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What is the best/worst cold weather tractor you had?

K

Kow Farmer

Well-known Member
Being it was around -27 or so here in Southern Minnesota this morning, got me thinking about the best/worst tractor you have ever owned or used in extreme cold weather. For me, my worst tractor was a 1948 Farmall M with loader. This tractor would never start in cold or decently warm weather. It was always shedded, tunes up, good fuel(gas) even with a block heater on it plugged in. I hated this tractor for the 9 years I owned it. Never was reliable anytime of year. The best starting tractor I ever had was a 1953 Allis Chalmers WD45 gas. It had a trip bucket loader onit as well. This tractor never needed a block heater. It always started even when it got -20 or more. Yes tractor was shedded too. I could always rely on this tractor for manure hauling, snow pushing, or whatever I needed it to do. I would like to read some of your tractor adventures now. Sorry if this question was already asked.
Kow Farmer Kurt
 
My best starting tractor is a diesel 660 international with synthetic oil in it . I have a 1000w circulating heater which takes about 2 hours in extreme cold to start . Hold the glow plugs on for 90 seconds and then she will start . The switches on the dash wont work at that low temp so have to twist two wires together to get the glow plugs and then use a wrench to short out the starter. Crude for a mechanic for sure but this doubles as an anti theft device as well :lol:
 
Worst is the Deere 3010 diesel. Won't start below about 50 without being plugged in for a couple hours. Best is the MF 50 diesel with the Perkins.
 
Best is dads D-17 worst was my 4230 till I rebuilt it and installed new injectors but still does not like real cold. Dads 4020 diesel will fire right up if the batteries are in good shape.
 
I would like to say My Allis Chalmers Model B was always the best running tractor. I could never understand. I do not live in a real cold area but that little AC model B would always start up and be the best tractor for the work to be done. The worst one in the group was a 1951 Farmall M It did not make any difference if the weather was cold or hot. You could run the tractor for two hours and engine would be warm but if you stalled out it would not start up. We found out that the magneto had to be totally rebuilt. Every thing had to be cleaned and put a lot of new parts in to it. Than it became a real nice tractor to have around to use.
 
Best was a Farmall H, still 6 volt. If it could be turned over once, it would go. More than once it was the only tractor that would start years ago to feed cattle. With chains on the tires, put a log chain around a round bale and drag it to the cows. Now our more modern diesels with dual batteries, Arctic blend diesel fuel, and block heaters plugged in for a couple of hours and they are good to go. Plus they have heated cabs and hydraulic loaders. Much more comfortable than the old H.
Worst.......I guess likely a 686 IH diesel. Below about 40 degrees, not gonna start. But, if it was plus plugged in a couple hours, it started fine after that even in MN winter. I've never owned one, but a friend has a 4230 John Deere and he says it is the worst starting tractor he has ever had.
 
I had a Farmall 706 diesel that was probably the worst. I could plug that thing in for a few hours and still have to ether it and frog around for an hour every day to get it started to haul manure out of the stanchion dairy barn. The first time I had something else to use so I didn't have to start that thing,I just thought "What the heck? How did I get done so quick.".

Best starting tractor? I don't know. My Oliver 1600 gas has never failed,but that 1365 diesel with the Thermo Start heater is hands down going away the best cold starting diesel I've ever had.
 
Best is the John Deere 60 and the Ford 800 , worst is the MF 85 diesel, wouldnt start good in the mornings in the summertime
 
One of the worst engines ever to use on a warm day was a Wisconsin V4 engine. That carb sat between the four cylinders and cooked any gas that it had in it. I've seen a few people who just let them idle during the noon meal break.
 
Best was a VAC Case. We had two of them, and they'd start any time.

Worst was an Oliver 70. That thing wouldn't start half the time in the summer, let alone cold weather. In fact, we used to park it so we could belt it up with one of the VAC's if we needed to use it in cold weather.
 
cockshutt 570/570 super diesels start real good down to zero with the glow plug , cockshutt 550 gas always starts, contrary to what rrlund said the 1365 oliver is the worst cold weather starter of all the tractors I have to believe my thermostart is not working.
 
Massey 265 diesel starts like a charm every time. 30 min on the block heater, even below 0. Hope I didn't julinx it.

