Cold weather, slow crank, won't start. Battery? Block Heater?

[sadegs]

I have a Komatsu PC-50, recently acquired, so I'm still getting to know it.

This morning was cold (5-10 F). I did the normal glow plug warm up, then tried cranking it. It cranks very slow, and no start.

Usually/Nomarlly - (when cold) it will crank slow a few times, then speed up and then start. But, this morning, it would never crank fast enough to get started.

I have been using Diesel Power Service in the fuel.

Any suggestions? I was going to run out and grab a block heater. How about the battery?
I was trying to avoid buying a battery if it's not the actual problem.

thanks

 

[AllDodge]

If your battery is old then it has a good possibility that is your issue. Just like a car, when it gets real cold there are a lot of folks finding out there battery is weak. Now if you had a block heater installed, this allows the engine to turn over more freely and then not as many amps is needed out of the battery. Don't know which is your issue, but my first thought would be a weak battery. Have you tried jumping it?

 

[Delmer]

it will crank slow a few times, then speed up and then start.

That's just a little suspicious to me. I've seen machines do this and I can't say for sure, but I suspect something weak in the starting system, like bad connections or a toasted starter. Just a possibility?

Far more likely it's a weak battery, and as AllDodge said, jumping it will tell you pretty quick if the battery is good or not. Or swap it out with a decent warm battery and see if it cranks normally, check the battery cable connections while you're at it, both ends. If you have to use it in these temps then a block heater is a must. A hydraulic tank heater would be nice too, wish I knew of a good solution for that though?

 

[farmIT]

I live in Northern Canada... Its -32 C this morn .. Block heater is a must good battery with high Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) not just Cranking Amps (CA) also if you are planning on using it in the cold I would highly recommend switching the engine oil to a 0w-40 it will be much much thinner at cold temps its amazing the difference it makes! Good Luck

 

[Randy88]

If its new to you, it could be anything, I'd start with load testing the batteries, and pull the starter off and have it checked over, could be connections, your glow plugs might not be working correctly, too thick of oil, the possibilities could be endless, you just need to start by eliminating things one at a time till you figure out what it is or what combination of things are causing the problem.

 

[Equip Junkie]

I too live in Canada. I have a T770 and when it goes below freezing you start noticing it right away. The three things that I have done that make a huge difference is : 1.) Syn 0W40 oil, 2.) Block heater plugged in! and 3.) I purchased a battery blanket. Your batter looses a fair amount of power when it gets well below freezing. Saw a chart on line sometime ago and it is just like trying to start on a almost dead battery.

Hope you get it figured out.

 

[old-iron-habit]

By speeding up when cranking, do you mean that it starts firing on one cylinder or two and then taking off. My New Holland skid steer will start like that at zero F if I hold the glow plugs to one cycle. If I heat twice it starts right away.

 

[sadegs]

Not quite. The engine cranks like the oil (10w40) is too thick/frozen, and it can't turn it over fast enough to create the compression. Normally when its a cold start (but not too cold of weather), it turns over 2-3 times then speeds up the cranking and starts immediately. Now, the cranking never speeds up enough.

I'm going to swap the battery, change the oil to 0w-40, get 2 block heaters and possibly a battery warmer and let everyone know the results. I was busy the past few days as half my framing crew was out sick with the flu and I had to help push things along. what the hell is going around?

By speeding up when cranking, do you mean that it starts firing on one cylinder or two and then taking off. My New Holland skid steer will start like that at zero F if I hold the glow plugs to one cycle. If I heat twice it starts right away.

 

[Randy88]

If your referring to the flu, its bad this year, had it and survived but its by far the worst that its been in over 20 years, took me over a week to get back on my feet, literally. Everyone is complaining about it this year, so its not just me.

 

[sadegs]

Quick update for everyone - dropped a new battery in 840 CCA (old one was 620). Machine started right up.

I did leave 2 magnetic block heaters (200w each) overnight. This morning also wasn't that cold either (35deg).

Now, if i could just get my crew back in shape. Randy88, i've got my lead guy that has been out over a week, running a fever everyday. really kills the project production..

 

[Catpower]

Slow cranking


Glad to hear it started.
Do switch to the synthetic 0W/40. Battery blankets are wonderful, I use a low temp thermostat for it. You might want to investigate synthetic hydraulic oil . Get a Product information book or two from your oil supplier and read up on synthetics and then you will understand them better to their benefits for usage.
I do know of new leased Cats that don't turn over fast enough to fire in the cold temps with 15W/40 in them. Several jobs I have been on! They save money trying all day to jump start them?

 

[sadegs]

I didn't switch to 0w-40. I had just changed the oil about 10hrs ago, so, I was going as a last option on that. Also, someone was saying the 0w-40 is thin like water. I do feel like when it is soo cold out, the oil is too thick to turn the engine over fast enough. Tomorrow will be cold in the morning, so, I'll see how it goes.

I got a battery warmer but I didn't use it this morning because I kept the battery inside last night before I put it in this morning. I'm going to throw the warmer on it tonight.

 

[Delmer]

I kept the battery inside last night before I put it in this morning.

That works so well it's cheating. I think you'll be fine though with the battery warmer and 400 watts of magnetic heaters. A core plug block heater or tank "circulating" heater is better, but you'll be fine in most of temps you actually want to use this in. The thick oil is fine as long as it's plugged in so the oil that matters (what's stuck to the crank and pistons) is warm already.