Finally....an answer to the 2520 starting issue

revitupfaster · Dec 9, 2010

I thought I would start a new thread on this because people are probably tired of the old thread and may not see this, which I think is pretty important. Since there seemed to be a lot of confusion about this, I called my dealer, and at first he wasn't really sure, but luckily they had a new 2520 in stock awaiting delivery, so he went and checked. He called back and explained about a light on upper right side of the dash which I said was not shown or explained in my Operators Manual.

The manual for my tractor shows a picture of the dash, with the indicator lights labeled as to their function. The problem is, the manual does not show an indicator light which in fact is actually there.

The top light on the right side is the PTO engaged indicator, and in reality, there is a light under this, which is the "Pre-heat" indicator. This is apparently connected to a sensor, which determines how long the pre-heat function should run, depending upon the ambient temperature before actually starting the machine. The manual says absolutely nothing about this, and says nothing about waiting for it to go off before starting the machine.

I read the manual, thinking it was the "Bible" on the machine, so I never even realized the light was there. How many would take their operators manual to the machine to double check that it was correct?

Anyway, the starting procedure is to turn the ignition to the "on" position, and wait for that pre-heat lamp to go out, then fire away.

I told my dealer that the Operators manual says absolutely nothing about the pre-heat light nor that one should wait for it to go out before starting. He was quite surprised about this not being explained in the manual and is going to make sure he explains it to the owner of that new one he has in stock.

Apparently the starting procedures for the 2520 & 2720 are identical, however, the 2720 manual does show that pre-heat light although it is referred to as a "Glow Plug" light, when in fact it's this air pre-heater thing. The 2720 also says for cold weather starting to turn the ignition to "on" and wait 15 seconds before starting. Probably the amount of time for the light to go out.

All in all, the operators manual for the 2520 "sucks". JD should get their act together on this......it can't be that hard to get things like this right in the operators manual.

Sorry for the length, but I thought this would be important, especially to the 2520 owners, we're probably all in the same boat.

REV

kennyd · Dec 9, 2010

Just my opinion, but for "continuity" and "resolution" it should have been added to the original thread: Starting a 2520

Thanks for posting the details:thumbsup:

glc24 · Dec 9, 2010

Thanks for the info REV

Anyway, the starting procedure is to turn the ignition to the "on" position, and wait for that pre-heat lamp to go out, then fire away.

My dealer explained this to me.

You're right,the manual sucks.

Greg

Deadman · Dec 9, 2010

So does our older 2520 actually have the light that "Should" be coming on when we cycle the key? Or is there really no light? Just wondering if we can hook it up, or just live without it.

Thanks for the info.

JD755 · Dec 10, 2010

revitupfaster said:
Apparently the starting procedures for the 2520 & 2720 are identical, however, the 2720 manual does show that pre-heat light although it is referred to as a "Glow Plug" light, when in fact it's this air pre-heater thing.
REV

Just curious, but could you look at your engine to see if it really has the air heater instead of glow plugs. You can either just look at the engine if you know what to look for (best way and help can be provided, not hard), or check the engine tag per previous thread info.

jfrady · Dec 10, 2010

Kenny - thanks for including the link to original post

Zebrafive · Dec 10, 2010

I would ask the dealer if the new machine has an updated manual. JD is constantly updating manuals, maybe they have not caught up with current production.

I wanted the JD manual for my 640 Loader and bought 3 before I got the one current to my Loader.

billb3 · Dec 10, 2010

not exactly a new "mystery" for the 2520.

discussed back in March of 2008.
my 2520 was new then.
Apparently the same manual.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/117540-2520-questions.html

Anything else new ?

revitupfaster · Dec 10, 2010

billb3 said:
not exactly a new "mystery" for the 2520.

discussed back in March of 2008.
my 2520 was new then.
Apparently the same manual.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/117540-2520-questions.html

Anything else new ?

I wouldn't know a glow plug if I fell over it, so for me to look at the engine wouldn't help, but I do have a friend that would know, so I'll have him look the next time he's around.

I really don't think it does have actual glow plugs, but rather that "Pre-Heater" thing. When I talked to my dealer, and generally he pretty much knows his stuff, he said the 2305/2320 do have actual glowplugs, but the 2520 & 2720, both have the preheater system. (he said the pre-heat system actually works better than glow plugs - I would have no idea if this is true or not)

After reading the previous thread which also discusses this issue, and was just as confusing as this one, it sure sounds to me that the "Pre-heat" light is something that has been added to the 2520 on the newer models, because some folks are pretty adamant that they do not have this light. By the way, that thread was long before I was even considering a new tractor, so I had not seen it til now.

On my original thread, "JD755" posted a picture of the 2520 dash alongside the 2720 dash. The 2720 dash does show the light and describes it as a "Glowplug" indicator, where in fact I think it should have been described as the "Pre-Heat" indicator. Whatever, they both do basically the same thing, provide a starting aid.

