Texas does get cold!!!
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,008
Likes: 7
From: Austin, TX
Texas does get cold!!!
Yeah, thats right. It actually got below 20* here!! I know some of you guys up north are probably below 0*, but oh well, this is still Texas. It's not supposed to get this cold. With that said, I told Steve last night that I'd post this. Here is the situation.
Yesterday, I went to unplug the block heater on my PSD. When I did apparently one of the wires was broken and when I started to pull the connectors apart, the wire arced and caught on fire a little bit. So, I have no block heater for the time being. To go along with that, my GPR has not worked in a year and a half or 2 years. My truck has never had a problem starting without glowplugs down to the 30's, but I have to crank it twice to get it to fire if I didn't have it plugged in. This time was more interesting. Here is a 17* cold start without the block heater or glowplugs from Texas.
YouTube - PSD 17* cold start without glowplugs
This video is about 15 minutes after startup. Letting it run on high idle
YouTube - ~15 minutes after 17* cold start
Yesterday, I went to unplug the block heater on my PSD. When I did apparently one of the wires was broken and when I started to pull the connectors apart, the wire arced and caught on fire a little bit. So, I have no block heater for the time being. To go along with that, my GPR has not worked in a year and a half or 2 years. My truck has never had a problem starting without glowplugs down to the 30's, but I have to crank it twice to get it to fire if I didn't have it plugged in. This time was more interesting. Here is a 17* cold start without the block heater or glowplugs from Texas.
YouTube - PSD 17* cold start without glowplugs
This video is about 15 minutes after startup. Letting it run on high idle
YouTube - ~15 minutes after 17* cold start
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,177
Likes: 40
From: Newport, WA
20° isn't cold you sissy 
It's been at or slightly below 0 here in the AM when I go to fire whitey up. About 30-45 seconds with the GP's on and she's off and running, haven't been plugging in either.
It's been at or slightly below 0 here in the AM when I go to fire whitey up. About 30-45 seconds with the GP's on and she's off and running, haven't been plugging in either.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,158
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From: West Texas
You South Texans are whimps. We got to 0 last night with -25 windchills. It's supposed to be below zero tonight. This really sucks for Texas! My truck is staying in the garage with the block heater plugged in between trips. It's doing fine but the heater sure doesn't help much. It's only 9 degrees now at lunch time.
And just consider I moved here from Pa to get away from the cold. STUPID!
And just consider I moved here from Pa to get away from the cold. STUPID!
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 2
HOly cow! Its been about 10 here all week and mine starts right up....No block heater...And about 4 glow plugs. lol she smokes like crazy but fires instantly
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
You do know you can just take a screwdriver and lay it across the 2 large posts of the dead GPR and hold it there for 30 seconds or so. The screwdriver will pass current around the relay and light the glow plugs for you.
Nice videos though.
Nice videos though.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,207
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From: Kearney, Nebr
Your first video reminds of the days when we had our JD4650 and 8660. You'd crank it forever even with ether and they'd take forever to start. However, once you finally cranked it long enough to get white smoke you knew it was close to firing.
Nice vids. It's 5 degrees here... I could do a pretty good snythetic oil start this afternoon if you guys would like it?
Nice vids. It's 5 degrees here... I could do a pretty good snythetic oil start this afternoon if you guys would like it?
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,008
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From: Austin, TX
All this talk about being a whimp.. LMFAO. This is cold for my area and you guys can keep your below 0* temps. LOL. I know that I can jump the GPR to get the GPs to work, I've given that advice to many myself, BUT I knew it would start eventually without them so I figured I would take a video of trying to fire it up without the GPs. Hell, I coulda even fixed my block heater cord last night, but I didn't so I could take this video for the heck of it.
Farm, bring on the video!!!
Farm, bring on the video!!!
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
From: West Texas
you all would love my tractor starting aid. It's got a glow plug in the intake with a fuel line running through it via a t fitting. The t fitting has a small orifice that lets fuel drip into the intake while the plug is on to light it and warm the intake.
That thing scares me so bad I rarely use it. Had to this morning to plow though.
With the farmall in temps like this we almost always have to handcrank it. It's in perfect tune thank god. My sons never had to crank it more than twice.
That thing scares me so bad I rarely use it. Had to this morning to plow though.
With the farmall in temps like this we almost always have to handcrank it. It's in perfect tune thank god. My sons never had to crank it more than twice.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,008
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From: Austin, TX
LOL. You guys are something else. It's no parade Dave. Like I said, you can keep that chit. I will take the 15*+ weather. haha. I don't mind working in these temps. It's actually kinda nice for a little while, but my truck didn't like it without any starting aid. It didn't do too bad, though, concidering. So all of your trucks are starting perfectly with below 0* temps? I think I'll go grab a new relay from Advance while we are slow at work tonight. We will see how it does tomorrow morning. I wouldn't be surprised if these Optimas bite the dust this week though. It seems that they have gone downhill pretty quick in the past 2 days since the cool snap. They are only 2 years old too.