Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
First off, I live in VA where it's considered cold at 40*. So I'm hoping that we will get some more suggestions from those of you who live where it gets really cold.
A lot of what you do depends on your planned use of the tractor in the winter: using it or storing it.
Use:
No matter what else you do, the battery must be fully charged *. A float charger is helpful; not a trickle charger, but a float charger. (I use Battery Tenders on all my tractors; ** see below)
Clean grounds & battery terminals are always important. Don?t forget to loosen the starter from the block (see tip # 36) and polish the block & all starter mating surfaces w/ sandpaper to insure a good electrical ground.
If you can?t remember the last time you replaced the battery cables, it?s time to do it. Just because the terminals are clean doesn?t mean there is no corrosion under the insulation. And, this is another case where size matters (see tip # 41)
A charged battery, clean grounds & new cables aren?t going to mean much if the tractor needs a tune-up. At a minimum, every fall, remove the cap, check the points for pitting or burning, re-gap them & put a dab of lube on the cam. (BTW?..if you?ve wondered why some folks get years of use out of a set of points??.this is one of the reasons).
Things that aren?t all that important in warm weather become serious when it gets cold?like timing. A few degrees of timing either way at 60 or 70* isn?t likely to result in a ?no-start? situation. Well, it can at 10 or 20*. Check the timing!
Distributor gaskets are important on a sidemount & critical on a frontmount. As is the gasket under the coil. Just like with the battery cables?.if you can?t remember when you replaced the gaskets, do it this year.
Push the clutch in when you start the engine (tip # 29)
Oil viscosity can make a difference. If the tractor is going to be consistently operated below 20* F, switch to SAE 10w30; at 0* go to SAE 5w30.
Pull the air cleaner cup & check for water which will turn to ice.
This tip won?t make it start easier, but it will make it run better: turn the main jet out ? to 1 full turn for cold weather operating. Cold air is denser so you need a richer mixture.
While each N has its own starting sequence, none of them will start well by just yanking out the choke rod & holding it out for 5 or 10 seconds while the engine cranks. This is a gravity fuel system on a low compression engine; it is easily flooded by too much choke.
Try this:
Key on, gas on 2 full turns, clutch in, 3/4 throttle, press the starter button. Let it crank for at least 3 - 4 seconds before you pull the choke rod. Then, don't hold it out for more than 2 or 3 seconds.
If you find out it will not start w/o excessive choking, you have problems.
If you flood it, the plugs are fouled & it will be it next to impossible to start. Replace the plugs. You don't need to toss them; heat the tips for a few seconds w/ a propane torch to burn off the invisible spark-robbing deposits from today's additive filled gasoline........or wash them in brake cleaner.
Folks who live in places a lot colder than I do here in VA will argue about battery blankets or magnetic oil pan heaters as compared to lower radiator hose heaters or dipstick heaters. While the consensus leans toward lower radiator hose heaters, I can?t offer a personal observation; the only thing I?ve ever used to heat an engine was a 100w light bulb laid against the intake manifold. Freeze plug heaters are difficult to find for N?s because of the limited space in the water jacket. Magnetic oil pan heaters on the intake manifold will help as well.
While water in gas today is unusual because of all the ethanol, it?s not unheard of. The problem stems from what?s called ?phase separation? in the gasoline. The alcohol binds to the water & it settles in the bottom of your tank. The way to mitigate that is to keep the tank FULL. Less air means less moisture in the tank for the alcohol to absorb. If you?re lucky enough to live in a state where you can buy ethanol free gas (and it does not require a bank loan to do it) then add alcohol to the gasoline. (e.g., ?HEET?) Otherwise, the 10% ethanol in the gas is more than enough to deal w/ the water. I use Star Tron fuel additive in the tractors, old cars, golf cart, etc around here.
For storage:
It would be best to run it to operating temp once a month. That removes moisture from the engine & fully charges the battery. But, if that won't work, remove the battery & keep it indoors w/ a float charger ** on it every 2 or 3 weeks. Do not let the battery sit uncharged for more than 30 days.*
Ford recommends that if you are not going to use it at all, drain the tank, leave the cap loose and run the engine until the tank & carb are empty.
Remove the plugs, put a tablespoon of oil in the cylinders & turn the engine over a few times to lubricate the cylinder walls.
Block the clutch.
Check tire pressure & add air if needed. Put it on blocks or jack stands to keep the tires off of the ground.
Plug the exhaust pipe to keep the mice out. If mice are a major problem, soak some cotton balls in peppermint oil & put them under the hood & around the radiator. Some folks say mothballs work just as well.
Change the oil & lube it.
Make sure the hydraulic fluid doesn't have water in it.
Check the anti-freeze; use 50/50 anti-freeze & distilled water & run the engine to make sure it is well mixed. Don?t drain the block & radiator; all that gets you is corrosion & rust build-up in the water jacket.
If the tractor is not kept in a shed or garage, I don't think putting a tarp over it gets you much. A car cover, which supposedly does not retain moisture, would be a better idea.
Most all of this is covered in the owners manual, chapter III, storage.
* Your battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature dips below freezing, and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero. A fully charged battery will not freeze until -76?F; however, a fully discharged battery can start to freeze at 32?F. So??keep the battery fully charged!
