New to me TC29D cranks & won’t start

[ruffdog]

Are you holding the key at the GP position for at least 10 seconds BEFORE proceeding to the crank position?

 

[CalienteJohn]

Are you holding the key at the GP position for at least 10 seconds BEFORE proceeding to the crank position?

The glow plugs are on a timer it seems like
The GP dash indicator light cycles on the run key position for between about three to seven seconds then turns off and clicks

I’ve got a compression test kit in hand and a continuity meter as well. I’ll see what I can find out about the GP test and I’ll compression test while each GP is out for the test

 

[thepumpguysc]

You do know that you can’t use a compression tester for a gasoline engine, dont you.?
The gauge doesn’t go high enough..
Good luck with the testing..

 

[spitter]

As an owner of a healthy TC 29 D I can tell you for a fact that that engine will start with no glow plugs no problem. Mine sits outside all year, and it has started in -0 temperature without a block heater.
Compression test procedure is correct, disconnect power to glow plugs, battery charger is only there so you don't kill the battery while cranking.

 

[spitter]

A gas engine makes anywhere from 8:1 - 14:1 compression you most certainly can check the compression on a gas engine.
How does that dumb ass statement pertain to a diesel tractor.
Compression tests are done to check the health of gas engines all the time.

 

[LouNY]

A gas engine makes anywhere from 8:1 - 14:1 compression you most certainly can check the compression on a gas engine.
How does that dumb ass statement pertain to a diesel tractor.
Compression tests are done to check the health of gas engines all the time.

Talk about dumb ass statements.
I have seen nothing in this thread that has said compression tests can not be done on gas engines.
I did see one that mentions that the compression gauge for a gas engine will not have enough range of scale for a diesel with it's higher compression ratio of18:1 - 21:1.

 

[RjCorazza]

Not encouraging inflammatory rhetoric, but if thepumpguy had worded his response better there would not have been a misunderstanding.
It should have read "you know you can't use a gasoline engine compression tester on a diesel engine..."
The subject matter was the testing of a diesel though.

 

[spitter]

Read post 23 Lou. Or can't you read. It say you cant use a compression tester on a gas engine.

 

[K5lwq]

Read post 23 Lou. Or can't you read. It say you cant use a compression tester on a gas engine.

It is apparent you can’t read or maybe comprehend. Post 23 does not say you can’t use a compression tester on a gas engine.

It clearly says you can’t use a compression tester FOR a gasoline engine. And then goes on to explain the gauge does not read high enough. This was a heads up post as the OP stated he already had a compression test kit.

 

[spitter]

All compression testers have gauges that go from 0 - 300 psi. The only thing that's different in the gas diesel testers is the adapters in the kit.

 

[K5lwq]

Interesting as ever one I have ever seen for diesel engines goes up to 1000psi. That engine should be close to 500psi certainly more than 300psi.

Edit: From what I found the pressure range shows to be 350 to 425 PSI for the TC29D.

 

[MTGreen]

To test the glow plugs with the multimeter, disconnect the plug wire/strap/bar that connects each of them together, and measure the resistance(ohms) of each one between the connector post and the engine block.

Yes, the compression is tested through the glow plug holes with an adapter. Harbor Freight has a reasonable price diesel compression test kit with the correct glow plug adapters. Be careful removing/reinstalling the glow plugs -they are not as robust as spark plugs and a broken off plug is a PITA.
After you have the gauge connected, pull the wire to the injector pump solenoid and crank -the gauge will hold at the highest compression reading. If it's low, remove the adapter out of the glow plug hole and squirt in about a tablespoon of engine oil through the glow plug hole, replace the adapter, and test again. If the compression goes up, it's the likely the rings are bad. If no change, it's likely a valve issue.

My vote with the info available is for bad rings being likely. These can usually be changed without splitting the tractor by pulling the head & oil pan.

You are getting smoke on cranking and you are getting spurts when the injector lines are cracked -this doesn't necessarily mean it's absolutely not a fuel issue but it's less likely.

 

[spitter]

Thats correct but the gauge doesn't say for diesel engines. My pressure rating was off. I stand corrected.

 

[LouNY]

Read post 23 Lou. Or can't you read. It say you cant use a compression tester on a gas engine.

Read the second line, or can't you comprehend two sentences together.

 

[CalienteJohn]

Ladies ladies I take full blame for that pissing match apologies everyone. I should have phrased my post that I have a harbor freight diesel compression test kit in hand along with the multimeter…

I did not get to the tractor this weekend I was running our 1964 caterpillar 12’ blade road grader fixing our roads up for the season.

Took longer then expected sorry for no updates. Tomorrow after work I’ll get some testing done

Thanks everyone!!!!

 

[CalienteJohn]

To test the glow plugs with the multimeter, disconnect the plug wire/strap/bar that connects each of them together, and measure the resistance(ohms) of each one between the connector post and the engine block.

Yes, the compression is tested through the glow plug holes with an adapter. Harbor Freight has a reasonable price diesel compression test kit with the correct glow plug adapters. Be careful removing/reinstalling the glow plugs -they are not as robust as spark plugs and a broken off plug is a PITA.
After you have the gauge connected, pull the wire to the injector pump solenoid and crank -the gauge will hold at the highest compression reading. If it's low, remove the adapter out of the glow plug hole and squirt in about a tablespoon of engine oil through the glow plug hole, replace the adapter, and test again. If the compression goes up, it's the likely the rings are bad. If no change, it's likely a valve issue.

My vote with the info available is for bad rings being likely. These can usually be changed without splitting the tractor by pulling the head & oil pan.

You are getting smoke on cranking and you are getting spurts when the injector lines are cracked -this doesn't necessarily mean it's absolutely not a fuel issue but it's less likely.

There’s a whopper of a post copy that

Will do to everyone in the help testing GPs as well as DIESEL engine compression testing.

I will also follow up on on the tablespoon ish squirt of oil in each cylinder IF compression is low.

Is replacing bad rings something I can accomplish myself with the community help here and some university of YouTube videos???

I do have a small shop!

THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYONE!!

Encouraged tonight!

 

[Williy]

Well I am not a diesel mechanic but I knew right
away he was saying that a gas engine compression
unit will not work to check the compression on a diesel.
petrol engines have a CR of 8–10, while diesel engines have a CR of 15–20.

willy

 

[Redlined0002]

Injection pump

 

[thepumpguysc]

THAT certainly would be the lesser of two evils..($$$)
between an engine o/h and an inj pump o/h..

 

[Paul McILwain]

Even with a bad injection pump or glow plugs it should at least kick with ether spray. To check glow plugs, remove and lay them on the block or ground them with a jumper then with them cycled on check to see if they get hot and glow. You could also just connect them to any 12v dc battery and do the same. My suspicion is low compression due to worn rings but I am just a back yard mechanic