Cold weather tips

[Guest]

I was loading grain this morning at minus 30 and was thinking we should share tips that help in this brutal cold climate we work in . Heres one you may or may not know already . Ever since we got this 10" auger with 36 hp engine , it wont start at all after -20 . So i siliconed a piece of tin on back of engine block where it is flat and put a magnetic oil pan heater on it . I plug it and throw a couple old coats over it for a few hours . The other thing that works every time is to warm area under air cleaner with heat gun for about one minute . We always run 0w30 oil in it . And always loosen drive and hyd belts with handles . Works every time even at -40 .another thing that helps is to disengage drive wheels with handles and put a tarp strap on propulsion handle in drive position for 5 mins and warm hyd oil up . We fought with this the first winter and no one including engine manufacturer could help us .small engine repair place told us that they dont start very good at cold temps, lol

[Braveheart]

Good idea with the tin silicone. We took the plastic cover off the flywheel on the front and stick our magnetic heater to the flywheel. It seems to work wonders. There is no other place the magnet will stick.

[Braveheart]

We also use 0-30w oil. It would be real stiff without it

[farmaholic]

We are going to install a silicon pad heater on the bottom of the oil pan, it is smooth, not finned for cooling (Kohler 38 Command Pro) when the weather warms up enough to get it to stick properly. Will make sure the surface is real clean and give it a try. We have a space between the motor and auger mount to slide a battery blanket under and up the sides for now. Always put gas line antifreeze in the fuel tank and use synthetic oil as well. A battery blanket on a battery does miracles for spinning it over too. People complain about their augers icing up, I can honestly say we don't have a problem.

[biglentil]

We are going to install a silicon pad heater on the bottom of the oil pan, it is smooth, not finned for cooling (Kohler 38 Command Pro) when the weather warms up enough to get it to stick properly. Will make sure the surface is real clean and give it a try. We have a space between the motor and auger mount to slide a battery blanket under and up the sides for now. Always put gas line antifreeze in the fuel tank and use synthetic oil as well. A battery blanket on a battery does miracles for spinning it over too. People complain about their augers icing up, I can honestly say we don't have a problem.

Kohler 36hp spash some gas on air filter works like charm down to -30.

[furrowtickler]

Case - get a solar powered heater to mount on your auger . Chucky will find you one .... 😂

[Guest]

Case - get a solar powered heater to mount on your auger . Chucky will find you one .... 😂

but, but ,but .... the sun never shone here from July -dec? lol

[Guest]

Kohler 36hp spash some gas on air filter works like charm down to -30.

makes sense , ours is a 36hp kohler also , and it is a fuel problem because that heat gun on carb or injector for a minute starts it . worse cold starting motor I have ever saw

[biglentil]

makes sense , ours is a 36hp kohler also , and it is a fuel problem because that heat gun on carb or injector for a minute starts it . worse cold starting motor I have ever saw

Ultimately installing a primer like on an ole Ski-doo would be best. Its seems to under fuel when cold, (no steam out of the exhaust while cranking). Out of desperation i poured a little gas out of the breather of jerry can direct into the carb. Worked but was a bit overkill, splashing airfilter seems to work nicely. Also make sure fuel hose is good at the connections, those spring clamps can let air in. Just changing out the hose and clamps made a big difference on ours.

[saskshafe]

The POS Koehlers have a spring that is supposed to close the choke. Choke usually sticks open, thus no choke even though you are moving the lever. If you have a top mount air filter you can stick your fingers in there and close the choke. May as well pull the 1/8" of ice out of the bottom of the carb while you are in there!!
We pulled the crankcase vent out of the filter and plugged the hole in the plate. A world of difference.

[Richard5]

Try using premium fuel, you would be surprised how much water is in fuel screwing up all our engines

[Guest]

Try using premium fuel, you would be surprised how much water is in fuel screwing up all our engines

we have been doing that for several years , sure helps , these kohler are just a poor cold starter