The worst that could happen would be glazing the bores from idling to long, shouldn't be any problems with over heating, not sure what effect idling would have on the turbo charger.

 

If you are working alone, I suspect you are using a ladder to get to the platform. Why not just shut the tractor off?

 

Yes, would use a ladder to get up to the platform.

My original intention was to do just as you write and simply shut the tractor off when I got everything positioned where I want it. The tractor is not generally stored with the loader in a raised position, but it certainly has been on numerous occasions over the years for multiple consecutive days and I have never seen any drop whatsoever. However, "everyone" on the interwebs (surely they're not all lawyers spouting a CYA line) says that's a no-no due to the possibility of the loader dropping and (more importantly in my mind) due to the possibility of damage to the hydraulic system.

Regarding the possibility of the loader dropping, I was not too worried about that since (1) I've never observed a drop at all when tractor/loader was stored in a raised position, (2) the extra load in this case would be only about 300-400 lb, (3) if it did "drop" I would think it would be a slow creep downward, and (4) I would tie myself in when working on the platform. (When I had long hair and was skinny--i.e., young--I did a lot of rock climbing and still have all the ropes slings and harnesses.)

It's the part about possibly "damaging the hydraulic system" that concerns me most. If I can convince myself, or be convinced, that I won't damage the hydraulics with this relatively light load, I'll problem alternate between ~30 minutes with engine off and ~10 minutes with the engine running at ~1500 rpm.

Or worst case rent some scaffolding.

 

2003 John Deere 5520 Cab model with a 542 loader. The engine is turbo charged.

I'm about to build a platform (weighing <150 lb) for use with pallet forks to make a poor man's "man lift" for doing some work off the ground (e.g., underside of barn roof, etc.).

As much as I'm tempted, I guess I'll refrain from shutting down the tractor and working from my raised platform. So, I have a question on the proper speed to idle the tractor for extended periods.

User manual says "if tractor must be left with the engine running more than 3 or 4 minutes, minimum engine speed should be 1200 rpm." This, per manual, to avoid build up of carbon in the engine.
- How long can I idle at that speed (1200 rpm) and not cause problems?
- Will it help to idle at a higher rpm? What rpm is "ideal"?
- Is there anything else I can do to make this less taxing on the engine? E.g., fuel additives, periodically running a higher rpm, periodically shutting the tractor down, etc.?

I will of course keep a check on gauges to make sure I'm not overheating.

Hydraulics are in good shape in that I've never noticed the loader leak down at all during times when the tractor has been stored with the (unloaded) bucket or pallet forks or hay spear in the raised position.

Thanks a bunch in advance.

Yanmar and Deere are correct, do not idle the diesel below 1200rpms. This information goes back to the 1980s.

This is a collection from their manuals and Technical Bulletins for the machine pre-Y2K,

How to keep the soot away and ways to prevent having the head warp and crack on these Yanmar engines.

• Do not let the engine idle below 1200rpms for longer than 10mins max at a time. And the time is with 20mins between.
• Do use 10W30 summer and 5W30 winter for engine oil. Do not use the heavy thicker 15W40 as it will hold the heat longer in the engine. Yanmar makes engines to JIS standards, not SAE. So the cooling oil passages are narrower in metric.
• Do keep the air intake filter clean. A clogged filter makes the engine work harder and heat builds up within the engine.
• Do keep the radiator and the screen clean.
• Do check the coolant. Do not use extended life coolants in these vintage machines.
• Do start the tractor slightly above idle.
• Do not race the engine from slow to fast and fast to slow.
• Do slow the engine speed down gradually, idle for 15 seconds then turn the engine off.
• When parking and doing the engine shut-off, be on level ground, take and place the gear in neutral and if equipped, the PowerShift in neutral.
• Diesel engines, especially the 2-clyliner types will cause a lurch-back on the last 2 piston firings. To prevent the energy going to the drivetrain, be in neutral.

Some of these tips are from Deere, some are in the Yanmar USA bulletins and some came from the Yanmar JP website before 2018.
-----

Now, you have a modern Deere after 2006, so the 15W40 should be just fine.

 

Yanmar and Deere are correct, do not idle the diesel below 1200rpms. This information goes back to the 1980s.

This is a collection from their manuals and Technical Bulletins for the machine pre-Y2K,

How to keep the soot away and ways to prevent having the head warp and crack on these Yanmar engines.

• Do not let the engine idle below 1200rpms for longer than 10mins max at a time. And the time is with 20mins between.
• Do use 10W30 summer and 5W30 winter for engine oil. Do not use the heavy thicker 15W40 as it will hold the heat longer in the engine. Yanmar makes engines to JIS standards, not SAE. So the cooling oil passages are narrower in metric.
• Do keep the air intake filter clean. A clogged filter makes the engine work harder and heat builds up within the engine.
• Do keep the radiator and the screen clean.
• Do check the coolant. Do not use extended life coolants in these vintage machines.
• Do start the tractor slightly above idle.
• Do not race the engine from slow to fast and fast to slow.
• Do slow the engine speed down gradually, idle for 15 seconds then turn the engine off.
• When parking and doing the engine shut-off, be on level ground, take and place the gear in neutral and if equipped, the PowerShift in neutral.
• Diesel engines, especially the 2-clyliner types will cause a lurch-back on the last 2 piston firings. To prevent the energy going to the drivetrain, be in neutral.

Some of these tips are from Deere, some are in the Yanmar USA bulletins and some came from the Yanmar JP website before 2018.
-----

Now, you have a modern Deere after 2006, so the 15W40 should be just fine.

Much obliged for all that info sir!

 

I don’t know how high you plan to go but if the right hydro line were to fail you could have a bad day. I was always taught to never trust stuff like that.

Don’t be alone when you try this.

 

I agree with Moosetater, if a ram seal let go, this would be most likely a slow leak, but a main hose would be much quicker.

How about for your own peace of mind, making a couple of ram shaft locks, you would make these out of "U" shaped channel and long enough to lay on the ram shaft and to fit under the eye and against the ram head, so if there was a problem, then the locks would take the load.

There would not be any problems to the hydraulics using them like that, the hydraulics would cop more abuse when using the loader or such.

 

If you are worried about a hose bursting, you could look into installing "hydraulic velocity type hose burst safety valve". It's something to investigate. They have to be set properly to match the regular flow of your hydraulics, otherwise they may trigger and stop the oil flow during normal use.
I'm not sure what damage to your hydraulic would occur with the boom up and the bucket flat. None that I can see. In the field we often parked our dump trucks with the box up so they wouldn't collect water or snow and loader parked with the boom raised and the bucket tipped and sitting on the ground to prevent the same thing or even a chance of run away using the bucket as an anchor point.