[61woody]

I'll be using the 530 to plow snow this winter but have never used a GT in the winter before so a few questions, BTW I'm in N.E. Ia. gets below zero quite often but seldom below -15
Tractor will be stored in unheated garage, possibly in my attached and insulated garage if I can make room but I doubt it not without leaving on of the cars outside.

Any problems starting in that kind of weather?

Any problem of carb icing? (dealer talked me into the bra cover)

Does anyone make a dipstick or other type of oil heater?

 

[Herd of Deeres]

Follow the manufacturers directions on oil for the appropriate temperature range and you should be good to go. Doesn't get that cold here in New England (at least my part) but my little 100 series have never had a cold start issue while living in an unheated garage.

 

[stladrill]

the "bra" is highly recommend and a Battery Chargers/Trickle/Maintainer, finally the good grade of oil in it (10W30).

 

[Cat385B]

I highly recommend making room in the garage. Get creative if necessary.

 

[stladrill]

I highly recommend making room in the garage. Get creative if necessary.

You'll still need the "bra"

 

[Deereman76]

You will need the bra cover. You shouldn't really have a problem with keeping it in a unheated shed as I keep my x465 in a unheated shed (without a bra cover and that is a carbed model as well) and never had a problem with it starting or the carb icing up in the winter time. By the way I live just north of Des Moines so I know how cold Iowa can get. Good luck this winter!

 

[MXZRXP]

olny advice I would add is to be sure you have the fine foam filter on the air cleaner. snow dust is your only enemy...and with a 4-stroke even then it is not that bad! :trink40:

 

[TUDOR]

My MF1655 lived outside under a snow covered tarp for 26 years. Half an hour with the heat gun blowing warm air around the engine while I was tending fire in the garage was usually enough to get it going at -30*.

What's this bra thing? You guys got girl tractors or something? :ROF

 

[jim335]

My MF1655 lived outside under a snow covered tarp for 26 years. Half an hour with the heat gun blowing warm air around the engine while I was tending fire in the garage was usually enough to get it going at -30*.

What's this bra thing? You guys got girl tractors or something? :ROF

It's a cold weather cover, you slip it over the hood of tractor. It restricts the air flow making the engine run warmer to prevent the carb from icing up. I use 5w-30 in the winter, makes the engine turn over much easier when it real cold.

 

[Juggler]

I'd use the lightest weight oil recommended by the mfg, a battery maintainer is a good idea too.

 

[orange j d]

Ya I have a Jane Deere and she is bra-less year round.:sidelaugh

 

[slkpk]

My Deere has a gorgeous rack and goes bra less all of the time :trink40::fing32: slkpk

 

[TUDOR]

It restricts the air flow making the engine run warmer to prevent the carb from icing up. QUOTE]

Carb icing is caused by high humidity coupled with high velocity air moving through the carb venturi to provide cooling. Not really a problem at 0* F. At +30* to +50* F. in high humidity and extended full throttle work, I suppose it could happen. I've never had a carb on my GT's ice up in over 2000 hours of winter use. Or in the 1500 hours of non-winter use, for that matter.

My truck carb, on the other hand, did freeze up on a 100 mile run down the superslab at 48* F. and 95% - 100% humidity, when I forgot to take the blanks out of the intake crossover. I had to shut off the engine to pull off the highway at a rest area. Parked for 15 minutes and the ice was gone and the throttle worked again.

 

[jim335]

Over the years I've had 214's and a 245 that never gave me trouble during the winter. I've had a GX325 and now my current GX335 that did give me trouble. When your out blowing, and it's real cold and the snow and ice crystals are swirling in the air, the engine starts missing, sputtering, loosing rpm's, real pain in the neck. So after looking into it, Deere has a anti-icing screen (AM134141) for cold weather use. You replace the fly wheel screen with the anti-icing screen. It looks the same, but the holes must be designed to make the engine run hotter. There's a red sticker on it that say's do not run engine above 40F. After using this have not had a problem. You just have to remember to swap it back out in the spring. I'm guessing the "bra" is doing the same thing.

 

[stladrill]

Over the years I've had 214's and a 245 that never gave me trouble during the winter. I've had a GX325 and now my current GX335 that did give me trouble. When your out blowing, and it's real cold and the snow and ice crystals are swirling in the air, the engine starts missing, sputtering, loosing rpm's, real pain in the neck. So after looking into it, Deere has a anti-icing screen (AM134141) for cold weather use. You replace the fly wheel screen with the anti-icing screen. It looks the same, but the holes must be designed to make the engine run hotter. There's a red sticker on it that say's do not run engine above 40F. After using this have not had a problem. You just have to remember to swap it back out in the spring. I'm guessing the "bra" is doing the same thing.

You're Correct.:fing32:

 

[Engine_Tech]

The restricted intake screen came first, then the hood cover. With the hood cover there is no chance someone would run it in summer.

 

[Tencubed]

Never had a problem with icing in the carb in this area. Gets cold, down to -35F on rare occasions, but the equipment starts. I use a quad to plow snow but it's the same principle. It gets parked outside under a tarp when the blade is on it for snow plowing use.

As has been suggested, lite weight oil, battery tender and heat, if needed, will make them run. Trucks and such get a heat lamp under the hood on the intake manifold for an hour or so if they are stubborn. I suspect the same heat on the cylinder of a tractor would do the job.

Things seem to start harder in cold weather with this new skunk gas we get now IMO.

Mike