Just a reminder to all you folks with diesel powered tractors operating in Northern climes that you need to be thinking about changing your fuel filters and making sure your fuel is treated for winter operation. Get that chore out of the way now and when that first big winter snowstorm hits you won"t be cussing the fact that your fuel filters are frozen due to water contaminated fuel or your summer fuel is gelled up.
The guys that are new to tractors should pay particular attention to this reminder because they haven"t gone through a winter with a diesel powered machine.
Even if your owners manual says you don"t need to replace the filter for 600 hrs and you only have a 100 hrs on the engine you"d be wise to heed this reminder. The owners manual time limit is most likely writtten for high use ag tractors that rack up 1200 hrs a year or more. Low use tractors sit for long periods of time with partially full tanks that pick up condensation in large ammounts and have a higher probablility of entering the cold season with summer grade diesel. Those are both recipies for problems in cold weather operation. And don"t forget to study the owners manual instructions for bleeding the fuel system after replacing the filter. Keep your fuel tanks topped in cold weather to minimize water comntamination due to condensation.
A little time spent getting your tractors fuel system ready for cold weather will save a lot of frustration when the cold weather hits.
P.S. Dont forget to check the coolant concentration in the radiator, too. cracked block are no fun either!
Jerry/MT
The guys that are new to tractors should pay particular attention to this reminder because they haven"t gone through a winter with a diesel powered machine.
Even if your owners manual says you don"t need to replace the filter for 600 hrs and you only have a 100 hrs on the engine you"d be wise to heed this reminder. The owners manual time limit is most likely writtten for high use ag tractors that rack up 1200 hrs a year or more. Low use tractors sit for long periods of time with partially full tanks that pick up condensation in large ammounts and have a higher probablility of entering the cold season with summer grade diesel. Those are both recipies for problems in cold weather operation. And don"t forget to study the owners manual instructions for bleeding the fuel system after replacing the filter. Keep your fuel tanks topped in cold weather to minimize water comntamination due to condensation.
A little time spent getting your tractors fuel system ready for cold weather will save a lot of frustration when the cold weather hits.
P.S. Dont forget to check the coolant concentration in the radiator, too. cracked block are no fun either!
Jerry/MT