Massey 1080 struggles in the winter. Really lugs spinning
 
Worst one was a 730 John Deere diesel, electric start. Below 30 degrees forget it. Best starting one was a 520 JD, would start anytime and without any choke.
 
Best was a Massey 40b with a little Perkins diesel. Used to joke it started better in the cold than most gas tractors. Worst is the good old deere 4430. Really liking that tractor (only had it 1 year) but definitely a hard starter in the cold.
 
On second thought, the worst is the cockshutt 30 diesel. Kind of forget about it this time of year. Only comes out in the summer.
 
My best starting tractors where the Duetz-Allis 6275 and the JD 5210 I currently own. I have started both is single digit weather without them being plugged in. The worst cold weather tractors where a JD 4430 and that Ford 6000 I started out with.

I had to grind feed just about everyday then. I had hogs on four different farms. I only had a JD "G" and the Ford 6000 diesel. The JD "G" had that darn 1 3/4 540 shaft so it was out for grinding as the adaptors would not last. So that left the Ford 6000. I had a tank style block heater in it and it was plugged in as soon as it was shut off. I had a heat houser on it so I would put a heat lamp on the injection pump side. When it was below zero I would start the tractor with the SOS disconnected and put a space heater on the transmission case so the transmission would shift. I fought that tractor through two winters before I was able to buy a better tractor to grind with. That actually was a David Brown 990. I only had it one winter but it started good. I traded it in on a new IH 1086 the summer of 1980.
 
Ferguson to-20 push in the clutch and one turn of engine it is running let the clutch out and with thick trans oil it will make it lug hard till it warms up use it to feed round bails every day AND STILL 6 VOLT .
 
My best starting tractor by far would have been my IH W4 standard . Even at -10 F I could hand crank that old tractor to start on the second turn . First turn , full choke , second turn , no choke , and it would roar to life. Probably the worst starting of my tractors , would be any of my 30 series , diesel , J.I. Case tractors , just real cold blooded tractors , that love the block heater.
 
The worst were a MD and a 400D. I guess the best was an unstyled B, hand crank we used for chores when I worked for my brother in north central Iowa. At 32 below, the third pull it started but could not get it into gear. Let it run about 30 minutes and could shift it then.
 
Worst, a IH B275! I it was cloudy out it wouldn't start. After I left dad fixed the glow plugs and starter, put new batteries in it and then it was better. Our JD 4600 is probably the best, but I always plug it in anyhow, so much better for everything.
 
Best cold starting tractor on the place is a WD-45 gas AC. Best starting Diesel is my one 684 Int. Worst starting diesel is my other 684 Int.
 
At 30 below anything is going to be hard to start.

The modern diesels are pretty good at cold weather but never had a need to start one that cold.

My WD45 is a good starting tractor so is my 560. My 400 and my 656 are a pain once it's below freezing but great in the summer. All of them are gassers and in good shape just not sure what I am doing wrong with the other 2.
 
Not a tractor but the 6620 combine is the best starting piece of equipment on the farm in cold weather. The 4010 diesel since it was converted to 12V is a pretty good starter but she does like to roll over for about 10-15 seconds before she catches. The 4250 is good down to about 20 degrees F w/o the block heater. The same with the 8430 with 50 series upgrade. It has been forever since I have run any of the gas tractors in the cold. Oliver 88, '42 Farmall M, and the Ford 860. The 986 is probably the worst but it probably could use a new set of rings. The Gleaner L from many years ago was poor even when it was above 40 degrees F out.
 
best would be grandpas 47 farmall M if it would turn over twice it would run . dads 504 farmall would be a close second only time it ever failed was Christmas eve 1983 was 25 below wind blowing at gale force and bad battery. dads 1086 starts pretty good usually if it will turn over it starts. the 684 is a tough one to start but the 884 is much better.
 
Until hay bales got to big the WD Allis always started good. Then used the 450 Farmall and no matter how cold it got, seemed to spin over fast and start.
 
The two best are the IH 886 and 7800 Deere. Neither of those need plugged in down to zero but I do so it's easier on them. I've never had them not start. They both have ether assist but I've never used it. The old 4020 has to be plugged in overnight or forget about it. It has to think its summer. You have to plug it in when it is 40 degrees. The worst of all time is the power plant with an Onan built four cylinder diesel in it. It has an intake heater on it. I clamp a pair if vice grips on the switch for at least a minute and then hope and pray. This is after its been plugged in. It's a disaster.
 
