This is a new one to me.
In five years I've never had trouble starting this elderly Yanmar. Occasionally, I need to find the right throttle position between flooded and lean, but that's about it. That's my sign that it's really winter, time to put some Power Service in the fuel.
This morning after cranking a half turn, it then cranked at half speed. I had done the annual battery service yesterday (hydrometer check, verify clean terminals, topped up the water) then ran it several hours, so this was baffling.
I switched to Plan B: 10 seconds of manifold warmer (thermostart) then crank 10 seconds, then repeat. I always use the Thermostart but I don't remember the last time I had to repeat it. After at least four heat/crank cycles it fired and chugged reluctantly up to idle speed. WTF???
After it was running, the loader was sluggish. A clue! It turned out I left the 3 point hitch in full-up position, with the service valve closed. The starter was not only cranking the engine, it was cranking the hydraulic pump against a dead load, forcing chilled fluid through the overpressure bypass.
Kids, don't try this at home.
What I learned: If it cranks slow, double check that there is no hydraulic-system load on the engine!
Oh well. Just another user-caused anomaly, not a product flaw. It ran great all morning.
In five years I've never had trouble starting this elderly Yanmar. Occasionally, I need to find the right throttle position between flooded and lean, but that's about it. That's my sign that it's really winter, time to put some Power Service in the fuel.
This morning after cranking a half turn, it then cranked at half speed. I had done the annual battery service yesterday (hydrometer check, verify clean terminals, topped up the water) then ran it several hours, so this was baffling.
I switched to Plan B: 10 seconds of manifold warmer (thermostart) then crank 10 seconds, then repeat. I always use the Thermostart but I don't remember the last time I had to repeat it. After at least four heat/crank cycles it fired and chugged reluctantly up to idle speed. WTF???
After it was running, the loader was sluggish. A clue! It turned out I left the 3 point hitch in full-up position, with the service valve closed. The starter was not only cranking the engine, it was cranking the hydraulic pump against a dead load, forcing chilled fluid through the overpressure bypass.
Kids, don't try this at home.
What I learned: If it cranks slow, double check that there is no hydraulic-system load on the engine!
Oh well. Just another user-caused anomaly, not a product flaw. It ran great all morning.
