Sounds to me like you have the procedure down pat with the exception of fueling. I never add fuel to a running vehicle.

X2 on the fueling.
Mike

I have my JD stored in a yard shed with my string trimmer and leaf blower. Since I end up using each on lawn mowing day, my procedure is as follows.

I first do any service necessary on each unit. ie make sure the string is not stuck the trimmer. I then check the oil on all three units, and fill with gas. I place the ramps in place and back the tractor out of the shed, and let it run with I put the ramps back and close the doors. I then start mowing.

While the common practice around here seems to be to leave the garage doors open when you are home, there are too many dangerous things in both buildings, so when ever I am not in them, the doors are shut. It also keeps out birds, squirrels, etc.

Thanks for sharing, knuttle; I was hoping to hear how other people are doing theirs, too!

Thanks for the validation, justalurker; may I ask why you do not add fuel to a running carbureted vehicle? (The fuel filler is at the rear of the tractor, where nothing's hot) I NEVER add fuel to a running fuel injected vehicle, BTW.

This post was edited by Grijon on Wed, Oct 1, 14 at 9:56

Grijon - think about it - it's the fumes from gasoline that burn, not the liquid ... hard to see just where those fumes drift to. Also a working hydro tranny can get plenty warm...

Carb or FI doesn't matter, pouring gas generates vapor and it's the vapor that is explosive.

A random spark from a running engine or marginal electrical connection at the dash or at the fuel gauge sending unit at the tank or a bad ground can end your mowing in one quick hurry. If you've ever seen a gasoline explosion you'd never pour gas near anything that can generate a spark.

With respect, IMO it's just common sense.

This post was edited by justalurker on Wed, Oct 1, 14 at 15:15

You should never add gasoline to an engine that is running. Also, there is no need to warm up the engine prior to mowing. A warm up period is just a waste of fuel.

I always warm up my tractor prior to using it..... although I call it "heating up" my tractor. And, I always do it after fueling it while it's running. I have noticed, though, that it's starting to cost me some real money... :)

{{gwi:348572}}

LOL, too funny, larso1!

Do any experts care to respond to starhust?

rcbe, I totally understand what you're saying about the tranny getting warm.

rcbe and justalurker, thanks for the point on fumes - it's ridiculous, but I never thought about them that way; my logic was that the mower wasn't warm anywhere having just started and that the engine was on the other end of the mower thus not a concern. You guys have explained to me the error of my way, ha ha - seriously, thank you both.

Would either of you care to share what you run and how you run it? I'd be very interested to hear!

always keep my machine garaged - cleaned of trash/clippings with with compressed air after each use - crankcase oil chk before start each use - fuel as needed before start each use - as soon as engine is started @ mid throttle and steadies, move machine outside, pause for a minute or so (bit longer in very cold temps) to allow engine to come to operating temp (air-cooled engines warm up quickly) - then engage deck and proceed to mow @ full throttle.
Learned the hard way from my dad on the farm many yrs ago how NOT to load/lug a cold engine...and them G john deeres were a b*tch to crank w/o electric start @ 11 yrs old..

That's great, rcbe, thank you!

Check oil and gas, top up as necessary, eye ball tires, make nothing has fallen off or loose, start up and go, by the time I get to where I'm mowing the engine is warm. Large property. 12 acres .

With the engine started, I pressure wash mine with hot water, check the oil, add fuel all while spraying starter fluid in the carb.

"How do YOU warm up your tractor?"

Foreplay.

As I understand more importantly than start up is the cool off period, before shutting off the motor.

After the yard has been mowed I turn off the mower, and make a couple of casual trips around the yard checking for things to do. Once that is done, I move the tractor to the front of the shed and put it into idle and let it run for a couple of minutes as I get the leaf blower from the shed. I shut down the tractor and blow the grass from the mower deck and from around the muffler. Once done, I make another leisurely trip around the yard, and finally pull the tractor into the shed. I let it idle as I bring the ramps in, and prepare the shed to for closing. The very last thing before I close the second door, I will shut the tractor off.

Air cooled engines do not need any "dedicated warm up" time.
The only thing to consider is that you DO NOT start the cold engine and then begin doing hard and heavy work within a few seconds after starting. The normal time it typically takes to drive the tractor to where you commence working it is sufficient to warm the engine and tranny (if hydrostat) to operating status.
LIQUID COOLED ENGINES do need to be warmed up a bit longer before applying a heavy work load to them.
The difference between how you treat a liquid cooled engine differently than an air cooled engine is due to the fact that the CYLINDER walls of a liquid cooled engine warm up more slowly than that of an air cooled engine (because the liquid coolant mass is a significant "heat sink").
Ideally, the cylinder walls need to heat up to something near "coffee cup warm" temperature before the throttle is opened wide under heavy load conditions.
To start a liquid cooled engine and immediately operate it under heavy loading and wide open throttle runs the risk of having the PISTON expand faster than the cylinder walls, which can cause seizing and galling of the piston to the cylinder walls.
Even a slight case of galling will result in shorter engine life.

This post was edited by mownie on Fri, Oct 24, 14 at 10:00