question Zetor cold starting in Ireland.

[diyfarmer]

Ireland just had a very cold spell of weather for us. In Ireland we don't really get prolong cold winter weather, with snow and temperatures in the minuses by day and severe minus temperatures at night. But this week gone has been the exception, with 24cm of snow and as low as -8 by night and -2 at 1pm and it has lasted for 8 days. Thankfully today there is a change and milder weather has brought a thaw and the warmer temperatures has melded most of the snow, but will take time to get rid of it all.

I know this is still probably only minor snow and cold compared to a lot of Europe and parts of America, but us in Ireland aren't used to this type of cold weather. We hadn't this much snow since 2010.

I use 3 tractors when I feeding my cattle. My loader tractor is a 1992 Case 895, it has no heaters or cold start button, just turn the key and it starts. 1990 Zetor 8111 chops beet, it has no heater or cold start button, same just press the starter button and it was away. and my HSX 140 works the tub feeder, it has glow heater and it started as well no problem either. Just to add all my tractor are kept in doors by day/night.

This brings me onto my question. I see people on facebook, talking about cold starting tractors and how bad some of the newer zetors are in the cold weather. I was wondering how do they start in countries where low temperatures start in November and continue until end of March?

 

[ridge]

Ireland just had a very cold spell of weather for us. In Ireland we don't really get prolong cold winter weather, with snow and temperatures in the minuses by day and severe minus temperatures at night. But this week gone has been the exception, with 24cm of snow and as low as -8 by night and -2 at 1pm and it has lasted for 8 days. Thankfully today there is a change and milder weather has brought a thaw and the warmer temperatures has melded most of the snow, but will take time to get rid of it all.

I know this is still probably only minor snow and cold compared to a lot of Europe and parts of America, but us in Ireland aren't used to this type of cold weather. We hadn't this much snow since 2010.

I use 3 tractors when I feeding my cattle. My loader tractor is a 1992 Case 895, it has no heaters or cold start button, just turn the key and it starts. 1990 Zetor 8111 chops beet, it has no heater or cold start button, same just press the starter button and it was away. and my HSX 140 works the tub feeder, it has glow heater and it started as well no problem either. Just to add all my tractor are kept in doors by day/night.

This brings me onto my question. I see people on facebook, talking about cold starting tractors and how bad some of the newer zetors are in the cold weather. I was wondering how do they start in countries where low temperatures start in November and continue until end of March?

I have 3 newer Zetors and they started no problem. A good battery is a must on any engine in cold weather. Can fit a block heater to have an electric element to warm engine in cold climates.

 

[diyfarmer]

A good battery

My Case has the same battery for the last 10 years, and it starts the easiest. My HSX is my newish tractor and it has the battery replaced about 4 years ago. And it started no bother either. People were talk on facebook about Proxima been hard to start. My sisters car wouldn't start one of the real cold mornings and she had it going the evening before and it was indoors.

 

[ridge]

My Case has the same battery for the last 10 years, and it starts the easiest. My HSX is my newish tractor and it has the battery replaced about 4 years ago. And it started no bother either. People were talk on facebook about Proxima been hard to start. My sisters car wouldn't start one of the real cold mornings and she had it going the evening before and it was indoors.

Have 2015 and 2016 proximas and a 2013 hsx, all on first day batteries and all are easy enough starters. Didn't get that bad frost here as up the country.

 

[Joachim]

It's actually quite simple - a flame start system has been available as an option since the UR1 series, and the Zetor 8520 to 10540 also had one.

The flame glow plug is installed in the intake manifold and is thus surrounded by the intake air. A glow plug is heated to red heat in around 20 seconds via the electrical connection. The control unit then opens a solenoid valve when starting, so that a small amount of diesel fuel flows into the flame plug and ignites on the glow plug; air is present in the intake manifold. The fuel burns, generating heat that heats up the intake air, but of course also consumes a small amount of the oxygen in the intake air. This means that the cold engine draws in pre-heated air and the starting process is made easier.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeDvCVS38hk

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkgmXiFFqCc

No problem starting even at -25°C.

 

[diyfarmer]

No problem starting even at -25°C

And all the new tractors that were bought on our farm, a plug in heater was never offered as an option. I only ever saw one in the manual . We just kept the tractors indoors and cover the engine with a lump of carpet or an old blanket.

 

[ridge]

And all the new tractors that were bought on our farm, a plug in heater was never offered as an option. I only ever saw one in the manual . We just kept the tractors indoors and cover the engine with a lump of carpet or an old blanket.

I remember Cyril o' Sullivan saying one time that he retro fitted a glow plug to intake manifold of a crystal back in big freeze in 2010. I've a cousin who works for a john deere dealer in England and the fitted a few electric block heaters to tractors that time too.

 

[Joachim]

Mostly glow plug only works (if only one fitted in) only up to engines up to 3 litre. Above its much better to use a flame start system.

You can also install a water preheater in the Zetor . But they usually only have 500 to 1,000 watts and only heat the coolant and not the engine oil. It starts better with this, but it remains a cold start. It would be better to also heat the engine oil.

A friend with a Zetor 9540 says he has never had to use the flame start, and at temperatures of up to -14°C, which is typical here, he has never had any problems starting it even without a flame start and without glow plugs.

A lot depends on the battery and electrical system, which must allow a certain starter speed, and of course on the condition of the engine (compression , wear on the valves, piston rings, bushings) and also on the injection system.
If everything is really OK, then a Zetor will start at temperatures as low as -25°C without any additional aids. From -5°C it is of course easier with a flame start or glow plugs or engine preheating.

 

[diyfarmer]

If everything is really OK, then a Zetor will start at temperatures as low as -25°C without any additional aids.

Everything must be OK so on all my tractors as they all started without any additional aids or second batteries, in the minus temperatures. All change in Ireland today and it's +10 degrees C.