BX2360 Glow plugs/ cold weather starting

[mac1968]

I am a newbie to the diesel tractor world. I just bought this tractor last year, and i have noticed the last time i started it the glow plug light would not come on, this was when it was still warm. Anyways i was going to move some snow this morning (its about 28 deg) and when I went to start it the glow plug light wouldn't come on, i played with it a little while and got it to come on for a little bit, started the tractor and it was running rough, then smoothed out a little, so backed out and it died, now i can't get the glow plug light to come on and it will not start,,,,any suggestions

 

[radioman]

A BX should start without glow plugs it just cranks longer-- you just wont like the way it runs tills it warms up. Make sure none of the saftey switches is kicking in like hst pedal centered, pto lever off (shift on and off to be sure). If it conks out like you said - sounds like a fuel issue. check your tank. Do you see something like ice crystals ? or really thick like malasses ? then its a gelling issue. you need to add power service 911 and change BOTH fuel filters.

If you already add the white bottle power service or simalar and fuel looks good- open the hood. located the fuel shutoff on right side and make sure the plunger is out all the way.

 

[dodge man]

Radioman, his glow plug light isn't coming on so I doubt it's a fuel issue. I would say it could be some kind of interlock problem. I'm always bumping the PTO lever on mine so I would check that. Also check the the HST pedal and make sure it's in nuetral.

 

[DavidAubke]

A BX should start without glow plugs it just cranks longer

I don't think it will run at all without glow plugs. They're what provide the ignition for fuel/air in the cylinder - the diesel version of spark plugs. They stay hot while the engine is running. The warm-up position of the switch is just to preheat them before cranking.

Somebody help me out if that's incorrect. I think I learned that when I was about 8 years old and my grandfather bought a VW Rabbit and 300 gallons of heating oil in response to the oil embargo. I may have misunderstood what I was hearing.

 

[DavidAubke]

I would say it could be some kind of interlock problem. I'm always bumping the PTO lever on mine so I would check that. Also check the the HST pedal and make sure it's in nuetral.

mac1968, is it cranking at all? If not, I'd definitely check the safety interlocks. If it's turning over, I doubt it's one of those switches.

 

[dodge man]

No, the glow plugs are just to help get it started when it's cold. They don't do a thing once its running. Heat and compression are all it takes to keep a diesel running.

 

[DavidAubke]

No, the glow plugs are just to help get it started when it's cold. They don't do a thing once its running. Heat and compression are all it takes to keep a diesel running.

Learn something every day...

 

[mac1968]

no it will not start at all, it turns over acts like it wants to start, after it died it would turn over for and putter for about 5 or 10 secs....it did this about 3 or 4 times then after that it won't turn over at all.

 

[SeymourBota]

I'll bet it's the ignition switch.

Mine went and it would run the glow plugs but not the fuel pump. It would try to fire up but die.

If I recall, it was about a $60 part.

A new one solved the problem right away and was easy to install.

 

[radioman]

No, the glow plugs are just to help get it started when it's cold. They don't do a thing once its running. Heat and compression are all it takes to keep a diesel running.

exactly. You can start the BX in the summer without glowing plugs after its warmed up fromm use. during the winter, if one glow plugs is bad, and the other two is fine, it will still start- just not a pretty sight till black smoke clears from the unburned pistion until the fast compression ignites that cylinder and the engine will run smooth. I am thinking it might be the feul shutoff- or plugged filter since he said it got it started then died. has the feul been checked yet ? does the fuel filters looked waxy ?

Since the engine was able to turn over and now it won't, is the battery ok ? if you dont have enough power it wont glow plugs and turn over. If the bx never glowed at all and the engine hydrolocked from full of feul, that a bad sign.

Here is my checklist of what I WOULD DO for the OP:
1. connect battery charger to battery
2. check fuel, add 911 if the tractor been exposed to less then 20 degree weather if OP never added diesel treat for winter.
3. check the feul flow from the second filter close to engine, turn key on to see if it coming out from filtered side. if it ok then reconnect. if not trace it back to tank
4. pull the glow plugs wires and check resistance with ohmmeter for all 3
5. pull all glow plugs and crank engine over to make sure no feul is in the cylinders (dont glow plugs!!) reinstall
6. attempt to start engine this time and see if the glow light comes on before starting.