Starting --- long crank times?

[jnjpream]

To test the weak battery theory, jump it with a known good battery to see if it changes anything. It's a 12 volt system, so any car battery should do. Just be sure to get the polarity right as when jumping any battery.

 

[RobiBX2230]

To test the weak battery theory, jump it with a known good battery to see if it changes anything. It's a 12 volt system, so any car battery should do. Just be sure to get the polarity right as when jumping any battery.

I assume a car battery will have enough CCA (I read 850-1000 minimum for a tractor to fire up in the cold)

 

[jnjpream]

That should be more than enough to crank the little 3-cylinder in the BX.

 

[Wildbill34]

I was having the same problem. I stopped by the dealer and spoke with the mechanic and he said to put my tractor in gear and turn the key like I was trying to start it for 20-30 seconds. Put it in neutral then turn the key to start and it should start right up.

I followed his instruction to the letter, and sure enough, it started instantly. I have no switch or light to let me know that the glow plugs are ready or not. I went out there tonight and tried it again with the same results. Instantly fired up with absolutely very little cranking time (1/2 a second...maybe).

 

[RobiBX2230]

I was having the same problem. I stopped by the dealer and spoke with the mechanic and he said to put my tractor in gear and turn the key like I was trying to start it for 20-30 seconds. Put it in neutral then turn the key to start and it should start right up.

I followed his instruction to the letter, and sure enough, it started instantly. I have no switch or light to let me know that the glow plugs are ready or not. I went out there tonight and tried it again with the same results. Instantly fired up with absolutely very little cranking time (1/2 a second...maybe).

Do you mean glow it for 20-30 seconds in gear then pop it in nuetral and start to crank it?

 

[Wildbill34]

Robi,

Exactly! I would try 20 seconds first then move to 30 seconds if you need to. But it works like a champ. I think I will try it again with less time to see how it does getting the glow plug going.

 

[jnjpream]

put my tractor in gear and turn the key like I was trying to start it for 20-30 seconds

That won't make a difference on the BX22's.. The BX22's don't enable the glow plugs while cranking. There is a glow position on the switch, just before crank, that you are expected to hold it in to energize the glow plugs.

For some other tractors, the glow plugs energize when you are cranking. So for those tractors you can put it in gear to disable the starter and allow the glow plugs to stay energized while the key is in the crank position.

One trick I have done with the BX22 on REALLY cold starts, is to glow for 30-45 seconds then crank. Normally on a cold day, without doing the next step, the engine would cough, sputter, and die. So the trick is as soon as the engine starts to cough and sputter, but before it dies, just release the key to the glow position until the engine starts firing regularly on all cylinders, then release the key to the run position and you are good to go.

 

[RobiBX2230]

That won't make a difference on the BX22's.. The BX22's don't enable the glow plugs while cranking. There is a glow position on the switch, just before crank, that you are expected to hold it in to energize the glow plugs.

For some other tractors, the glow plugs energize when you are cranking. So for those tractors you can put it in gear to disable the starter and allow the glow plugs to stay energized while the key is in the crank position.

One trick I have done with the BX22 on REALLY cold starts, is to glow for 30-45 seconds then crank. Normally on a cold day, without doing the next step, the engine would cough, sputter, and die. So the trick is as soon as the engine starts to cough and sputter, but before it dies, just release the key to the glow position until the engine starts firing regularly on all cylinders, then release the key to the run position and you are good to go.

So we got a pretty decent storm of about 6 inches of really wet heavy snow... I had the battery of the tractor plugged into a solar powered trickle maintainer (only produces about 1.8 watts max) for a few days and I used a magnetic block heater for about 30 minutes... I glowed the plugs for about 20 seconds and it fired after about 5 seconds of cranking... I am thinking it is really just a battery toward the end of its life and couldn't get the engine cranking fast enough to start... I figured for $50 for the solar charger and magnetic block heater, those are things I can use on other tractors or vehicles so it was money well spent and I will consider a new battery next season - now if shear pins would stop breaking I'd be all set - but thank God for shearpins instead of stripping gears!

 

[Wildbill34]

I would increase your glowing to 30-40 seconds and try it again. Not sure if it was because you glowed them for 20 seconds or if it was due to the addition of the heater or the charger, but it seems like you cut the cranking time in half. Very well may be your battery is shot or on its way out.

If after a 30-40 glow and still doesn't start right away, I would then go have the battery tested. Mine was 5 year and I had to replace it.