My guess is that the early 2520's did not have the light, as the manual indicates, but it was added somewhere along the line, (probably about the time the 2720 series was added) but the 2520 manuals were never updated. I would also think that the early 2520's do have the air pre-heat system and everything works the same, just that they dont have the indicator. In other words, turn the key to on and wait 10 secs before starting the thing.

That's my story, and I'm stikin' to it.

By the way Kenny thanks for linking this to the original post. I just thought that most folks would have been pretty fed up with reading about this issue, and maybe not bothered to stick with the original thread. I felt this information may help clarify things for some other 2520 owners, and they should read it.

REV

JD755 · Dec 10, 2010

I can only go by what the John Deere Parts system shows. The drawings and parts lists show some 2520 have the air heater and some have the glow plugs. They also show all 2720 have glow plugs, and none of them have air heaters. I tend to trust the parts documentation over well meaning salesmen.

revitupfaster · Dec 10, 2010

JD755 said:
I can only go by what the John Deere Parts system shows. The drawings and parts lists show some 2520 have the air heater and some have the glow plugs. They also show all 2720 have glow plugs, and none of them have air heaters. I tend to trust the parts documentation over well meaning salesmen.

Do we not have any actual JD Techs that follow this forum that could get this straighted out for us.

At this point I give up. As long as the thing starts I'm good. How or why it starts......"Frankly Scarlet......I don't give a ......"

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diesel466 · Dec 10, 2010

Well I am going to try one last time, You are right jd755 the john deere parts clearly shows GLOW PLUGS on the new 2520 engines, I owned a 3005 with same engine and it had glow plugs, and yes I do know what a glow plug looks like, Jd part # mia 880840 is the cylinder head with glow plugs, you can use the where used feature to see it fits both 2520 and 3005. Glow plugs are a pre heat device as is a grid heater. Wow I cant believe this has been this hard.

kjung17 · Dec 10, 2010

I am new to this site, today. I am also,for better or worse, an actual JD tech. I mostly work on larger ag equipment, but have some knowledge of these little tractors. I can look up what we don't know. Is the engine Yanmar or Deere? Yanmar would be glow plug. Deer would likely be intake heater. Does the mystery indicator look like a little pig tail?

revitupfaster · Dec 10, 2010

kjung17 said:
I am new to this site, today. I am also,for better or worse, an actual JD tech. I mostly work on larger ag equipment, but have some knowledge of these little tractors. I can look up what we don't know. Is the engine Yanmar or Deere? Yanmar would be glow plug. Deer would likely be intake heater. Does the mystery indicator look like a little pig tail?

As far as I know, I think to date, all the JD SCUT & CUT Diesel tractors had Yanmar Engines. To answer your question, the "Mystery" light on my 2520, which is only about 2 months old, looks like a lightbulb, with a line inside the bulb that sort of forms 2 side by side loops. The light is on the upper right side of the dash directly under the lamp that comes on when the PTO is engaged.

It lights up as soon as you turn the key to the on position, and to me looks to be a orange colour when lit. Not a bright orange, but also not the same as the red lights on the left side of the dash

REV

kjung17 · Dec 10, 2010

That sounds right. Does the light not shut off? I did not read the original link.

revitupfaster · Dec 10, 2010

diesel466 said:
Well I am going to try one last time, You are right jd755 the john deere parts clearly shows GLOW PLUGS on the new 2520 engines, I owned a 3005 with same engine .

I have both the 2000 series brochure, and the 3000 series. Yes, the brochure lists both the 2520 and 3005 with the same Yanmar engine, right down to the same engine type number, 3TNV82A.

Why would the engine HP be more in the 3005 (27) than the 2520 (26.4). I know HST tractors have a lower PTO HP than would a gear drive, but I'm looking at the engine HP not PTO HP.

I know, a little off the thread subject.

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revitupfaster · Dec 10, 2010

kjung17 said:
That sounds right. Does the light not shut off? I did not read the original link.

Yes, the light will shut off in 10-15 secs. I really haven't timed it. My dealer said the duration the light stays on is related to a sensor, that measures the outside air temperature, and this determines how long the air pre-heater will stay on. Others seem to think the length of time is just a preset number of 10 secs or so.

REV

kjung17 · Dec 10, 2010

Again, this sounds normal. I would bet on the fixed timer, activated by ambient temp. Can I assume hard starting,still?

revitupfaster · Dec 10, 2010

kjung17 said:
Again, this sounds normal. Can I assume hard starting,still?

No....... I don't have a starting problem. The confusion is all about whether the 2520's have glow plugs or air pre-heaters, and what is the proper starting procedure. Some 2520 owners don't have the "Mystery" indicator light and my JD manual for the 2520 doesn't even mention anything about the light, its function or a starting procedure.

Your best bet would be to read all of this thread, and other threads which are referred to in this thread, and you will get a better idea of the confusion which surrounds the topic. It seems to me that JD has made a running change with the 2520, and basically we are trying to sort out what, if any, the changes were, and when they were introduced.

REV