Cold weather 1086.

I need you guys to help me remember, because it's been too many years. I am on the hunt for a
1086 loader tractor to use for chores. We had one when they were fairly new, but I can't
remember how well they started in cold weather. I'm going to look at one tomorrow, and the
temperature will be about 35?. I know that starting in the cold weather is a sign of a good Diesel
engine, but I can't remember whether that diesel engine was ever a good cold weather starting
engine.

I know this does not pertain to your question, but I would not want to deal with grinding transmission and jumpy clutch on an 86 series International.
Best of luck on yuor search.

They have a built on either assist (at least ours did). They will start as long as the diesel hasn't jelled. While plugging them in helps ease the pain of cold starting a diesel you can't do that when they are in the middle of nowhere doing field work.

I've never had a loader tractor that's hydrostat or
has a reverser or anything. Gear tractors are all I'm
used to. I do have a powershift Deere 7800 for
planting but I still clutch that thing. My main chore
tractor is an open station 4020 so it's a step up for
sure! I know if I had a newer machine I wouldn't
want to go back, but it is so much better than where
I was when we were a kid!

I would recommned that you drive a 1086 around a little bit even if it does not have a loader on it. Play with the clutch and shift it constantly (pretend that your doing loader work) and see if you really want to fight that gear shifter everytime you need to change a gear and see how smoothly you can let that clutch out.

If your used to the JD 7800 and the 4020, I honestly don't think you will like the clutch and transmission on that 1086. I would recommned that you look for a JD4240 / 4250 / 4255. I know these will run more money than the 1086, but in the end its your money to decied what you get.

Also, set on the seat and look out the rear window and see if you can see the drawbar over top of the fuel tank. I known several people to trade these 86 series in with a couple of hundered hours on them becuase they could not see the draw bar. Like I said before, pretend that your doing loader work and play with the clutch and transmission, while your doing that try to hook up to an implement. When it comes to backing up 2 inches, you tend to go to 2 feet!

I will say, them school bus engines (466 block) are an amazing source of power. If they would of made a better clutch and transmission they would see be alive today!

Its your money and you gotta be happy with what ya get and if a 1086 is what you want then go get it. This is just my honest opinion. Best of luck finding that loader / chore tractor

(quoted from post at 18:40:09 11/20/15) I've never had a loader tractor that's hydrostat or
has a reverser or anything. Gear tractors are all I'm
used to. I do have a powershift Deere 7800 for
planting but I still clutch that thing. My main chore
tractor is an open station 4020 so it's a step up for
sure! I know if I had a newer machine I wouldn't
want to go back, but it is so much better than where
I was when we were a kid!

Click to expand...

A 1086 with good compression will start down to 20 degrees or a little lower unassisted if outside but you will be putting some wear on the starter if it's below 32. In a shed it will start fine when the temp is 20 or a little under this time of year here in NWIA. I was leery of making my 1086 a loader tractor because of the shifting and clutch but now after using it awhile I don't mind it. I just don't let the clutch out in neutral if I can help it and, yes, sometimes it will butt gears. I bought this thing new in 1978 and it has 17,000 hours on the clock so I am fairly familiar with how it acts by now. LOL The clutch and shifting are admittedly something IH could have improved on but you get used to it. New cab mounts helps some with the clutch, but mainly keeping it throttled down is the trick with the clutch. Spending a little money to have the shifting linkage rebuilt every ten years or so helps and is worth it.One thing the 1086 is not really the best at is the gearing when you do repetitive passes like pushing snow. High second works well pushing snow but reverse second is a bit slow if you have to back clear across the yard to make the next pass. I do like the shift levers on the left and hydraulic levers on the right though the engineers require us to have five foot long arms to reach the levers. I extended the hyd levers and that made using them much, much easier. There are so many neat aftermarket updates for the 86 series cabs but I haven't seen hydraulic lever extenders offered yet. The 1086 could have been engineered better but it isn't the dinosaur some guys make it out to be.

Boy, why don't you say what you really thing of an IH 86 series tractor. Having worked at the Deere dealer I could name you a few faults with the series you recommended. I saw more than a few that ground up the synchronizers and the range transmission collars and can you say$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

An IHC 1086 sure wouldn't be my 1st pick for a loader tractor. I hated having to shift the gears & operate the scv on my friends 986.

