COLD

vtbuckslayer · January 12, 2009, 07:27:11 PM

Our 548E grapple is miserable in the cold weather. It doesnt start if much below 30 degrees out. It usually takes some time with the space heater and jumper cables before she will finally fire up. Where as our late 70s 540 starts up no matter what the temp. Anyone have similar problems and and easy ways you have figured to get your machines running? Its not much waitin two hours for the machine to finally start.

stonebroke · January 12, 2009, 07:30:38 PM

I put double aught cables on my tractor and it made all the world of difference. Cranks much faster and longer. I used to have to plug it in , now down to about five dregrees a little ether and crank it and it goes.

Stonebroke

Maineloggerkid · January 12, 2009, 08:09:26 PM

My situation is exactly like yours. The 648E wont start below 35 degrees, and the mid 80's 540 I used to run only had one day it would'nt start the 2 1/2 years I ran it. How aree the batteries? I like those deep cycle batteries that look like 2 connected. But, those won't fit in your battery box. :-\

Gary_C · January 12, 2009, 08:10:06 PM

I can't say enough good things about those self contained engine heaters made by Webasto that run off of diesel fuel. They cost around $1000 and will save you so much time and wear and tear on your machines that they will easily pay for themselves in no time. They run off a 7 day timer that you can set to have the engine warm when you get there in the morning. No wait or warm up time and you just start the engine and allow the hydraulics to warm up and go.

The newer forestry machines come with somewhat larger heaters installed and they will warm up the engine, hydraulic oil, and cab before you arrive in the morning. Greatest thing invented for forestry equipment that has to sit out in the woods at night.

You should be able to get them from Truck Part City. 8)

Dave Shepard · January 12, 2009, 08:13:39 PM

That's Truck Part City ;D

I just watched the first season of Ice Road Truckers. I'm surprised that they didn't run those Webasto's on their rigs. It's got to be more efficient than trying to use a torpedo heater on them. A metal trash can lid full of charcoal briquettes will do wonders, as long as you don't catch the skidder on fire.

The briquettes are radiant heat, and the torpedo's heat is just going to get blown away in the breeze.

Maineloggerkid · January 12, 2009, 08:31:30 PM

Ya, fire under a skidder can work if you're careful, depending on if you have oil leaks. There is a guy around here who burned up 2 440's with a fire in the morning

Dave Shepard · January 12, 2009, 08:34:38 PM

Not an open fire, just coals. Much safer.

Maineloggerkid · January 12, 2009, 08:50:46 PM

Oh, I know what you mean, but a lot of people from my neck of the woods don't seem to.

customdave · January 12, 2009, 09:09:33 PM

Lot of guys up north here with Eqipment rig up quick connectors in the coolant ports of the engine & run up to Cat with pickup which is rigged also with connectors plug them in let pickup idle 1/2 hr then start the Cat, warm pickup circulats warm coolant through Cat block. Takes 1/2 hr but works well customdave

Maineloggerkid · January 12, 2009, 09:13:13 PM

We had those on the 540, worked very well. Just as you said- about 1/2 hour and you were in business.

Gary_C · January 12, 2009, 09:29:49 PM

Yes those pickup connectors work for some and some have cracked the block on their pickups because of the cold shock. If you have a newer pickup and the dealer sees those connectors, they will void your warranty.

customdave · January 12, 2009, 09:42:20 PM

OUCH ! :'(

vtbuckslayer · January 12, 2009, 10:09:59 PM

ya we tried the connectors those dont seem to work on this creature. batteries are good shes just cold blooded. those heaters you guys talk about sound pretty interesting. worth looking into.

barbender · January 13, 2009, 02:47:01 AM

Someone told me once that they were having a bear of a time getting a deere skidder started, they had jumpers on it, torpedo heater, etc... The thing still would not fire up. They had a mechanic come out to look at it, he jumped in the cab, hit the key, and wiggled the steering wheel side to side at the same time he was cranking the engine and it fired right off. The mechanic told them the steering wheel trick did something to release the hydraulics that are dragging on the engine. My buddy said he thought the guy was nuts, they hire him to come fix a machine and he wiggles the steering wheel, but the machine started

