Tractor Wont Start

[windfall]

Hi All,

 

My IH885 tractor has decided that it does not like the cold weather and only turns over for a bit before the battery goes flat.

 

In the cold its taken a bit of cranking before it would start but this current cold weather and snow and the old girl has just dug her boots in and wont go.

 

The battery was new in the summer and has previously been ok, got smoke coming out the stack so she was trying but couldnt crank her enough to get it to fire.

 

I have a large deep cycle battery i am charging and i was thinking of boosting it in the morning with that too.

 

What i am wondering is i dont think the glo plugs are working, i have only just noticed that the decompressor seems to turn to the right and this may be how you make them work? anyone know if this is the case? OR can i just connect the glo plugs wire to the battery directly via a switch so i know that they are working?

 

thanks in advance

 

ps read a thread here where someone said their granddad used to light a fire under the tractor to get her going in the cold.. i am close to dragging the space heater /generator over the field to get the bloody thing going!

Edited December 22, 2010 by windfall

[penfold]

could be the tractors way of saying go back to bed where its warm mate.

[gensetsteve]

Hi All,

 

My IH885 tractor has decided that it does not like the cold weather and only turns over for a bit before the battery goes flat.

 

In the cold its taken a bit of cranking before it would start but this current cold weather and snow and the old girl has just dug her boots in and wont go.

 

The battery was new in the summer and has previously been ok, got smoke coming out the stack so she was trying but couldnt crank her enough to get it to fire.

 

I have a large deep cycle battery i am charging and i was thinking of boosting it in the morning with that too.

 

What i am wondering is i dont think the glo plugs are working, i have only just noticed that the decompressor seems to turn to the right and this may be how you make them work? anyone know if this is the case? OR can i just connect the glo plugs wire to the battery directly via a switch so i know that they are working?

 

thanks in advance

 

ps read a thread here where someone said their granddad used to light a fire under the tractor to get her going in the cold.. i am close to dragging the space heater /generator over the field to get the bloody thing going!

 

We have a 785 so not sure how similar. When you turn the key just before it cranks the red light on dash should go slightly dim.This should be the glow start on the engine. If the glow start is duff new one is around 15- £40. On ours we have a start position which floods the engine with diesel until it ticks over dont pull up to run position. If bat is good but sluggish to crank check terminals and all connections to chassis. Starter motor could be full of gung and require strip and service. Ours is completely cream crackered but still starts in -8 so your should do same. Check your fuel pump is good and filters are not full of water. Apart from that i dont have any more ideas.

[APC]

Could it be the alternator being duff and not charging the battery?

[Frankie Lawrence]

we had a problem with an old ford. forget numbers. the filters were frozen solid so we just light a fire in an old oil drum took half the top and stood it next to it in half an hour she was fine. Some times in needs jump starting though.

[hc1982te]

What sort of temperatures are you having overnight? Is the diesel waxing? We ve had problems with that here

[Brushcutter]

What sort of temperatures are you having overnight? Is the diesel waxing? We ve had problems with that here

 

Ours is doing that too.

 

If its not starting try using a hair dryer in the air intake. It works really well had to do that with an old transit van a few time.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Myt kubota heater works the same, you turn the key on then halfway between on and start, the ignition light goes dim, I hold it there for 20 seconds the turn it a bit more to start

 

The only problem I'm having is the oil viscocity in this cold. Its selectomatic. I can sit there with it in gear and the clutch up for around 2 minutes before it starts to move.

 

Once it's warm it's off straight away

[slack ma girdle]

Pah, you should try staring this when it is below freezing.

Lamp wick soaked in meths light under the fuel tank.

Air filter off and more lamp wick soaked in meths, whilst the handle is turned for about 5 minutes untill the air intake is hot to the touch.

refresh the lamp wick and light again, knock the decompression off and crank for all you are worth whilst wd40/enginne start is squirted into the air intake.

whole process takes about 20 minutes, by which time you are sweating and out of breath.

Oh for ignition and a starter moter !

[Mike Hill]

Pah, you should try staring this when it is below freezing.

Lamp wick soaked in meths light under the fuel tank.

Air filter off and more lamp wick soaked in meths, whilst the handle is turned for about 5 minutes untill the air intake is hot to the touch.

refresh the lamp wick and light again, knock the decompression off and crank for all you are worth whilst wd40/enginne start is squirted into the air intake.

whole process takes about 20 minutes, by which time you are sweating and out of breath.

Oh for ignition and a starter moter !

 

 

Its all better than push starting!