TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!!

   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #1  

newholland4me

Bronze Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
51
Started tractor yesterday no problem...had glow plug light. Drove into back pasture, moved a hay rack then proceeded to start mowing. All of a sudden while going down a slight incline, tractor starts shaking, obviously losing power. Disengaged the PTO, tractor stops. I tried to re-start, no go. Took a few times and when it started it was still shaking almost acting like it wasn't getting fuel? It quit a few more times, I was able to get it started, shaking some, then started clearing & RPM's would run up, then run back down....did this a bunch more times. I just sat there and let it continue until it seemed to 'clear itself'. It was running full RPM's and I started to take it back to the house/barn and it quit. This time no shaking, it just died. I tried to re-start, NO glow plug lights, NO nothing e.g. would not even turn over. ugh It was getting dark so left it out there. I have not been back out there as of yet. I have been trying to google and see what I may be able to try?

I have always received wonderful help on this forum & have been able to actually resolve some previous issues on my own with your help!! :) I need to always preface my posts with this: I am a girl who has very little mechanical knowledge and am flying solo here as my husband works out of town.

The battery was JUST replaced less than a yr. ago and the tractor has not seen that much use since then. It has been started and used every couple of months with absolutely NO issues whatsoever. The oil was also changed this spring. It is an '07 that has been maintained all along. We did have an issue previously that about drove us NUTS e.g. RPM's would vacillate constantly....stupid safety switch on the seat!!! Also, had an issue with battery terminals...thought we had all sorts of waaaaaaay more complex issue e.g. relays, fuses etc. and it turned out to be the stupid terminal/cable connection being loose. I thought I should start there? I have no idea how/what/where re: glow plugs So I will probably need some help there?

As always, thank you in advance for any/all suggestions and remember to assume that your instructions need to be in the form of "Tractor Repairs for Dummies"!!!

Thanks guys!!!
Karen
 
   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #2  
The symptoms you describe sound to me like fuel supply restriction. I assume that during routine servicing/maintenance the fuel filter has been replaced and the bowl cleaned as would be expected. I also assume that no one ever told you or your husband that there is another filter on TZ series tractors. Most TZ series owners don"t know it exists until the tractor quits as yours did. It's an inline style filter NH part# SBA360720070 and it's tucked away behind the left rear wheel. I"ve always had to jack up the left rear axle and remove the tire to access it. If this has not been changed recently(if ever?), then I would start there. As for the electrical issue, I suspect the shaking, rattling and rolling has probably loosened up a battery/cable connection somewhere, and disturbed the power or ground circuit somehow.
 
   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #3  
I would check to make sure the battery still has a charge. Do any lights come on? I am just wondering by the way it sputtered out if something happened with the alternator and you ran off of the battery until it died.
 
   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #4  
I sure agree with Harry in Ky that fuel starvation is the culprit. Filter is certainly the reasonable thing, but an outside chance is fuel cutoff solenoid. If the alternator is dying, you should see a warning light, but if you have a bad connection somewhere, the fuel solenoid could be getting low current or intermittent current. The only reason I mention this is because of the glow plug and additional electrical problems that seemed to show up. I'd sure check all the fuses and look at the solenoid. It screws into the back of the injector pump and has one spade connector. If the solenoid looks burned, a shorted coil could be your culprit, but if it looks fine, it could still be dropping out because of low current.

All this guessing may be academic if you've got your tractor running, but if not check for fuel starvation and additionally electrical problems that could cause the fuel solenoid to drop out and shut off fuel intermittently.
 
   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #5  
Errrrrrr, got home from vacation about two hours ago. Started mowing lawn and all of a sudden black smoke, shaking and no power. I limped her home. This is not the first time this has happened and I am almost positive it is the fuel filter. Will get one tomorrow. Tractor was in a month ago or oil change and new filters. Obviously not a fuel filter.
 
   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #6  
Been dealing with same issue...new filters, new solenoid, still cutting out when hot. Seems that since it runs fine when cold and for the first hour, that an obstruction wouldn't be the problem. Fuel Pump issues? I feel your pain.
 
   / TZ25DA NO glow plug light, DOA in back field HELP!!! #7  
I found an issue with electrical connections that caused tractor to die when hot. There are two (on my tractor) in-line electrical connectors near the alternator and starter. They seem to be all-weather connectors that act as disconnects when removing the alternator, and one of them holds a master fuse. So it turns out that because these connections are near the exhaust system and also near hydraulic cooling lines going to/from radiator, they would get hot and somehow arc and stop conducting. Disconnecting and then reconnecting them would usually fix them, sometime even just a wiggle would work. I ended up using a wire brush to clean the connectors which had black soot collected in them from arcing. These connectors have been problematic for me for the last couple years. The tractor just goes completely dead when they arc. Sometimes letting it sit for 5 minutes it would come back to life, probably because there are self-resetting circuit breakers that are tripped by the arcing.
 
 
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