My cubs are in an unheated barn. I point a salamander heater at the one i'm going to use for about 10 minutes and it will fire right up. It also helps warm up the hydro fluid. It was below 0 this morning and once I started it, the hydro and lift were ready to go.

This sounds like a "hold my beer and watch this" moment.
:beerchug:

I use the seasonal recommendation for crankcase engine oil found in the Operator's Manual . This way I don't second guess myself worrying if the lighter weight crankcase engine oil will thin out too much once the engine temperature maxis out.

Today, I was enthused when the 71 kicked off in the 4* cold weather. I set the choke just under 1/2, and the engine stays running to warm up. I never hold the key switch past 30 seconds for the engine to fire. Has always started faithfully on the third or fourth crank revolution. I would suspect that the cold is what slows down a engine turning over, especially if it is bigger than the 161 Kohler.

Think heat tape would work for keeping your hydro drive transmissions warm. Wrap it around under there, and plug in at night?

Mark,..... boy that's a way to heat up a cold engine. Sounds like something out of a 1930 Popular Mechanic's Cold Weather Tips and Tricks. I have one, by the way.

You guys ought to be back to the future in a darn-right hurry using open flame and burning coals. Hats off to you. :bigeyes:

Magnet heater
 

I have used heaters that have a magnet, about 300 watts, place one on the bottom of the engine oil pan and on the steel differential cover at the lowest point. They are a less fire hazard than using an open flame and burning down the building. Small gas leak and boom. In my 45 years of fire fighting have witnessed this happen too many times.

-27 below yesterday, +38 and raining today, tomorrow -13 degrees and 50 MPH wind.

My normally easy to start 125 required the torpedo heater on it to get going this morning. It was about 10* when I started clearing snow with 30+ mph gusts.

I kept myself nice and warm by dressing warmly and wearing my full face motorcycle helmet. No heat loss thru my head so I stayed comfy :beerchug:

Well I killed the 126 battery yesterday. It was 2 degrees out and went to do the driveway and after about 6 revolutions it was done...so I jumped it and it fired up fine after that. Def think a battery heater or oil heater would be worth the money buy as stated earlier there is a problem installing the oil heater?

-16 and my started, slow cranking but she took off. that is if I remember to have the throttle on and the gas on.

lol

Since we are talking about keeping the oil warm, what about a heated dipstick?. I was thinking about looking into one of those. I know they make them for the big trucks, but I dont know how small they get.

The best thing I have found is using a battery tender/float charger it keeps the battery warm and topped off. But I imagine that using a heater would make an unbelievable difference (so long as you are keeping it out of the wind)

Using a pan heater would work way better than a dipstick heater. A dipstick heater does not have the contact surface area to evenly warm the oil.

Do you clutch when starting the 126? Only turning over the engine vs. the engine and the whole rear end is better.