Best is a New Holland TV 6070 bi directional, hydrostatic drive, front end loader on one end and a 9ft snow blower on the other. Nice warm cab with controls that rotate to face either end. 4wd and 4 full size wheels.

Worst was an open station 50 JD with hand clutch. Cold, lacked traction and all hand controls, too many for the hands and not much for feet to do.
 
Back in the 60's we could never start my dad's farmall M.D. or Ford 6000. Dad was too cheap to have heaters or diesel additives.

Never really had problems starting gas tractors. Even started old JDs that we started by hand.
 
Worst was the 4230 JD. If the weather man forecast cooler weather tomorrow, it would not start today. Best was the 36 B JD. Kept it hooked to the politician all winter and it started every time. Loader was on the 700 Case and we would grind feed with that. It started pretty good but in bitter cold you might have to turn the knipco on it for an hour.
 
Must be something something wrong with your starting system on the 1365 I have a 2WD and a 4WD and both start good in cold weather for being diesels.The line that the diesel fuel flows in to the intake
might be cracked or stopped up on your 1365.
 
Easiest starting tractor I have regardless of weather is my Allis Chalmers d19 gas it'll just fire right up,the WD45 Diesel I used to have was one to park when it went below 40 degrees.
 
In my experience the JD 3020 gas has been the best cold weather tractor. The JD 620 isn't too bad either. Worst is the JD 2940. At 50 deg it's hard starting without plugging it in.
 
(quoted from post at 15:22:17 12/18/16) Being it was around -27 or so here in Southern Minnesota this morning, got me thinking about the best/worst tractor you have ever owned or used in extreme cold weather. For me, my worst tractor was a 1948 Farmall M with loader. This tractor would never start in cold or decently warm weather. It was always shedded, tunes up, good fuel(gas) even with a block heater on it plugged in. I hated this tractor for the 9 years I owned it. Never was reliable anytime of year. The best starting tractor I ever had was a 1953 Allis Chalmers WD45 gas. It had a trip bucket loader onit as well. This tractor never needed a block heater. It always started even when it got -20 or more. Yes tractor was shedded too. I could always rely on this tractor for manure hauling, snow pushing, or whatever I needed it to do. I would like to read some of your tractor adventures now. Sorry if this question was already asked.
Kow Farmer Kurt
Click to expand...

As a kid all we had was an AC WD45 diesel for our feeding tractor so it had to start...usually plugged in all the time when it got below zero, before we started milking otherwise. Dad later bought a 90hp Hesston (Fiat) that started well, then he had a 90hp Belarus that amazed me...would fire up with no tank heater at -20. Best for me was the Allis D17 gas, later my AC 170 w/Perkins 4.236 diesel as long as I plugged it in for an hour. My D19 turbo diesels will not start when it is below zero....forget about em. AC 6080 is bad also, but plug it in awhile and it will fire up.
 
Those Wisconsin V-4's were tough to restart. My dad and uncle shared a Case A-6 combine with one of those engines. Once it was started they did not shut it off until they were done combining for the day. You had to be careful feeding windrows into the combine because if the motor slugged you were stopped for at least an hour before it would restart. At meals they would let it cool down while running and then refuel it. Dad would be nervous refueling it from a metal 5 gallon gas can with the engine running on a combine covered with in oats dust and dry straw.
 
I still can't get my IH 666G to start reliably in the cold. Even with a good block heater. My dad's Case 400B would always start, though. I miss that tractor. Hope to haul it up here and fix it up someday.
 
(quoted from post at 19:24:38 12/18/16) Those Wisconsin V-4's were tough to restart. My dad and uncle shared a Case A-6 combine with one of those engines. Once it was started they did not shut it off until they were done combining for the day. You had to be careful feeding windrows into the combine because if the motor slugged you were stopped for at least an hour before it would restart. At meals they would let it cool down while running and then refuel it. Dad would be nervous refueling it from a metal 5 gallon gas can with the engine running on a combine covered with in oats dust and dry straw.
Click to expand...

