[guest]

Well we are due to get a decent storm saturday/sunday, it will be extra fun because its wicked cold here too.. usually its warmer when we get snow.. but this morning it was 22.5 BELOW zero...
they are predicting 10-14" of total snow fall...



anyway i figured id move my tractor to the garage and get it ready... The last few times using the tractor.. the throttle cable was sort of sticking..

So prior to shutting down.. i put the throttle to half way and choke all the way open... Last year, my choke cable froze solid and the lever broke...
so i figured id leave it ready to start..


Today, the gas throttle was frozen and after i tried moving it.. only 2 times... it broke and the gas cable no longer moved anything..

so i opened the hood, manually opened the gas and my tractor still would not start... I tried this for a while and of course.. the battery eventually went dead... so i charged the battery (dragged a long extension cord from the garage) but after charging.. it still would not start...

i pulled the air filter and squirted in some starter fluid.. it kicked over for a bit but stalled out.
i figured if i could get it running i could at least manually run the throttle so i could snow throw...

i called the dealer.. they had a replacement set of cables in stock.. thankfully.. but it still would not start.. come to find out.. the choke linkage came loose off of the choke cable awas not choking..

so along with manually doing the throttle.. i had to manually choke it to get it to start...


so not so much fun.. it was about 7 degrees outside and i was in the (unheated) shed dicking around trying to get my tractor to start...

finally overrode the choke.. manually closed the 'butterfly thingie' so it would start.. then i manually tied the throttle to an open position... put the air filter back together and prayed it did not stall...


This worked but only at about half throttle.. but at least i can get it to start...

it looks like the linkage broke and is no longer hooked to the choke i rehook it up but moving the choke in either direction.. the linkage falls off..... so simply changing the cables wont help the choke...

i have to bring it to the shop.. or manually get the linkage connected properly... Ill probably bring it to the dealer...


to use it tomorrow...
i have it in the garage.. and will heat the garage for a little bit.. then open the air filter stuff and manually open the choke... once it starts ive got a tie wrap thing to hook up to the throttle to keep it wide open or mostly open..

Im hoping the choke does not vibrate into an open position when i try to snow throw...

should be interesting tomorrow...

 

[guest2]

Wow! That sucks!
Did the dealer have any suggestions to keep this from happening again?

There must be some kind of spray lube or graphite that would work at those temps.

 

[Toolman]

I've never had problems with frozen cables in winter. SJ,,,I wonder if you could take the cables loose on one end, cut a piece of 1/4" air hose & slide that over the cable jacket to keep the moisture out. Maybe that'll work??

 

[Argee]

John,

I had a similar problem on my GT3000...the exception was the throttle and govenor would freeze in the wide open position so when I started it the engine would red line with no oil circulating....the way I solved it through the coldest month was to turn my droplight on and set it next to the carb for a few minutes before starting....seemed to do the trick...

 

[ducati996]

SJ,

You got that brand new garage and if I understand you used to keep the tractor is in the shed? You still havent added heat in some fashion (kero heater, coal, wood, etc...) not much works good at -22 so dont feel bad. I would have little faith with my machines at those temps...easy fix, but still a hassle....

Keep that area wram somehow

 

[aguysmiley]

22 below???? It's friggin cold man! Go inside and hibernate. Those cables will work fine in the spring.

 

[guest]

Why I kept it in the shed:

I am not sure.. it just barely fits in the shed and i sort of thought the chains would dig up the garage floor paint... and i did not get around to putting boards down..

ok really the reason was, i sort of liked the 1st bay open... like a shop, i thought the tractor would make it too tight in there..
once i put the tractor in that bay.. there is still plenty of room.. so im gonna keep it in the garage.. makes it a lot easier to warm it up, or get it going in the garage than the shed..


as for the cables.. today i used a tie wrap and it kept the throttle open to a good high rpm not sure if its bad to have the in one high position for so long... probably cant start it in that high position..

 

[MowHoward2210]

I'm not sure how bad starting fluid is on small engines, but I would be hesitant to use it on whatever you got in your Simplicity.

I've used starting fluid before, but just on the POS Tecumseh that's on my tiller.

 

[aegt5000]

SJ…

What else is in the garage ?
Man, you need to get your priorities in order.

1) Wife and Kids
2) Tractors
3) House
4) All other things

 

[guest]

Originally posted by aegt5000
SJ…

What else is in the garage ?
Man, you need to get your priorities in order.

1) Wife and Kids
2) Tractors
3) House
4) All other things

ok.. no kids so thats out.. no wife (G/f) but thats about the same.. she gets a bay...
Truck gets a bay...
and the tractor, now gets a bay.. till summer..

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by simple_john
ok.. no kids so thats out.. no wife (G/f) but thats about the same.. she gets a bay...
Truck gets a bay...
and the tractor, now gets a bay.. till summer..

My wife has her own garage where she allows me to park my truck....the shop is all about me and my toys where I allow her to keep some garden stuff

 

[guest]

Originally posted by Argee
My wife has her own garage where she allows me to park my truck....

yes.. but thats why i am not married...

 

[aguysmiley]

Originally posted by MowHoward2210
I'm not sure how bad starting fluid is on small engines, but I would be hesitant to use it on whatever you got in your Simplicity.

I've used starting fluid before, but just on the POS Tecumseh that's on my tiller.

Carb cleaner works nicely for starting engines and is not near as harsh as either.

 

[saldana17]

Tri-Flow

Having worked on old snowmobiles we switched from a WD-40 type lube, which attracts moisture, to a Teflon lube called Tri-Flow. I can no longer buy that product so I have switched to a Teflon gun lube which turns out to be equal to Tri-Flow.
You will be pleased.

 

[HYDROGUARDIAN16]

your cable was sticking because snow particles that are very small, travel into the cables and eventually pack into the cable's interior. My work thaws out the cables and sprays zep penetrant into the lines to free them up.