**Battery Tender website: http://www.batterytender.com/
75 Tips
A lot of what you do depends on your planned use of the tractor in the winter: using it or storing it.
Use:
No matter what else you do, the battery must be fully charged *. A float charger is helpful; not a trickle charger, but a float charger. (I use Battery Tenders on all my tractors; ** see below)
Clean grounds & battery terminals are always important. Don?t forget to loosen the starter from the block (see tip # 36) and polish the block & all starter mating surfaces w/ sandpaper to insure a good electrical ground.
If you can?t remember the last time you replaced the battery cables, it?s time to do it. Just because the terminals are clean doesn?t mean there is no corrosion under the insulation. And, this is another case where size matters (see tip # 41)
A charged battery, clean grounds & new cables aren?t going to mean much if the tractor needs a tune-up. At a minimum, every fall, remove the cap, check the points for pitting or burning, re-gap them & put a dab of lube on the cam. (BTW?..if you?ve wondered why some folks get years of use out of a set of points??.this is one of the reasons).
Things that aren?t all that important in warm weather become serious when it gets cold?like timing. A few degrees of timing either way at 60 or 70* isn?t likely to result in a ?no-start? situation. Well, it can at 10 or 20*. Check the timing!
Distributor gaskets are important on a sidemount & critical on a frontmount. As is the gasket under the coil. Just like with the battery cables?.if you can?t remember when you replaced the gaskets, do it this year.
Push the clutch in when you start the engine (tip # 29)
Oil viscosity can make a difference. If the tractor is going to be consistently operated below 20* F, switch to SAE 10w30; at 0* go to SAE 5w30.
Pull the air cleaner cup & check for water which will turn to ice.
This tip won?t make it start easier, but it will make it run better: turn the main jet out ? to 1 full turn for cold weather operating. Cold air is denser so you need a richer mixture.
While each N has its own starting sequence, none of them will start well by just yanking out the choke rod & holding it out for 5 or 10 seconds while the engine cranks. This is a gravity fuel system on a low compression engine; it is easily flooded by too much choke.
Try this:
Key on, gas on 2 full turns, clutch in, 3/4 throttle, press the starter button. Let it crank for at least 3 - 4 seconds before you pull the choke rod. Then, don't hold it out for more than 2 or 3 seconds.
If you find out it will not start w/o excessive choking, you have problems.
If you flood it, the plugs are fouled & it will be it next to impossible to start. Replace the plugs. You don't need to toss them; heat the tips for a few seconds w/ a propane torch to burn off the invisible spark-robbing deposits from today's additive filled gasoline........or wash them in brake cleaner.
Folks who live in places a lot colder than I do here in VA will argue about battery blankets or magnetic oil pan heaters as compared to lower radiator hose heaters or dipstick heaters. While the consensus leans toward lower radiator hose heaters, I can?t offer a personal observation; the only thing I?ve ever used to heat an engine was a 100w light bulb laid against the intake manifold. Freeze plug heaters are difficult to find for N?s because of the limited space in the water jacket. Magnetic oil pan heaters on the intake manifold will help as well.
While water in gas today is unusual because of all the ethanol, it?s not unheard of. The problem stems from what?s called ?phase separation? in the gasoline. The alcohol binds to the water & it settles in the bottom of your tank. The way to mitigate that is to keep the tank FULL. Less air means less moisture in the tank for the alcohol to absorb. If you?re lucky enough to live in a state where you can buy ethanol free gas (and it does not require a bank loan to do it) then add alcohol to the gasoline. (e.g., ?HEET?) Otherwise, the 10% ethanol in the gas is more than enough to deal w/ the water. I use Star Tron fuel additive in the tractors, old cars, golf cart, etc around here.
For storage:
It would be best to run it to operating temp once a month. That removes moisture from the engine & fully charges the battery. But, if that won't work, remove the battery & keep it indoors w/ a float charger ** on it every 2 or 3 weeks. Do not let the battery sit uncharged for more than 30 days.*
Ford recommends that if you are not going to use it at all, drain the tank, leave the cap loose and run the engine until the tank & carb are empty.
Remove the plugs, put a tablespoon of oil in the cylinders & turn the engine over a few times to lubricate the cylinder walls.
Block the clutch.
Check tire pressure & add air if needed. Put it on blocks or jack stands to keep the tires off of the ground.
Plug the exhaust pipe to keep the mice out. If mice are a major problem, soak some cotton balls in peppermint oil & put them under the hood & around the radiator. Some folks say mothballs work just as well.
Change the oil & lube it.
Make sure the hydraulic fluid doesn't have water in it.
Check the anti-freeze; use 50/50 anti-freeze & distilled water & run the engine to make sure it is well mixed. Don?t drain the block & radiator; all that gets you is corrosion & rust build-up in the water jacket.
If the tractor is not kept in a shed or garage, I don't think putting a tarp over it gets you much. A car cover, which supposedly does not retain moisture, would be a better idea.
Most all of this is covered in the owners manual, chapter III, storage.
* Your battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature dips below freezing, and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero. A fully charged battery will not freeze until -76?F; however, a fully discharged battery can start to freeze at 32?F. So??keep the battery fully charged!
**Battery Tender website: http://www.batterytender.com/
75 Tips