Uh-oh. This could be serious.
- Thread starter irvingj
- Start date
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Were you in the RAF?
Perhaps a good practice here would be to add an additional ground strap somewhere, as a back up.
I really like the winter, except when I am freezing my posterior off, trying to get something to run.
glad to hear your gc is back up and moving snow,after 20 yrs working on heavy equipment in the mining industry you learn quickly to check for grounds,ie loose,dirty or broken my gc had the flat braided ground wire/strap and it broken clean off from vibration,i replaced it with a short piece of 2/0 battery cable with battery eyes,i have been a lurker here but now i will post more frequent when i get a chance,glad to be of help and glad to be on board with a great group of people
OP
irvingj
Elite Member
Well revver, you sure saved my bacon; very glad you decided to post! :thumbsup:
I did notice, in my service manual, the photo of the GC oil filter showed a braided ground strap in the background, with a nice gentle U-turn. Guess some bean counters got a real deal on the very short --barely long enough-- stranded ground cable that I had on mine.
All is now well, and I've just completed cleaning up; couldn't stand it, said I wasn't coming in today, had to get my snow removal equipment repaired. Hate to do that, but when I've got a major mechanical or electrical issue at the home I just have to get it fixed. It just eats at me until I get it done. Had the LRB (Little Red Beast) up & running by about 11AM.
We got about 18", maybe more, and I sure am grateful for my neighbor with the plow- it allowed my daughter to get out this AM with her AWD van without dragging its belly, but... my driveway became about 4' narrower, and I had these huge piles of snow....
Thanks again --to all-- for contributing to such a great forum.
Here's some before & after pics!
I did notice, in my service manual, the photo of the GC oil filter showed a braided ground strap in the background, with a nice gentle U-turn. Guess some bean counters got a real deal on the very short --barely long enough-- stranded ground cable that I had on mine.
All is now well, and I've just completed cleaning up; couldn't stand it, said I wasn't coming in today, had to get my snow removal equipment repaired. Hate to do that, but when I've got a major mechanical or electrical issue at the home I just have to get it fixed. It just eats at me until I get it done. Had the LRB (Little Red Beast) up & running by about 11AM.
We got about 18", maybe more, and I sure am grateful for my neighbor with the plow- it allowed my daughter to get out this AM with her AWD van without dragging its belly, but... my driveway became about 4' narrower, and I had these huge piles of snow....
Thanks again --to all-- for contributing to such a great forum.
Here's some before & after pics!
Attachments
Walt, have you seen one of these? Avalanche Snow - Snow Removal Equipment, Snow Roof Rake for better Roof Maintenance, looks like your snow load is getting near the live load limits of that shop roof.
Jaylegger
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2009
- Messages
- 713
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson GC2600L
Hi irvingj,
Nice photos, couldn't help but notice that you have the snow-blower shoes on backwards. Was that intentional?
Nice photos, couldn't help but notice that you have the snow-blower shoes on backwards. Was that intentional?
MF RED in MT
Veteran Member
Hey Irvingj, so glad to hear your MF is now out of the ICU and again blowing snow, :thumbsup:. Years ago I had an old Power Wagon that died on me all of a sudden, and I was pulling my hair out trying to figure whats wrong, :confused2:. It turned out to be a simple ballast resister broken from vibration, looked good from the outside, but when I finally removed it, all of the inside guts fell apart, . Such a small item stopped this Power Wagon for a few days, . Glad to see all of the posting help for you, :thumbsup:. KC
. Such a small item stopped this Power Wagon for a few days, . Glad to see all of the posting help for you, :thumbsup:. KC Hey Irvingj, so glad to hear your MF is now out of the ICU and again blowing snow, :thumbsup:. Years ago I had an old Power Wagon that died on me all of a sudden, and I was pulling my hair out trying to figure whats wrong, :confused2:. It turned out to be a simple ballast resister broken from vibration, looked good from the outside, but when I finally removed it, all of the inside guts fell apart,
Great moments in automotive design history: The Chrysler ignition ballast resister. A critical part Chrysler's deeply flawed electronic ignition system. These resisters had to have had one of the highest failure rates of any automotive part ever made. Causing people to waste ton's of time, and money, on towing, and repairs, for almost 2 decades. :confused2:
When the ground goes bad all sorts of hinky things can happen. It is usually easy to find if it is just a no start, but I have seen all sorts of weird stuff happen that were caused by a faulty ground.
