Crazy no-start episode

[Hay Dude]

Went to grab my Case-IH MX-270 and Krone baler yesterday to move to another location and you guessed it….no start.
Immediately I began looking around and noticed no dash lights, no gauges, nothing.
Tractor would crank, but not start. No puffs from exhaust while cranking, so no fuel either.

Immediately began testing & looking at fuses. I was sitting in cab with key in the on position. I began pulling fuses and looking at them for a blown fuse (no tester with me) key was on.

As I pulled probably the 30th fuse, the gauges, lights and AC fan came to life. Notice I said pulled fuse.
Instinctively, I turned the key and the 8.3L Cummins immediately roared to life.
Now I’m really confused.

Looked at the fuse I pulled which allowed everything to once again work and it was the fuse for the rear work lights WTH?
So tractor runs perfectly without the rear work lights fuse installed……

Short circuit in fuse block? Rear light wires touching other wires. Other ideas?

 

[KWentling]

So if you replace the fuse it goes back to a no start condition? If you install the fuse with the engine running it kills the engine? A dead short should blow the fuse. I'd use a test light at the fuse to see if the light circuit is drawing current. I have no idea how the light circuit is related to your no start problem. Maybe robbing power from the ECM? Poor grounds can cause issues.

 

[loggin]

Went to grab my Case-IH MX-270 and Krone baler yesterday to move to another location and you guessed it….no start.
Immediately I began looking around and noticed no dash lights, no gauges, nothing.
Tractor would crank, but not start. No puffs from exhaust while cranking, so no fuel either.

Immediately began testing & looking at fuses. I was sitting in cab with key in the on position. I began pulling fuses and looking at them for a blown fuse (no tester with me) key was on.

As I pulled probably the 30th fuse, the gauges, lights and AC fan came to life. Notice I said pulled fuse.
Instinctively, I turned the key and the 8.3L Cummins immediately roared to life.
Now I’m really confused.

Looked at the fuse I pulled which allowed everything to once again work and it was the fuse for the rear work lights WTH?
So tractor runs perfectly without the rear work lights fuse installed……

Short circuit in fuse block? Rear light wires touching other wires. Other ideas?

I would also be checking for possible loose connections and/or wire damage due to rodents.

 

[DonRybak]

That just doesn't make sense. Are you sure that the fuse it for the rear lights? You didn't mention if you reinstalled the fuse and the issue returned. I assume the lights are controlled by a switch and if the switch was off the problem would be between the fuse that the switch. For that circuit to load down the entire electrical system and not blow the fuse is confusing. Is that fuse possibly close to a main fuse that maybe there's a loose connection on the underside of the fuse box and moving the fuse cause it to make contact? Please keep us undated on this because it's areal gem.

 

[IndyJay]

Are the rear lights the ONLY thing coming off that fuse?

 

[heyinway]

Rodent damage to wiring...bare wire(s) touching

 

[DonRybak]

Any update Hay Dude????

 

[Hay Dude]

Are the rear lights the ONLY thing coming off that fuse?

Thats what is on the diagram on the back of the fuse panel cover. But that wouldn’t explain why removing the fuse allows the electrical system to function properly

 

[Hay Dude]

Any update Hay Dude????

I am moving the tractor about 7 miles tomorrow
May have an update tomorro, too.

 

[IndyJay]

Thats what is on the diagram on the back of the fuse panel cover. But that wouldn’t explain why removing the fuse allows the elite electrical system to function properly

While not being familiar with your tractor, I have had experiences in my earlier life with unexpected circuitry where a relay was holding out an interlock but when it was not powered it would clear. One example was a time delay relay around a low oil pressure switch that gave a few seconds for oil pressure to build during startup then drop out leaving the switch as only path. It was intended to shut down in event of low oil pressure but without the TDR you would not be able to start it. Big tractors like yours are probably a little more complex that the CUTS that most of us know and love...