[AT] cold Farmall

[Mike M]

Interesting point on the oil Charlie, might be worth it for Ron to look into. I have a Massey Ferguson 255 diesel that was always a bugger to start anytime it was south of 40 degrees. I had been running 15w40 weight oil in it year round. Last week I changed the oil to Rotella T6 Synthetic 5w40. It was a little more money, but I can run it year round, and with the use my tractor sees, will last me for at least 2 years. I also took the time to really shine up the battery cables and connections and replaced a tired looking ground strap. A couple days later, I had to try and get it started at 23 deg F, I was pressed for time, and did not have the heater plugged in. It started right up, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Mike M
----- Receiving the following content ----- 
From: charlie hill 
Receiver: Antique tractor email discussion group 
Time: 2012-01-19, 06:05:48
Subject: Re: [AT] cold Farmall


Ron, 6 V systems will work but the cables and all connections have to be 
very good. Bigger cables always help as they flow more current more 
easily. It is hard to find 6 V cables these days. Everything you see in a 
typical auto parts store is light duty 12 V. The easiest thing might be to 
put a block heater or heat lamp on the engine to keep it nice and toasty 
warm. Have you changed the oil in it since last year? If so did you put 
heavier oil in by any chance?

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Ron Cook
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 7:47 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] cold Farmall

Well, reasonable or not, that old H needs to start so I can get my work
done.:-)

Cold weather starting was the original reason for removing the
distributor and installing the magneto, I think. It is still 6-volt and
cranking with the starter lowered the voltage enough that it wouldn't
start, and hand cranking was out of the question. This old tractor has
been lacking any basic maintenance for several years. However, I did
start it all last winter when I needed to load grain and it was below
zero part of the time. So, I figure if it used to work, it should still
work. And it will. I am pretty sure everything is all gunked up with
old dirty oil deposits.

It was too nice here today , about 40 , so I didn't get anything done to
the H. Now the wind is blowing out of the northwest and we are headed
for zero again tonight with snow. From 2 below to 40 to zero in 24
hours....must be Iowa.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA

On 1/18/2012 6:15 PM, john hall wrote:
> Cold weather here is in the 20's to upper teens. At that temp I expect a
> little difficulty cranking some of the old stuff here. I've hand cranked 
> my
> T-20 several times to go play in ice and snow and have even cranked my 
> 12-20
> Case when there was snow out. But at temps close to zero, is it reasonable
> to expect this old stuff to crank reliably?
>
> John Hall
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Cook"<rlcook at longlines.com>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [AT] cold Farmall
>
>
>> John,
>> That is my suspicions, too. It does have a starter, so cranking
>> doesn't happen all that much. It is currently two below zero and there
>> is no way it would have starting spark were I to venture out and try
>> it. I just threw another log in the stove. I'm gonna stay right where
>> I am.
>>
>> Ron Cook
>> Salix, IA
>>
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