 Kubota's are considered new then. Neve an issue popping them off and I will say 5-40 T6 made a big difference in cranking speed cold.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

I still maintain that with a weak battery, the odds are against you from the get go. Glo plugs pull a gob of amperage anyway.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

sturmgewehr1961 said:


> I a
> 
> Switch position for glo plugs. Manual says to hold for 20 seconds. I do connect a booster but my battery may be too far gone. Will try the glo plugs and bump. Now do the glo plugs need to be cleaned or replaced like regular spark plugs?


Glow plugs don't need to be replaced as long as they are working.......They are not like spark plugs. Here is a pretty good "down and dirty" on glow plugs...









Glowplug - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

sturmgewehr1961 said:


> I have a Jinma 284 tractor that apparently doesn't like cool/cold weather. It's obvious that I need a block heater (the previous owner said he used one) but it's in a location that I really can't get an electrical cord to. Tried the glow plug warming and compression release and have put anti gel in. Any other tricks I could try. It's my first tractor as well as diesel vehicle so I am unlearned. Thanks in advance.


Since moving up to the bone chilling north, most of those diesel anti-gels just don't do it. Yet, I've found something that works great - - - SEAFOAM. It was originally made for diesels. 

If you have a heat gun, run on low for 3mins on the metal intake manifold, then on high for about 2mins. 

Yes, a block heater in the port works great. 

Also, try to keep the machine out of the wind, best sheltered.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

bmaverick said:


> Since moving up to the bone chilling north, most of those diesel anti-gels just don't do it. Yet, I've found something that works great - - - SEAFOAM. It was originally made for diesels.
> 
> If you have a heat gun, run on low for 3mins on the metal intake manifold, then on high for about 2mins.
> 
> ...



Seafoam is great......I have tested a lot of anti-gels by putting them in the freezer.... That is a good way to see what works and what don't..... I have never had an issue with Power Service or Howes failing to keep fuel from gelling even in semi trucks in very cold areas.....


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## sturmgewehr1961 (Nov 28, 2021)

pogobill said:


> Sorry, I misunderstood! You could also pop the battery out and charge it up over night.
> 
> In the far north when we had cold starting issues and no power, we'd use a couple of lengths of stove pipe with a 90* elbow on the end. Shoved under the tractor so the elbow was pointing up at the oil pan, we'd apply a little heat by inserting a propane weed burner / tiger torch to the other end of the pipe and send warm air up under the engine.
> Hoard in the engine compartment with a tarp if it's windy, but do not use a lot of heat and never leave it unattended, you don't want to melt or burn anything!!


I like the idea of the indirect heat, reminds me of when the WW2 tankers built small fires beneath the tank engines.


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## sturmgewehr1961 (Nov 28, 2021)

Hey, anyone know if it's possible to hook up two batteries in parallel to give an added kick?


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## LouNY (Dec 15, 2016)

Sure about the same as a booster pack or jumper cables, with a better connection.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

2,3,4, don't matter so long as the voltage is the same and you have enough cables. Adding additional batteries to start don't address the issue of a weak starting battery, just allows it to start. I'd be replacing the starting battery myself and cleaning all the connections, battery posts and clamps, the battery to chassis ground cable and everything else on the positive cable path.

What I did with my 2 tractors is, I measured the battery tray and bought the largest battery that would fit in the tray both in L&W dimensions and height dimension. For me, it was a Group 31 and I bought (buy) the ones with the highest CCA, cold cranking amps and like I said previously, I replace them every 5 years. I consider a starting battery to be a consumable, just like oil filters and air filters.

Nothing worse than a no start when you need to use a tractor.


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## sturmgewehr1961 (Nov 28, 2021)

Getting a new battery is the priority, was just wondering if the two battery trick would get it running to move it closer to an outlet for a block heater. No advantage over booster, so....


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

As mentioned previously, If you have a vehicle or a neighbour that does, get out the booster cables and get it going and run it over to the area that has power.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

sturmgewehr1961 said:


> Getting a new battery is the priority, was just wondering if the two battery trick would get it running to move it closer to an outlet for a block heater. No advantage over booster, so....


Like SCF stated, Group-31 and the highest CCA battery. If the size is an issue, back down to Group-27 or Group-24 with the highest CCA available.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Whatever you do, buy a new battery from a volume outlet not a mom and pop auto parts store and make sure the top of the battery isn't dusty too.

I buy mine from the Freightliner dealer I retired from because I know they have a large battery turnover so whatever I buy it will be fresh. The longer any flooded cell battery sits on the shelf, it's getting older and more feeble as time passes.

Finally, with any new battery, don't put it in immediately, always trickle charge it for a day. It will last a lot longer that way.


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## 560Dennis (Aug 31, 2021)

I turn the Farmall over three turns with starter ( wet the glow plugs in the precombustion chamber with diesel fuel ) . Then I heat glow plugs for 10 seconds to 15 seconds . Then I try to start with Starter, usally running 15 seconds . I don’t crank any longer than 30 seconds. Something wrong if not started . 
Don’t know if this helps cause not familiar with that tractor.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Most tractor manufacturers recommend not cranking any starter longer than 30 seconds anyway. I presume it's because the heat in the windings will destroy it.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

SidecarFlip said:


> Most tractor manufacturers recommend not cranking any starter longer than 30 seconds anyway. I presume it's because the heat in the windings will destroy it.



Same with any diesel engine.............Crank for 30 seconds then let starter cool for about a minute then repeat if needed.....Make starter last much longer...........


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