OP
irvingj
Elite Member
Thanks, guys, for all the support.
Ray, I do have a roof rake... time to get it out again; I do use it after every storm to clean off north-facing skylights, but you're right- garage roof (and other spots) are gettin' deep. That Avalance system looks pretty cool. Oh, yeah- looks like central NH is due for another 8-10" Saturday/Sunday....
Bill55-- yep, I was chasing down all sorts of dead ends until revver6 posted!!
MF RED & Ray- back when I was slinging a wrench --just as Chrysler's electronic ignition was coming out, but not widely used yet-- if a Mopar didn't start but had been running prior, that was always the first thing we checked. (Even non-electronic ignition used that resistor.) When I had my '62 Valiant, I always carried a spare in the glovebox! But at least Chrysler's was easy to spot & change- ever had a ballast resistor (one long wire of specified ohms/inch, buried in the harness) go on a GM? :mur:
Jaylegger- yes, backward shoes are intentional; I also asked about that when I bought it. Rick @ Northwood Power explained that it was far better at NOT catching on stuff when it was turned that way. I think he was right!
Later-- Walt
Ray, I do have a roof rake... time to get it out again; I do use it after every storm to clean off north-facing skylights, but you're right- garage roof (and other spots) are gettin' deep. That Avalance system looks pretty cool. Oh, yeah- looks like central NH is due for another 8-10" Saturday/Sunday....
Bill55-- yep, I was chasing down all sorts of dead ends until revver6 posted!!
MF RED & Ray- back when I was slinging a wrench --just as Chrysler's electronic ignition was coming out, but not widely used yet-- if a Mopar didn't start but had been running prior, that was always the first thing we checked. (Even non-electronic ignition used that resistor.) When I had my '62 Valiant, I always carried a spare in the glovebox! But at least Chrysler's was easy to spot & change- ever had a ballast resistor (one long wire of specified ohms/inch, buried in the harness) go on a GM? :mur:
Jaylegger- yes, backward shoes are intentional; I also asked about that when I bought it. Rick @ Northwood Power explained that it was far better at NOT catching on stuff when it was turned that way. I think he was right!
Later-- Walt
JMynes
Silver Member
Funky grounds are almost entertaining, in a frustrating kind of way.
It worked great yesterday, but now it won't go. But look, the flashers are flashing alternately, and this light comes on dim for no reason.
While they might not look related, this is classic bad ground. The electricity wants to flow, so it's finding an alternate route through that other light to it's ground. Usually an instrument panel light, because it is energized in the 'run' position, and you're sitting there looking at it.
Glad you got it fixed, Walt! Now that my snow is moved, I think I'll go have a look at that ground strap, and my MMM brackets while I'm crawling around.
It worked great yesterday, but now it won't go. But look, the flashers are flashing alternately, and this light comes on dim for no reason.
While they might not look related, this is classic bad ground. The electricity wants to flow, so it's finding an alternate route through that other light to it's ground. Usually an instrument panel light, because it is energized in the 'run' position, and you're sitting there looking at it.
Glad you got it fixed, Walt! Now that my snow is moved, I think I'll go have a look at that ground strap, and my MMM brackets while I'm crawling around.
OP
irvingj
Elite Member
Thanks, Mynes! And now, MORE good news!
After thinking about it, I was remembering that a year or so ago, the tractor seemed to be harder to start--at least, for sure not starting as well as it did when it was new.
That ground cable- was stranded copper, and obviously had to have all but one or two strands broken before it finally let go last Wednesday.... Might that also have something to do with the starting??
I found that, even when outside temps were warm, I still had to give it some glow to start. There was a thread about this; seems I wasn't the only one experiencing this. When it was cold, sometimes it didn't seem like the glow plugs were helping at all....
Well, here's my thinking: With half --or maybe most-- of the strands already broken, and any significant amp draw apparently uses that ground strap/cable for its ground path.... The tractor was probably having a bit of difficulty with both cranking and glow-ing, ever since those strands started to let go.
