The Minefield Of Winter Tractor Maintenance

As winter approaches, tractors are also facing the test of severe cold. Diesel and engine oil become thicker, the cold resistance of the water tank weakens, and snow and ice roads become slippery, making the use and maintenance of tractors more complex. In winter, many common operating habits may bring potential harm to tractors. This article will reveal six taboos for tractor winter maintenance to ensure that your tractor can still operate stably and efficiently in the cold season, and be fully prepared for next year's spring plowing.

1. It is strictly prohibited not to perform seasonal maintenance. Before the arrival of winter, it is necessary to conduct comprehensive seasonal maintenance on the tractor. This includes descaling, cleaning, adjusting, and lubricating all parts to ensure that parameters such as valve clearance and fuel injection pressure meet standards. At the same time, detailed adjustments should be made to the clutch, brake, and control mechanism to maintain the tractor in the best technical condition and lay a solid foundation for safe winter operations.

2. It is strictly prohibited to start the tractor using incorrect methods such as ignition, dragging, sloping, open flame baking, adding water after starting, or adjusting the fuel injection pressure. In winter, due to the cold weather, starting the tractor may become difficult, and these improper operation methods may cause the clutch and gearbox gears to be impacted, resulting in serious damage; To ensure the normal start of the tractor, low-temperature starting fluid can be used. The starting fluid can be sprayed into the air filter and the injection time and amount should be controlled to start the engine smoothly. After the engine starts, it should be kept running at a medium speed until the water temperature reaches 40 ℃ or above. Only when the water temperature reaches this safety standard can the tractor start. When the water temperature further rises to 60 ℃, it can be operated with load.

3. It is strictly prohibited to start without cooling water. When adding water for the first time, do not add boiling water to prevent the engine from cracking due to sudden heating. If the water tank boils or water needs to be added during tractor operation, do not add cold water suddenly. At this time, stop the operation and wait for the water temperature to drop before adding clean drinking water appropriately to prevent the cylinder head and cylinder liner from bursting.

4. It is strictly prohibited to forget to drain the cooling water. Tractors without antifreeze, when the temperature is 4 ℃ or below, and when parked at night or with the engine turned off for a long time, should drain all the cooling water in the engine. When draining cooling water, wait until the water temperature drops below 60 ℃ before draining, otherwise it may cause damage to the engine body or cylinder head; It is even more important not to leave before the cooling water is completely drained. It is necessary to check whether it has been drained completely, in order to prevent the waterproof valve from being blocked by impurities and the remaining water from abnormally expanding and freezing the machine body at low temperatures.

5. It is strictly prohibited to use unqualified diesel and engine oil. The diesel grade used for tractors depends on the local temperature: if the lowest temperature is between 0 and -5 ℃, -10 diesel is selected; The minimum temperature is between -10 and -15 ℃, and -20 diesel is selected; The minimum temperature shall not be lower than -30 ℃, and -35 diesel shall be used; For high cold regions with a minimum temperature of around -40 ℃, use -50 diesel. So when choosing diesel, the freezing point should be 5-10 ℃ lower than the local temperature. The viscosity of the engine oil used in winter is high, which poses difficulties for lubrication and starting, so it should be replaced with No. 8 diesel engine oil; The lubricating oil in the gearbox and rear axle should be replaced with No. 11 diesel engine oil or No. 20 gear oil.

6. Driving habits are strictly prohibited. Some agricultural machinery operators like to randomly press the accelerator pedal for convenience before turning off the engine, thinking that this can reserve diesel for the next start. This will result in incomplete combustion of diesel in the cylinder, forming carbon deposits, and may contaminate the engine oil, reducing its lubrication effect. Such behavior is not only detrimental to the next start-up, but also damages the performance of the engine. Agricultural machinery operators should also pay close attention to the condition of the fuel tank at all times. Especially in winter, it is necessary to ensure that the fuel tank is filled with diesel before turning off the engine. Because if the fuel tank is empty, the water vapor in the air inside the tank may liquefy into water droplets when cooled, mix with diesel, and cause the engine to malfunction. In order to ensure the normal operation of tractors and extend their service life, drivers must eliminate these bad habits and maintain correct driving habits.