Ford 1620 wont start

[cborg418]

Hi all new to the tractor thing. I recently purchased a Ford 1620 1.3 Shibaura 3 cylinder diesel around a month ago. I have used it 4 or 5 times in the last month. Always starts hard meaning it takes it forever to start after cranking it. On Saturday it took me I would say 5 minutes to get it started when it was 50 degrees out side. Everyone kept telling me that oh... its a diesel it doesn't like the cold. Well I know enough that it shouldn't been hard to start in 50 degree weather and it is in the garage. So it finally fired up and I used it for a few hours around the yard. During this time if i would get off of it and shut it off for a few it would fire up first turn of the key, and always does when the engine has warmed up. I put it up in the garage and went out to get on it the next day and it wont start. When I turn the key it turns over and puffs black smoke out of the exhaust, but that is about it.

I just purchased new fuel filter, air filter, and oil filter to change them all, here in the next day or two. I have checked the voltage at the glow plugs and get 12v. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JC-jetro]

I think it might be fuel related. Get a cup, turn fuel valve off , open the valve to see if yo get a good and steady fuel out of the tank. you can do this when you are changing the fuel filter so yo don't have to bleed the air out twice. Make sure the vent hole on the fuel cap is open. Getting 12 volt to glow plug, is not proof positive the plug is heating. I'd take the glow plug off and put 12 volts to see if it heat using an infra red temp gauge. Start diagnostic from simplest to hardest to avoid extra work.

JC,

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Are your glowplugs on a automatic timer or do you have to turn the key to the left to heat them. From your description of the hard starting I would guess some of or all the glowplugs are not working. It could be bad glow plugs or it could an electrical problem like the timer.Hook a test light to the glow plugs and turn the key on and see how long they have power to them. I would guess from 15 to 30 sec would be acceptable.
Bill

 

[cborg418]

Bill it is the type were you turn the key to the left. there is no timer on it that I am aware of. If you turn the key backwards it will keep power to the plugs.

 

[Lou66]

I had the same problem on one of my old tractors a couple years ago,, my son in law told me to get a can of starter fluid and spray the inlet air filter,, if it starts right up then it your glowplugs,, if not then it a fuel problem.. it was the glowplugs.. I don't know if this will help or not.. but good luck.. Lou

 

[JC-jetro]

One should not use any starter fluid, ether or highly flammable liquid to start a diesel engine. Need to find of the source of the problem. Getting juice to glow plug is no positive indication of it actually heating up. Need to verify that like i suggested above.



JC,

 

[Turbys_1700]

I have a 1720 New Holland that cranks very easily...
It sounds like a glow plug to me...
If your fuel was bad I doubt that it would fire at all...

 

[cborg418]

I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT THE OHM METER SHOULD READ IF THE PLUGS ARE GOOD OR BAD. I PUT MY METER ON THE PLUGS LAST NIGHT IT READ 0 ON THE METER WHEN IT WAS SET TO X1K. THE METER WENT FROM THE LEFT AND BOTTOM OUT ON 0 TO THE RIGHT. HOWEVER I REMEMBERED YOU SAID TO TAKE THE WIRE OFF THE PLUG BEFORE TESTING. WHEN I WENT TO DO THIS MY METER NO LONGER WORKED. SO I WILL BE GETTING A NEW FUSE TODAY. I DID PULL THE PLUG ON THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER AND PUT 12V TO IT AND IT GLOWED ORANGE. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL THE MIDDLE PLUG IT UN SCREWED FROM THE BLOCK BUT WOULD NOT COME OUT. IS THIS EVIDENCE THAT THE PLUG COULD BE SWOLLEN AND BAD. THANKS IN ADVANCE.

 

[Loadstar]

One of the fastest way to check if any glow plugs are working is to check amp draw at battery when they should be on. (fast if you have a clamp on meter)

 

[cborg418]

Well thanks to all for your help. I have checked everything that you have all suggested. Glow plugs were fine injectors were fine. It is looking like it is compression issue. So..... It went into the shop yesterday. Hopefully it is just a valve that needs adjusted. If it is a head gasket not sure what that is going to set me back. But i guess that is the chance you take buying used stuff unfortunately. Thanks again for all the help!!