How do I start a Ford New Holland 545d?

[whodat526]

these tractors dont have glow plugs on them

 

[RickB]

The tractor has a 3 pt hitch.

That switch by the throttle, it won't stay in the flipped position. If I rock the switch, it just rocks back, it won't lock. Do you think that that is for glow plugs? I wasn't even sure if it has glow plugs. My truck does and I know not to touch ether. But, I have heard that that can work well with diesels without the glow plugs. I will check the wires going to each cylinder, but does anyone know if it is a glow plug motor?
But, it sounds like it uses a grid heater turned on by the key.
I am not sure if I am getting it to spin fast enough. I think I am going to get a solenoid, drain the fuel and take a video of it spinning. Then you can let me know if it is cranking fast enough. It certainly is not spinning as fast as my 7.3 powerstroke.
I also just want to say thanks to everyone helping with this.

I have been working on NH tractors professionally for nearly 15 years. Some of these guys trying to 'help' wouldn't know a 545 if it ran them over. You will need about 200 RPM cranking speed to get this thing to start. It does not have glowplugs, but may have thermostart which is controlled by the key switch (thermostart is an OPTION). If you want to give it a sniff of ether, pull the wire off the thermostart unit as I suggested just to be safe. Off hand I can't recall what the rocker switch is for and I don't have an OM here at home.

 

[markct]

More posts by folks that don't know as much about that tractor as you do.

The thermostart unit (an intake manifold heater, not glowplugs) is controlled by the key switch. You can unplug the wire to the thermostart unit (front inside surface of the intake manifold) if you wish to give it a sniff of ether.

There is a bleed screw on top of the fuel filter head, probably a 9/16" hex. Another bleeder on the injection pump, 5/16" hex on the main body of the pump, just about dead canter of your latest photo.

The operating lever on the top front of the pump is the fuel shutoff. make sure it is fully forward in the 'run' position. If you do drain the fuel, change the filter.The fuel filter is a very common CAV filter sold by just about anyonr that sells filters.

yea im not an expert but i did say heating grid or glowplugs, heating grid would be intake heater so ease up a bit there, i just said both since wasnt sure how new that tractor was and maybe at some point for did use glow plugs, im familiar with fords, have run, worked on, and owned some. i just said it as a generalization since i didnt know for sure if they ever used glow plugs on some

 

[clydesdale]

I don't think it is spinning that fast. I kind of have a crappy set up. I am using 4ft of 4 gauge stereo power wire to jump from the battery to the starter. I am not sure how much juice I am loosing there. I crank the starter for about 10 seconds and I can only do that about 8 times before the speed drops way off. The battery might not have enough guts anymore. I should be ordering a solenoid tomorrow. I am not sure how much that will help with power to the starter vs the power cable, but it surely will be more convenient. I may get a new battery or have it tested tomorrow drain the fuel and replace with fresh.

 

[clydesdale]

Rick, is the bleed screw the one that is located right above the label in the last photo of the pump? I think I am going to lay off the ether for now. I have never used it and I don't want to make this tractor worse.

 

[Transit]

Rick, you may have a few problems back to back. After a year and a half of sitting the fuel needs to be dumped, it most likely has diesel bugs growing in it and the same for the filters. To work the air from the lines you need to crank the engine over. If the engine has compression release that would be a great help by reducing the startup drag.
Crack open the fuel line to each injector, at the injector one at a time and crank the engine, you should see fuel and air, then all fuel leak from that line. Once all the lines are bleed you will have a much better chance at starting. If you can drag the tractor to a place to power a battery charger that will help too. Good luck.

 

[RickB]

Rick, is the bleed screw the one that is located right above the label in the last photo of the pump? I think I am going to lay off the ether for now. I have never used it and I don't want to make this tractor worse.

Yes, that is the bleed screw. If you take the screw completely out, the internal fuel transfer pump should pump fuel with no air bubbles out to the RH front tire when cranking the engine.

There is no compression release.

 

[AndyG]

Read Clydesdale's posts more carefully. In post #1 & 14 he tells us that "white smoke" is comming from the exhaust. That "white smoke" is unburned fuel. The cylinders are getting fuel so there is no need to tear the fuel system apart and cause a bunch more work. One of the beautiful things about diesel is that it can sit for extended periods without going bad like gasoline does. I doubt that there is anything wrong with the fuel. I think that the person who suspected the engine isn't turning fast enough is on to something. A slow cranking engine may not build up enough heat in the cylinder to light off the "white smoke" fuel that is in there. We had that very problem with a diesel engine here one time. In this case, a bit of either may be the answer to starting the engine after all other heaters are disconnected. Clydesdale, make sure that the battery is fully charged and that all of the connections are clean and tight. You might even borrow one of the batterys from your truck since you know that they are good. For good measure you might also hook up a set of jumpers while you are trying to start the tractor.

 

[barbqranch]

Also, #4 wire just doesn't sound heavy enough to me to start a reluctant diesel.

 

[clydesdale]

The #4 wire does get hot. I ordered the solenoid this a.m.. If it is the original starter, and I believe it is, then it should fit. Apparently, solenoids are a ***** to get right on these starters. Many don't fit. I am going to bring the battery to get load tested now. I syphoned off the fuel tank and I am going to add 5 gallons of fresh diesel anyway. How do you remove the fuel filter, if I even want to go there? I see a bolt at the top in the center. Does that keep the filter housing together? Sorry, no manual and I don't want to break something and have leaking diesel and no way to stop it. Thanks.