New guy with a Ford 1500 diesel start/run problem.

[BKBoiss]

Just a thought here. I watched your video and it does seem to be cranking rather slow. My brother and I have had a number of instances with the trucks in very cold weather not wanting to start. They just don't seem to crank over quite fast enough. We air it up and then give it a tug and usually that old cat engine is grumbling and growling within 15-20 feet of letting the clutch out. If you have someone that can help, give it a pull start, worse that it can do is waste a bit of time.
On a side note I re-read your first post. Have you checked the air cleaner intake lines etc to make sure nothing is blocking it. Or maybe an air shutoff of some sort?

 

[Beansoup]

BKBoiss,

Thanks for the quick reply. I think I read somewhere that it wasn't good to pull a 4WD tractor but I don't know why. If I can get someone with a powerful enough vehicle I think I might try it, at least at maybe 5 mph.

I did take the air filter off, cleaned the screens and changed the oil. I gave it a crank with the filter off but still no go.

Oh the struggles of dumb old banjo player.



EDIT: Oops, I just had a thought. The dozer blade is setting right on the ground as is the brush hog. I could take the brush hog off but not likely to get the dozer blade off to pull it. Dang this is getting to be a puzzle.

 

[Beansoup]

Thanks bspeedy. I agree with you with their toughness and ability to work. I got to use it a little last 2 years and it's a great little workhorse. I wouldn't trade it.

Share some pics of the old tractor if you have the chance. I'm the proud owner of my dad's 1700, the not-much-bigger brother to your 1500.

Good luck getting her running. As the others have stated, ether is a no-go. When cold, mine will not start without the glow plugs. After warm-up, it starts easily. Put a good, fresh battery in it with the highest CCA's you can find. Get the glow plugs working - put them on their own momentary contact switch if the wiring harness is too much of a mess. And do spend the time to change the fuel and fuel filter. Might want to make sure the injection pump has oil in it, too.

These old Fords have some small common problems, but they will do a lot of work and are heavy built.

 

[square1]

Watched the video. It's turning over slow, at about the rate that would be a last ditch effort in hope it starts before getting out the jumper cables / battery charger on my 1700.

The smoke in the video looks white which would be an indicator of fuel not being burned OR coolant in the combustion chamber. Should be able to smell the difference.

How many hours on the meter?

 

[rjok]

How long are you heating the glow plugs? If the glow plug indicator has what looks like a coiled wire in it you need to hold the switch in the preheat mode until it glows red. If it is just a light , you will need to hold for like 10 to 15 seconds to get glow plug very hot. Hope this helps. Rick

 

[jones6780]

On your first post you said it chugged like a steam engine. It may have been running on 1 cylinder. I would suggest bleeding the fuel line at the injectors to verify both have fuel. Next I would test/verify glow plugs. Use new/good battery. As long as injector pump timing hasn't slipped, it should fire. All it needs is air, fuel at the right time, and compression.

 

[Beansoup]

Well guys, I want to thank you all for your advice and support. I'm sorry I haven't replied to square1, rjok, and jones6780 before now.

You ALL helped, and also were ALL correct in your ideas. And - WE GOT IT RUNNING! :cool2:

One of my guitar students came by this past week and watched me crank it. He said it sure seemed like only one cylinder was trying to fire. He works on cars but doesn't have a pressure gauge that goes up high enough to check the tractor. Yesterday he came over with some gasket goop and feeler gauges and we took the valve cover off.

One of the push rods slipped off of it's rocker on a cylinder. He said that's not a common thing to "just happen" but couldn't find a reason for it. The good news is that it's not bent and there's no apparent damage anywhere. So he put it back and check the clearances on all of them. I let the glow plug on for a minute plus and it started up like brand new.

I am a happy guy. One front tire went flat while sitting for a year, and the valve stem broke off on a back tire when I tried checking the air pressure, so those are now in the truck and I'll take them in tomorrow to be fixed. I'll finally get the fields mowed, and then "bring on the snow."

Thank you guys again for the help.

 

[jones6780]

Great!

 

[bspeedy]

Hey, that's GREAT! Glad to hear it. There's a soft spot in my heart for the xx00 compact Fords...

 

[square1]

Well guys, I want to thank you all for your advice and support. I'm sorry I haven't replied to square1, rjok, and jones6780 before now.

You ALL helped, and also were ALL correct in your ideas. And - WE GOT IT RUNNING! :cool2:

One of my guitar students came by this past week and watched me crank it. He said it sure seemed like only one cylinder was trying to fire. He works on cars but doesn't have a pressure gauge that goes up high enough to check the tractor. Yesterday he came over with some gasket goop and feeler gauges and we took the valve cover off.

One of the push rods slipped off of it's rocker on a cylinder. He said that's not a common thing to "just happen" but couldn't find a reason for it. The good news is that it's not bent and there's no apparent damage anywhere. So he put it back and check the clearances on all of them. I let the glow plug on for a minute plus and it started up like brand new.

I am a happy guy. One front tire went flat while sitting for a year, and the valve stem broke off on a back tire when I tried checking the air pressure, so those are now in the truck and I'll take them in tomorrow to be fixed. I'll finally get the fields mowed, and then "bring on the snow."

Thank you guys again for the help.

Awesome! You're going to love how big a tractor that 1500 thinks it is (and works like!)