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Show Farm machinery precautions suggested LOGAN It doesn't matter if it is a tractor or automobile, cold weather can play havoc with patience and engines. To avoid cold weather tractor starting problems, there are several precautions that can be taken, a Utah State University specialist in farm machinery said. First off, keep tractors tuned and store them in sheds when you're not using them. This is one of the best things you can do to assure cold winter morning tractor starts, said Darwin Jolley, USU Extension agricultural engineer and machinery cover over the hood to retain the heat," he said. Oil that has been kept warm overnight circulates faster through bearings, rings, the rocker arm shaft and other vital engine parts. Here are some other tips Jolley offers: Keep a good battery fully charged. A trickle charger, used once a month, will help keep a battery bat-tery charged. When it's 32 degrees, your battery has only three-fourths the starting power it has when it's 80 degrees. When all else fails, use either, but use it sparingly. Make sure the engine is turning over before you inject the fluid. Never operate the starter for more than 30 seconds, no matter how frustrated you get. Once the tractor is started, idle the engine for several minutes below 1,000 revolutions per minute. If you open the throttle on a turbo-charged turbo-charged engine, the lack of lubrication lubrica-tion could cause serious damage. Engine pressure is as important as oil pressure. Unburned diesel fuel will dilute oil, causing bearings, bear-ings, rings, sleeves and other components com-ponents to fail. Jolley said the proper operating temperature for most tractors is about 180 degrees. Check your thermostats in a pan of hot water with a good thermometer. He said a 180-degree thermostat should open partially at 180 degrees, not 160 or 200 degrees. specialist. He said an electric block heater that screws into the side of the engine is a good investment. "Plug the heater in overnight or put it on a time device, then throw a |