They couldn't believe it- worth a shot I guess

Gary_C · January 13, 2009, 03:11:23 AM

That's a good one barbender. It would help if you did not have to drag that hydraulic pump along when starting, but I've never seen one that could be disconnected by shaking the steering wheel. :D

Years ago I stopped to help a young lady with the hood up on her car. The car would not turn over at all and she said her brother had told her how to cure that problem. She got a hammer out from under the seat and proceeded to beat on one of the posts of the battery.

She said it had always worked so far. :

Maineloggerkid · January 13, 2009, 05:13:35 AM

I thought everyone knew about the steering wheel trick. ??? Works quite well on the older skiddders, but I don't know about the 548E in question. I have tried it on the 648E, and it had little to no effect.

a old timberjack · January 13, 2009, 05:32:26 AM

i use the quick connect method. i wouldnot put them on my new truck either. i have them on my 2 work trucks . 1988 ford f-450 and a 1977 ih loadstar , both gas engines. takes about 25 min and the water temp is 175 on the meter on the old timberjack when it is 5 deg. out. i would not go without them. i swear by them.

Kodiakmac · January 13, 2009, 06:33:41 AM

Yup, those transfusion hoses are the way to go if you're rigged for it.

I've got an in-line electric heater on my old JD and one of those battery blankets. I haul a small generator along, plug the heater and the blanket in, crank it up for about 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour and it makes a heck of a difference.

redneck · January 13, 2009, 08:18:34 AM

I have been using a small generator 2500 watts for a few years. I plug in the block heater, put charger on the bateries, and point the exaust from the generator directly on the fuel pump. i don't know what one helps more but the exaust sure warms up that pump and fuel line area it takes the frost right off most of the topp of the engine by the time i get back. it takes about 1 hour. i usually go and cut a few trees then come back for the skidder when it warm. I have only done this down to -15 colder then that i usually stick to thinning i thick bush (less wind) or stay home :D

Kodiakmac · January 13, 2009, 04:21:54 PM

Yup. me too. Got a couple of -32 to -34C (-29 to -31F) nights in the forecast from Wednesday to Saturday, so I'll be tending the fire and the old 440 can collect some frost.

barbender · January 13, 2009, 07:05:27 PM

I don't know what it did Gary, but he said it worked. Maineloggerkid, do you know?? I thought he said it opened some kind of bypass or something, I really don't have a clue :

Maineloggerkid · January 13, 2009, 07:31:39 PM

BY cranking the wheel, it relieves pressure. The steering valves aren't closed so it allows more flow, hence making it easier to turn the motor. Sort of like shutting off the hydraulics. That is how it was explained to me.

That is one problem with suspended energy laws. If you could leave the grapple arch or blade up, you could slowly let it down and accomplish the same thing. But, Laws ( at least in Maine) won't allow suspended hydraulics.

stonebroke · January 13, 2009, 08:47:22 PM

Some tractors have a hyd. bypass you can use to allow easier cranking. My MF 1100 has it right on the operators deck. When it is really cold I think it takes more power just to turn the hyd. pump over than the motor.

Stonebroke

Kodiakmac · January 14, 2009, 07:16:31 AM

Allis-Chalmers had a decompression device on some of their old dozers that worked as a good cold-start feature. There was a lever you pulled that relieved compression in the heads while you were cranking it over, and once you got the motor spinning, you released the lever. Worked pretty well...with a judicious shot of ether when it was really cold!

Too bad some of the skidder manufacturers hadn't borrowed that good idea.

zackman1801 · January 14, 2009, 08:57:46 PM

it works well if you can turn off the hydraulics on the machine, it takes less for the motor to turn over just the engine, than it does to turn everything over at once. We usually just use a hose, its usually our dozer that wont start so we run the hoses from the warm skidder over to the dozer and heat er up. it takes some time but it works.