We ran 3 of those combines...grain tanks had burn marks on them from belt starting the engines...dad was pretty brave putting the drive belt back on after they were running.
 
I had a 3010gasser that would start good , but run horrible for the 1st 30 minutes ,.. it had a block heater, sure loved gas , I have a 4020 diesel that takes an act of congress and a total loss of religion to start ,,. once started it runs all day ,..all my letter series Cases are good starters ..I have a 730 gasser that was plastered with a half inch of ice all over . it started rite up and had set in the field for a month .my 511 starts easily in all weather ,. AFTER 3 days of blizzard subzerotemps in jan, 1977 ,,. we had no electric since the storm began , on the 3rd day it was sunny and it had warmed up to -15 ,we had no generators to run a battery charger , the land phones workt and some neighbors were in serious trouble for fire wood , my brothers and I hand crankt pops 51 DC Case to life , we put a makeshift heat houser on the DC,,. and pull started the neighborhood,,.the wind had left bare ground and 15ft hi drifts in the Louisville area,.. the case 188 diesel is hard for me to understand ,, I have one that will not start unless thed temps are above 60 degress ,, another 430 diesel that will start when the temp is 20 degrees without any glowplug help ,.. ,.. both run great , pull great and are real fuel mizers ,,. I have a yanmar 2220 that will not start unless it gets a tiny ether whif ,.and mite require another to keep runnin at 1st ,. that one is not rite ,, and neither is my 800 case diesel ,..I intend tio fix both this winter ..
 
I'm just the opposite of Kow and 620. Never plugged in my ('49, I think) Farmall M and it always fired right up at -20. Hoping I'm on top of it now,
but my 3020 gas never seemed like it was gonna start in the cold. It was -34 here this morning, and I did have the tank heater on the 3020
plugged in but I figured I'll wait till Tuesday to move the snow since we only got 6-7 inches. Supposed to be 30 above later this week. I kinda
wanted to see if the 3020 would start with my new battery setup, but didn't want to subject the tractor ( or me) to that just to see if we could do
it.
 
John Deere H. Dad had one that would always start on a couple of turns, right down to zero. I have an H that I've had since 1973, and it has always started easily. Even down to -5. Doesn't matter how good a tractor starts in the cold, you still have to get on it and go outside to get anything done. So if it won't start just go back in a warm house--Ha, ha!
 
Winter ,Dec,>Feb,...1949 JD "AR" with 0-10 oil...AR would start every time no mater the temperature as soon as the engine made two revolutions...Mag for ignition..
 
In my youth, the "big" tractor was a WD45. It was the best starter, and all around chore tractor in the winter. Even after the new JD 2510 gas arrived in the spring of 1966, the WD45 was still the best starter. I have one now, and it's probably the best cold starting tractor I have. Of course the change over to 12V helps, and it can't be compared to a diesel. Some of the AC diesels needed a whiff of ether on anything other than a hot day!
 
Grandpa had a 48 farmall M With narrow front and loader. He called it "old reliable" because it would always start.
 
MY 65 diesel was the best starting diesel we have ever had;the worst, ironically was a MF 35 with the 4 cylinder Standard ( English built) diesel.
 
worst was the 2630 JD, even after overhaul and new injectors it must be plugged in below 40F. I don't like to use ether, but that one had the little tube plumbed right into the manifold from the dash, sure was handy.

my 2355N starts well without a block heater- I use that on the feed grinder about once a month during the winter
 
Dad's 970 case was the best, start right up no matter what temp, even -30. Worst was dad's 730 case, that thing wouldn't start in the summer without either. My case DC is also a great starter.
 
Best is my WD 45 gas. Worst is our 6060 AC. But our little 4320 compact JD will always start , it has a heater. Also a cab and 4 wheel drive.
 
We had a pair of 165's growing up I think they were good,had a 1085 it was pretty good too,we also had a Ford 4610 that was pretty good as well,3505 is by far the most cold blooded so far.
 
Best 1850 Oliver gas, no heat down to around 10 below. Colder then that just put the charger on the battery to help it out some then it would take right off, never had a block heater on it.
Worst is the 2705 MF seems to need plugged in if it gets below 45, I got it going today to grind feed with it but needed plugged in for a while and a sniff of wake up juice.
 
