Winter in New England certainly puts extra strain on our equipment with long stretches of cold weather. During the cold winter months, equipment has to work harder: Engines take longer to warm up, starting can be a challenge, and moisture in fluids can lead to mechanical failures. With all of these potential issues popping up during the winter months, here are some tips to keep your equipment starting smoothly when it’s cold.
Keep Up with Your Preventative Maintenance Schedule
The first step in making sure your Kubota equipment is ready to work when you are is to consistently perform your preventative maintenance on schedule and perform your walk around checks. You can adhere to a long list of best practices for starting your equipment in the winter, but if you’re not changing fluids and filters, greasing, and taking care of routine service items at the recommended intervals, you have a much greater chance of running into starting and performance issues during the winter months.
Keep Your Battery Charged
Since it will take extra time to turn over a motor in the cold winter months, make sure you have a healthy battery. Check to make sure your battery is fully charged in addition to charging while the tractor is running. If this is not something you can do on your own, we are always here for assistance in charging or replacing batteries
Use a Block Heater
The main purpose of an engine block heater is to make it easier to start the engine, but preheating the engine oil, antifreeze, and internal engine components also reduces wear and tear. Plugging your tractor or construction equipment in will allow the block heater to create the heat necessary for combustion to start the equipment. Leave the tractor plugged in for at least 4 to 5 hours before you try to start it. It will take this long to heat coolant in the engine block. At Townline, we sell almost every new tractor and piece of construction equipment with a free engine block heater.
Equipment Storage Options
If you are able to keep your Kubota tractor in a warm, dry place during the winter, it should be a pretty easy process to start and run during cold weather. However, many Kubota tractors do live outside their whole life. For tractors and construction equipment that is stored outside, it is important to use your block heater to assist in starting along with glow plugs if equipped. You can also use tarps, a small shed or an outside overhang to help keep your equipment out of the weather and make the starting process easier.
Use Good Winter Diesel Fuel and Keep Your Fuel Tank Full
The type of diesel fuel you use in your Kubota machine can have a direct effect on how well the engine will start and run. It is important to make sure to have winter blend off road diesel. This fuel lacks certain components that corrupt fuel over time. Putting anti-gelling diesel fuel additives into your fuel can also help regardless of whether or not you’re using off road diesel. These additives can prevent gelling, icing, disperse moisture, and help with cold starts in general.
Idle the Engine Before Working with Your Equipment
After you have started your tractor, let it idle to warm up. This allows the heat from the engine to move into the transmission, transfer case and gear drive of the tractor. It is important to make sure that the oil is warm and viscous enough so it can travel around the tractor’s lines. Usually if your tractor can warm up to a normal operating temperature, you will be able to work all day without any surprises.
Reach out to Townline if You Need Help
Taking these steps will help you make sure your Kubota equipment will be ready to start and work when you need it this winter. However, Mother Nature does specialize in creating new surprises for us each year, so if you find yourself with a tractor issue that you can't figure out or that you need help with, contact our service team. We have a fleet of Mobile Onsite service trucks that can come right to your home or place of business and get you up and running during the winter season.
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Townline Equipment is the leading Kubota dealer in Plainfield NH and Pittsford VT. We sell and service a large variety of equipment including Kubota tractors, Kubota utility vehicles, Kubota zero turn mowers and Kubota construction equipment. Contact Us Today: Plainfield NH - 603-675-6347 / Pittsford VT – 802-483-6464 / Email: info@townlineequipment. Videos and articles on our blog are meant to be a general guide only. Always consult your owner’s manual for additional detailed product information and related safety precautions. Visit www./disclaimer for more information.
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