warming up cub during the winter months

[dblact38]

My cub is covered outside for the winter months. Won't use her until spring comes around, Is it a good idea to start her up once in awhile and let her run for awhile or would I be doing more harm then good? Any points or tips will help Thanks in advance for all your information

Gary 1952 cub

[Eugene]

Start my tractors once a month or so, during warm weather, to lubricate the engine and charge up the batteries. My tractors are stored inside. There will be winter days in central Missouri where the day time temperature is 40 degrees or so.

Answer really depends on your situation and the local climate.

I pep my tractors for winter storage.

[offrink]

To me, it makes sense to run the engine once in a while, but driving would be better. Once a month would be good. Otherwise in damp conditions, or temperature swings where you have condensation would give you rust in the engine and everywhere else. But this is just my opinion.

[Stanton]

Unless you have performed a bona fide winter storage, I would think you'd want to start/run them on a regular basis.

[Bigdog]

If you start them let them run long enough to get warm enough to dissipate any condensation in the crankcase.

[ricky racer]

L

If you start them let them run long enough to get warm enough to dissipate any condensation in the crankcase.

[Bill Hudson]

If you start them let them run long enough to get warm enough to dissipate any condensation in the crankcase.

If it is real cold, you may need to partially cover the grill to help bring it up to operating temperature. If I don't partially cover the grill when plowing snow, condensation forms in the crankcase. Plowing snow is not normally working my Cub hard, seldom above half throttle until I move from one driveway to the next and it is a very short drive between driveways.

Bill

[Larry in WNY]

If leaving in place for awhile, I would place a wooden block between the clutch pedal and platform so the clutch doesn't rust to the flywheel.

Larry

[danovercash]

If covered up outside, can the normal condensation evaporate and get away from the tractor?

[WaMoo]

If it is real cold, you may need to partially cover the grill to help bring it up to operating temperature. If I don't partially cover the grill when plowing snow, condensation forms in the crankcase.

IMG_1193.JPG (1.81 MiB) Viewed 357 times

Like my grill cover? It's custom! 2 below that morning.

[Bigdog]

Looks like you needed a grille cover for your own grille! Don't like breathing that cold air?

[offrink]

I haven't put mine on yet but is a red airplane blanket. How it was acquired won't be spoken of. Doubled up and zip tied in place works great. Shape, size, and color are great! Photo shows it off.

[BigBill]

Make sure you have a light weight oil in it if it's stored outside.
The heavy weight oil is too thick to lube the crank intime. When you hear the knocking it's too late.
If you don't believe me read the cubs owners manual for summer and winter motor oil. Please don't make this mistake. There is a difference in tractors kept indoors and outdoors.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

My rigs are stored inside a lightly insulated but non heated building, and I have 3 cubs, a Farmall H, and 2 portable generators, and all of them get fired up and run for 20 or 30 minutes every 3 or 4 weeks depending on when the weather is warm enough to go to the shed. If there is a storm or ice or snow predicted the generators, the snow plow cub and the loader cub get run a day or so before the storm is predicted to arrive.

[NJ Farmer]

The problem with just starting them up to see if the run is that you will never get the engine up to operating temperature in the winter months to BURN OFF the condisation that your engine (aka air pump) is creating. So that being said all you are doing is adding water to in inside of you crankcase. So I my opinion it is best to drain everything (gas and antifreeze) and let the cub hibernate during the winter months. It"s best in the long run. If you really want to "preserve the engine" you could remove the spark plugs and pour 1/2 oz of engine oil in the spark plug holes and crank engine 5 seconds with the ignition off then put the plugs back in.