I will probably get some cross eyed stares but my best starting tractor is a 48 8n 6volt. and the worst is the 48 8n 12 volt. The jury is still out on the ford 1710 diesel
 
The worst starting tractor was a 4020 JD power shift. Anything under 40 degrees and you might as well forget it. The best starting diesel was a 1030 Case that I got on a trade for the 4020. The best starting over all was an 830CK Case gas. We seldom get below zero temps but it started right up one morning when it was -14. I wish I still had both of those Case tractors.
 
Used a JD 4020 GAS a lot in the winter plowing snow and lifting things. Never had any issues with it. It sat in an unheated pole building all the time in central Ohio. Syncro tranny was fine too. I know if it had a power shift it would not of been as they really lag and draw power until warmed up.
 
ya it has to be something wrong there I just never looked into it much as I really don't use it much , if at all in winter.
 
My snowplow is a Farmall MD with a loader. Sits out under a tarp and starts right up in the cold, let it run for about a minute on gas and switch it over to diesel. I must be doing something wrong :)
 
Our old John Deere started on gas then switch over to diesel. JD Had a small second gas tank.

Dad's M D only had one tank. Learned something new today. Does your M D use injectors or sparknplugs like the J D? Ours were injectors.
 
worst 730 john deere 40 and down it was dead---best 1850 gas I have had to feed for area farmers in really bad weather
 
Best starting gas tractors - Farmall 300 and a Farmall 656. Best starting diesel tractor I've ever seen was our old 886 with the German diesel engine. Basically as long as the fuel wasn't jelled up it would start and run no matter where it spent the night. Hardest to start cold weather (does it count if it doesn't start at all?) was our old 560 diesel. Even with working glow plugs and dragging it around the yard with a chain it would only start on its schedule. I remember several times it just sliding along when there was snow on the ground so even pull starting it wouldn't work.


Second hardest to start in cold weather was our 4568. It wasn't that it was so hard to start but it took planning to make sure it started. In the fall you made sure you poured LOTS of diesel treatment in tank. Then you plugged in the block heater and hooked up a battery charger a day in advance, then you built the tent and heaters around it and warmed the engine and batteries for several hours, then a small shot of either and it fired right off. Normally once temps went below 32 that tractor was parked in its shed and never saw daylight until spring. It was only started a few times in the middle of winter - mainly to move it to the shop for repairs and once to drag a dozer out. It was a beast of a machine.
 
It has both. It's a gas-start diesel. When you said M.D. did you mean M Diesel or McCormick-Deering?
 
I have 2 old MF gas tractors for winter work, a 50 and a 65. Both have started reliably, until I just jinxed them.
I try to start the JD5420 diesel only on warm days in winter. It is pretty good down to 32, and if plugged in usually fires up down to zero.

No cab on any tractor, so I try to avoid winter tractor work.
 
That 4430 have a 6 volt on each side of the tractor, wired in series with a daisy chain running across and under the floor board; right side grounded to the engine block on the right side?.

I had that on my 4230 and it too had a starting problem.....down here in Texas no less. I fixed that problem with a couple of 12v 950cca OTR truck batteries (size 31 as I recall), ⅜ terminals, one on each side of the tractor also (for a place to put them), but wired in parallel with 2 new 00 ga. wires running across under the floor. Had the left side sitting next to the starter and it only took a 12" and a 18" hookup wire, one to the solenoid stud and the other to the housing of the starter under a mounting bolt....with the connections nice and bright and tight. Did make a difference big time.
 
When I was growing up best Ji case 400 with a dual loader and Ji case 730 on a patz 190 mixer wagon both gasoline feeding crew both went twice a day or more for many years parked inside no block heaters.

Now days dad has two big heated shops if its needed in the winter its in one.

At my place Ji case 930 and sc and farmal h with a loader will start no matter what
830 and 930 only get started if needed and if they have been pluged in overnight

I haven't had a bad one yet I guess only a dead

Battery nothing worse.

Loren
 
Best cold weather starting tractors I have been around are: 3020 John Deere gasoline, 450 Farmall gasoline with 12 volt electrical system, 656 Farmall gasoline. Worst starting cold weather tractors I have been around are 4320 John Deere and 460 Farmall diesel.
 
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