Regardless of color, don't they all require maintenace at some point in there life? I never mentioned the cost of repairs that could be associated with any color tractor.

There is no comparrision between shifting and clutching a JD and an 86 series IH.

There is also no comparrision backing up and looking at the draw bar with a JD compared to an 86 series IH.

Above were the commnets that I made. If I was looking for a loader tractor I would look at what I suggested, but also would look at a powershift transmission. Them are my pereferences, they may not be yours, but them are what I like in a tractor.

Thank you fixer. I know lots of people would rather
have a shovel then a 1086 loader tractor, but I like
those series. They are a good simple tractor
compared to today's units and a step up from the
966 we used as a loader tractor. Feeding bales with
a loader is a lot different that moving dirt with a
loader. I only back up twice per bale - once at the
stack and once at the feeder.

You gave me just what I needed - cold start info. I
know some diesels (like the 560) never were good
cold starting even though the engine was in fine
shape. I just didn't want to discount this unit if it
started hard at 30 degrees. I'm assuming it won't be
plugged in there, but I plug everything in here that I
use in the cold. It's been 25 years since I've had an
86 series and I think it's time for another.

My 1586 sat out between fields all last winter while we fought with the township and then constructed the new shed. It got mighty cold and I stopped and ran it fairly regularly while I was there checking on construction. That tractor never takes more than a couple cranks...warm, cold...even after sitting for a long time. At 35 degrees it ought to jump to life.

30 here degree this morning. I needed to get the loader on my 1978 1086 with 10,000 plus original engine hours for tonites snow storm.

It started right up. Always starts to 0 with no either and good batteries.

Gary

we bought a 1086 5 years ago and sold it 2 years ago. I hated that tractor with a passion. The only GOOD thing I liked about it was it would start any time anywhere. The tractor didn't have a block heater and I never used ether on it. I know I started it down in to the -20c a few times and it would fire right off.

Just plug in the block heater and don't worry about it .

My 1086 was not a good cold starter starting at about 7000 hours so when I overhauled it at 10000 hours I had new seats put in the head to get those valves back down where they belonged and that turned it into a good starter again. Now it has 7000 hours on that head work and injectors and it still starts decent. When I started it this afternoon with the temp at 30 degrees it cranked over three times before it started and stumbled just a bit instead of starting the first time up like it does in warmer temps. It will be plugged in tonight so it will be warmed up for pushing snow tomorrow.

I remember reading some time ago that there was an after market kit to make them shift better.

I remember reading some time ago that there was an after market kit to make them shift better.
I googled it and found Otto Wenz, of Wenze Service, Tekama Nebraska, 800-808-7885.

I wonder what is involved with the kit. Tekama isn't all that far away from me.

Our 1086 and 5088 start well down to about 25 degrees F. Our 1486 will start down to around 10 deg F very easily IF needed. We don't make a habit of it, it is hard on things, so we always just plug them in to even things out faster. We remove all the ether assist solenoids and nozzles on our tractors, we don't/won't use them. Not only that, I saw a guy trying to start a 1066 one time (he was not familiar with it) and was thinking something was wrong with the starter because every time he pushed the button, nothing happened. About the time I could smell ether, he realized he was pushing the wrong button, and finally pushed the identical starter button. He never knew what that button he was pushing actually did, glad that was not our tractor. Our 86's shift well, I went through and put the new shift mechanisms in both tractors. Clutches work smooth too, need to do stuff like adjust them as required and they work fine.

Ross

You speak of removing the either button and I think that's a good idea if you have employees. A neighbor down the road had a worker that would use the either button going up hill when the tractor needed a little more power. Needless to say he did not last to long and glad it was not my tractor!

I will say them IH 466 blocks always seemed to start really good regardless of temp.

You speak of removing the either button and I think that's a good idea if you have employees. A neighbor down the road had a worker that would use the either button going up hill when the tractor needed a little more power. Needless to say he did not last to long and glad it was not my tractor!

I will say them IH 466 blocks always seemed to start really good regardless of temp.