Cold Starting a Dexta - A novel solution!

Jerry Coles · Post by **Jerry Coles** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:07 pm

Saw this Dexta at Hullavington a couple of years ago and the owner explained how it worked.
Lite up a gas blowlamp, open the tap that is plumbed into the inlet manifold, point the flame into the cup and start it!!

That is what I call lateral thinking!

Post by **Oscar** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:09 am

It's innovative alright but I'm not entirely convinced about safety.

BarryT · Post by **BarryT** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:36 pm

Hi,

Rather primitive and certainly not necessary if everything's working as it should.

Barry

tony · Post by **tony** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:35 am

I can't wait for the developmental testing to be completed and I look forward to reading the final report.

BarryT · Post by **BarryT** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:21 pm

Hi,

Has anyone got a copy of the official Fordson recommendation as to the cold starting proceedure for the Dexta??

Regards,

Barry

Post by **Brian** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:05 pm

Hold heater for 40 secs. Push prime button and press starter.

In cold weather open throttle quarter open. Press in cold start button on pump. Repeat above. (Minimec Pump models).

The time for the heater was moulded into the original heater covers.

WayneB · Post by **WayneB** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:54 pm

Few years back on this forum I reported that before I rebuilt my Dexta, prematurely worn out from "the ether-baby" process, the only way I could start it was to remove glow plug, put a propane torch in the intake and when warmed, crank till it started.

When I pulled the pistons, ring-bits fell off like shell corn. Problem was while I had the rebuild kit on hand, did not have time to stop and get er to the machine shop. After finishing clearing my pasture, I tore it down and upgraded to 152 pistons. It was worn to point of weak. Bottom end was fine. However, one or two times, worn out like this I felt it rev up, as oil rings fell off like shelled corn, too.

Wayne

leswhiskey · Post by **leswhiskey** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:25 am

Hi everyone I have just joined this forum it looks great. This novel idea was mine. It worked really well when I was in my garage/shed I would use a hot air paint stripper in the bell mouth and on the rare occasion that I was not near an electric supply in the morning the only time that I needed it I would use a blowlamp. It was perfectly safe and so easy to use as you are standing on the same side as the start lever.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:08 am

Hello. Mike here from Australia.

We use a can of areo start; You spray a little bit into the airfilter inlet as you are cranking the engine and it starts straight away.

Post by **Brian** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:58 am

Mike,
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dextas will be banging your door down at 3 am tomorrow!!!!

EasyStart (ether) is the worst thing you can ever use in a Dexta. It causes ring, piston and con-rod failure. There should be some pretty horrific pictures on here showing some of the problems caused.

All Dextas will start OK if the primer and manifold heater is working and later ones with the Minimec pump even had an excess fuel button.

Ether is the biggest NO-NO i can think of.

Welcome to the board by the way.

dexta roadless · Post by **dexta roadless** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:29 pm

Here is my "novel solution" for cold start of my tractor. This is ordinary 10 sec glowplugs from a modern car.
This, together with two batteries it may start when ever I want

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:41 am

Now that's innovative, roadless. What kind of vehicle did your glow plugs come from?

dexta roadless · Post by **dexta roadless** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:44 am

I think it was from a 2,1 turbodiesel Renault. the glowplugs in that engine lasted longer than the engine itsalf

Jerry Coles · Post by **Jerry Coles** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:07 pm

Looking at the wiring do I see some melting insulation as the wire is going across the exhaust manifold?
Probably best to clip it away from the heat.

roromac · Post by **roromac** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:32 pm

What a fantastic solution. I think you could make a business making and selling them.
Rob

Post by **Brian** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:24 pm

Why do you need it?

If the original system is working you get fire in the intake manifold drawn into the combustion chambers, perhaps more effective than glow plugs. The weakness in the original system is the priming pump and, as Stefan has shown, this can be overcome with modern materials, the heater element is available.

Just my opinion.

dexta roadless · Post by **dexta roadless** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:27 pm

Brian
I did this three years ago before I discovered this website and found places were new fueltabs can be bought. However it turned out very effective, it starts immidiatly down to 20 below

The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Cold Starting a Dexta - A novel solution!

Cold Starting a Dexta - A novel solution!

Cold Start torch

Cold start