Brought home a Champion 27 Ton Splitter - Here's Why

I want a place out of the drive; splitting and processing wood is messy and I have a gravel drive so it makes cleanup a bit harder.

 

Yes, funny how cheap you can sell something when you take it out the back door in your lunch pail.

 

This is a cold natured machine. Sunday I started it at about 40 degrees F and it took 8-ish pulls. This morning at 25 degrees I pulled it 16 times and it didn't start at all. I'm planning to return it to HD tonight.

TSC has the 25 ton on display that can be started and demoed so I'm going to give it a "pull" some cold morning when they open.

 

I've ran my kohler engine in cold weather and it took 3 pulls I guess.
One thing I added to it was a heating pad to the hydraulic tank to help warm the fluid up and make starting easier. I plug it in a while before I start, seems to work as intended but..
I haven't tried in the teens or colder yet. I just think it will take a tad longer for it to warm though honestly. I believe it's a 200 watt pad that adheres to the metal.
I'll see about finding the link when I get home later.

 

If you like the machine other than the refusal to start when cold you could look at getting a small engine heater. I don't know what is available for a small engine. Dad had a magnetic one he used that could stick on an oil pan but of course with aluminium that isn't an option.

 

heater
150w, thought it was 200w but still, if you're going to split below 32 degrees something like this or the magnetic one stuck on the hydraulic reservoir will help.

 

Thanks Pines, affordable and low enough wattage for an extension cord.

 

absolutely, I ran a 100 ft extension and it worked. I'm sure the basic orange extension would work, I used a mix over 100ft without an issue.

 

I returned the Champion to Home Depot tonight. I was hoping to edit the initial post but I don't see a way to do it. Hopefully folks will make it to this one before making a purchase decision based on this thread.

I almost always split when its cold. My land is swampy and cutting wood any time other than mid winter or late summer is asking to make a mess. Between the sloppy assembly, the underwhelming "log table" and the inability to start cold I decided I'd better look around. HD has a 30 day return policy on power equipment and I know I don't have time between now and the 30 day mark for any additional shopping. I'm going to cold start a demo unit at TSC next time we have a good cold morning to see if there's a major difference between the two.

I once had a single stage snowblower I could start with a power drill. Just removed the pull start and put a 1/2" socket on to turn it over. I wonder if something like that would work on a 200cc engine...

Thanks for all the good replies on this thread. I'll keep an eye on it in case there are other questions and will post back if I pick up something else.

 

I understand that my back 40 is the same. It never dried up this year really, I was only able to bring in 2 pickup loads of wood, because of how wet it was, the rest of it is still at my other spot.

 

Whereabouts in OH are you? I'm only about 15 miles from the state line. Very wet year here. Water rose high enough and stayed long enough to kill a black walnut of mine. Hate to see that one go but it will burn nicely ;-)

 

Pretty common log splitter problem...has as much to do with the cold hydraulic oil as anything...not saying that some engines might not fire up easier than others, but heating the hyd. oil up for a couple hours ahead of time, or changing to a lighter oil for the winter would be the best plan...I have heard of others using a gear reduction drill to start them too.

That disconnect the pump trick works great on the few belt driven splitters that are out there.
Dad had an old 16HP Kohler powered Bobcat years ago that had the ability to release the drive belt tension for cold weather starts...worked well...it was the only way it would fire up when it was good n cold out...

 

other side of the state, about 15 minutes from the PA line

 

Interesting. Being a chonda, I’m shocked it doesn't start well in the cold. It's different, but a chonda nonetheless, but the predator on our old Didier starts very well in the cold.

Did you full choke it, or half choke it? Sometimes you just need to find the sweet spot. Sometimes you just need to use the drill to start it.

 

Stopped at TSC this morning. Took 6 pulls to get it started but I did it one handed and wasn’t out of breath when I finished. The rope feels shorter and easier to pull on the Kohler (much less resistance). 23 degrees right now and the machine lives outside. They use the same ISO 46 hydraulic fluid as the Champion. I’m curious why they feel so different. Will likely take one home in a few weeks when I have a pile of rounds to split with it.

 

Bought a new tractor while I waited for them to fuel the splitter. Will update my sig soon ;-)

 

Been following this thread. Bummer on your original purchase. 20* here and just went out and started my TSC 25 T splitter up. Fired up on first pull. I don't usually start splitting til later in the day but had to see what it would do in the cold. It sits out most of the time with just a rubber top cover. Good luck.

 

I was going to ask Did it have a choke? Next to impossible to start any small engine up here without one.