So I went out this AM, 15F; the tractor hadn't been run since Thursday, and I tried to start it with NO block heat.
And it did!! It took three tries, all with 20-30 seconds of glow, but it did start & run well once it began to pop. I'm also almost certain cranking speed was higher than it had been, which I'm sure also helped.
So- any others experiencing the need for glow when the tractor seemingly shouldn't need it... check that ground strap!:thumbsup:
After thinking about it, I was remembering that a year or so ago, the tractor seemed to be harder to start--at least, for sure not starting as well as it did when it was new.
That ground cable- was stranded copper, and obviously had to have all but one or two strands broken before it finally let go last Wednesday.... Might that also have something to do with the starting??
I found that, even when outside temps were warm, I still had to give it some glow to start. There was a thread about this; seems I wasn't the only one experiencing this. When it was cold, sometimes it didn't seem like the glow plugs were helping at all....
Well, here's my thinking: With half --or maybe most-- of the strands already broken, and any significant amp draw apparently uses that ground strap/cable for its ground path.... The tractor was probably having a bit of difficulty with both cranking and glow-ing, ever since those strands started to let go.
So I went out this AM, 15F; the tractor hadn't been run since Thursday, and I tried to start it with NO block heat.
And it did!! It took three tries, all with 20-30 seconds of glow, but it did start & run well once it began to pop. I'm also almost certain cranking speed was higher than it had been, which I'm sure also helped.
So- any others experiencing the need for glow when the tractor seemingly shouldn't need it... check that ground strap!:thumbsup:
Jeff Lary
Platinum Member
Wow i think it is really cool how you guys helped him out.I hope if/when i get into trouble you are there to save me!
Pixguy
Super Star Member
Jeff Lary
Platinum Member
it is nice to have so many diffrent people to look at your problem
JMynes
Silver Member
Walt, I have that same ground wire on my tractor. Black with a yellow stripe? It seems intact, but based on your experience I'm going to do a braided strap upgrade soon.
My MMM arm brackets are intact. I don't see how they would get stressed, they look like more of an alignment guide than a strength thing. You must have got the factory's new guy welding yours up.
I bet your glow and cranking problems were related to insufficient ground. High amps need big wire to travel on, and if it was 'half broken' the wire had less capacity. Your tractor was still starting, but I'd bet it warmed that ground wire up pretty good.
My MMM arm brackets are intact. I don't see how they would get stressed, they look like more of an alignment guide than a strength thing. You must have got the factory's new guy welding yours up.
I bet your glow and cranking problems were related to insufficient ground. High amps need big wire to travel on, and if it was 'half broken' the wire had less capacity. Your tractor was still starting, but I'd bet it warmed that ground wire up pretty good.
OP
irvingj
Elite Member
"I bet your glow and cranking problems were related to insufficient ground. High amps need big wire to travel on, and if it was 'half broken' the wire had less capacity. Your tractor was still starting, but I'd bet it warmed that ground wire up pretty good."
YUP! Never felt it, but I'm betting it was pretty warm. And yes, the ground cable was short (too short, methinks!), black with a yellow stripe.
Not only did it start without block heat the other day when it was so cold, but this AM it was 27F here; ordinarily I'd expect to have some --not too much, but some-- difficulty getting it started without block heat, so I'd just plug it in and either shovel snow for a while or have another cuppa coffee.
Today, however, it started immediately after 20 seconds of glow.
Hasn't done that in a while!
YUP! Never felt it, but I'm betting it was pretty warm. And yes, the ground cable was short (too short, methinks!), black with a yellow stripe.
Not only did it start without block heat the other day when it was so cold, but this AM it was 27F here; ordinarily I'd expect to have some --not too much, but some-- difficulty getting it started without block heat, so I'd just plug it in and either shovel snow for a while or have another cuppa coffee.
Today, however, it started immediately after 20 seconds of glow.
Hasn't done that in a while!
Jeff Lary
Platinum Member
Are you folks talking about Kubotas? I start mine almost4 times a week from minus 18 and up with just Glow plug and at 25 plus degrees i dont even use them. Do I have a oddity or what? I have no block heater the only thing extra i do is run some Power service in each tank of fuel.
This thread is in the Massey Ferguson forum, so I hope not. :thumbdown:
