JD 855 help.

[855Idiot]

Hello,

Noobie here. I just got a John Deere 855 4wd with a Front End Loader. Got it for the "Deal of the century". I plan on picking up a rear blade, harrow and brushhog later this month. My intended uses are keeping the brush at bay, landscaping and moving snow.

The problem is, I don't know much about Tractors, I have no owners manual and the lens covering my dashboard idiot lights is missing.

Question: Anyone with an 855 know what each of the dashboard lights do/mean? There are bulbs in 5? of the slots but I have no idea what they mean as the plastic lens covering them is missing?

Any deals on owners manuals around?

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[madpogue]

Weird; the manual should be online on the Deere web site, but it's not. Found this pic on the internet; if that's your dash, it may clue you in: http://www.compacttractor.co.uk/Pho... 544/John Deere 855 compact tractor 544 5.jpg

I'm thinking: Top row, oil pressure & coolant temp. Bottom row, alternator, pre-heat, ?????

 

[slaveToHorses]

I'm thinking: Top row, oil pressure & coolant temp. Bottom row, alternator, pre-heat, ?????

and PTO indicator.

I used to have them all memorized because for the longest time my panel screen was missing too. They fall out fairly easily.

I gave all my documentation to the fellow that purchased mine. I may still have the CD version loading on my pc, I'll check later.

 

[kilobravo3]

I have an 855, and the picture is exactly what my panel looks like. madpogue and slaveToHorses gave the same description of the lights that I would give based on my panel. Enjoy your new tractor. If you don't mind me asking...what did you pay for your 855?

 

[Dennisfly]

Here is a picture of the appropriate page from my manual. This is the first time I've done an attachment on this program so I hope it works OK. I found my manual on Ebay. I like the tractor but then it's my first one so I may be naive

 

[Dennisfly]

The engine preheat only works when the ambient temperature, as detected by a sensor in the engine compartment, is cool. During the summer you should never see the light. When the temperature drops into about the 60's the light will illuminate when you turn the key on. You should wait for the light to extinguish before you crank. The light going out indicates the preheat cycle has been on long enough to attempt a start. Mine has an air heater and no glow plugs. I think most if not all 855s are that way.

I use an electric block heater when the temp gets below about 40. I only heat for about 30 minutes. It makes for much easier starting and saves on starter wear and tear.

 

[855Idiot]

The engine preheat only works when the ambient temperature, as detected by a sensor in the engine compartment, is cool. During the summer you should never see the light. When the temperature drops into about the 60's the light will illuminate when you turn the key on. You should wait for the light to extinguish before you crank. The light going out indicates the preheat cycle has been on long enough to attempt a start. Mine has an air heater and no glow plugs. I think most if not all 855s are that way.

I use an electric block heater when the temp gets below about 40. I only heat for about 30 minutes. It makes for much easier starting and saves on starter wear and tear.

....uh......so.....
Lets say a "friend" of mine had an 855 and he just turned the key to on and waited 30 seconds (maybe 45 seconds) and then tried to crank the motor. Some times it started, some times it would not crank or even attempt to crank? Is there some sort of ignition/starter lock out until the light goes out?

Did my "friend" not let the glow plugs heat long enough?

 

[kilobravo3]

I don't know of any lockout, but I could be wrong. But, one thing to keep in mind is that when the preheat is needed, the light is only on for about 30 seconds anyway (well, that is how mine works in Florida winter temps). If it wasn't cold outside it should start with no trouble at all without the preheat. My 855 has over 2400 hours on it, and starts up in about 3 revolutions of the engine without fail.

 

[855Idiot]

Ok, the "friend" was me

I pulled the starter and had it tested. It is good.

Why is it not always starting when I turn the key?

I get 3 lights, now identified as Oil, Battery and Preheat.
Waiting 30 to 45 seconds has no effect on the lights.
I then try the key... Some times it starts right up and some times nothing.
No clicks from the starter, just a click from the fuel shutoff solenoid.

I get the Preheat light every time. Temps have been 60 - 85 outside.
Do I just need to wait longer for it to go out?

Are there any switches (safety?) from the key to the starter, that may be intermittently failing?

Thanks,

 

[Havoctec]

A safety switch may be the problem. Not sure about the 855 but it may need to be in neutral, parking brake engaged, pto off, person sitting on seat to depress the switch under it, clutch pushed in.....

Is everything on the tractor the same each time you try to start it?

 

[Gryantaylor]

A safety switch may be the problem. Not sure about the 855 but it may need to be in neutral, parking brake engaged, pto off, person sitting on seat to depress the switch under it, clutch pushed in.....

Is everything on the tractor the same each time you try to start it?

I used to use a JD 855 at a small horse farm growing up. It's a great little machine the one I worked on has been used and abused in ways most of us would never think to treat a tractor. Almost zero maintaince, roled, swamped, and worked hard every single day and just keeps running after 15+ years.

In any event, the one I drove would crank when the preheat light was still on, there was not a lock out switch. In the winter (-20 to 30 degree's) it could take what felt like a full minute for the light to go out. When it was real cold sometimes you'd need to cycle the pre heater 2 or 3 times before it would finally start.

Also, we did have a problem once with it not starting "sometimes" the starter, battery etc were all good. Turned out to be the safty switch under the seat, There is a rod that must be depressed before the hydro would engage (I don't know if your's is a hydro). Somehow that rod was bent to the point that the seat would not fully engage the safty switch. I don't know if it will help you but it might be worth looking under the seat to see if the seat and switch are making contact.

 

[855Idiot]

....Uh....no!

....my friend just kinda turns it off and leaves it in whatever state it was when it was shut off....

Does it need to be in neutral, PTO off, park brake on, there is no clutch.
I know about the seat switch but that's it.

Let me know so I can relay this to my "friend".
Because he's an Idiot!

Thanks,

 

[madpogue]

there is no clutch.

I thought the 855 was a collar-shift machine, in the x70/x90 family.

 

[irwin]

....Uh....no!

....my friend just kinda turns it off and leaves it in whatever state it was when it was shut off....

Does it need to be in neutral, PTO off, park brake on, there is no clutch.
I know about the seat switch but that's it.

Let me know so I can relay this to my "friend".
Because he's an Idiot!

Thanks,

Tell your friend to try all of that and let you know if it takes care of the "no start sometimes" problem. .. My JD 770 will not crank unless I put it in neutral, turn PTO off, doesn't matter if park brake is on or off, mine has a clutch and I press it anyway but don't think it matters , butt is on the seat.

good luck....

 

[Dennisfly]

The 55 series are all Hydrostatic - 655,755,855,955.

The preheat light will have no effect on starter engagement. The light shouldn't be on all the time. If your air heater is on all the time it will probably burn up. There is an electric plug-in module mounted on the firewall that controls the air heater. I had dirt in the plug prongs which gave me problems. I removed the module, cleaned the prongs and recepticle and now all is well.

The seat switch or PTO being engaged will also stop cranking, as others have said.

 

[855Idiot]

With all your help, my friend and I, (and I wish he knew more about tractors)

put the starter back on,
tested the seat switch and found it working,
disengaged the PTO,
put in neutral--hard to find as the lever is not accurate.
put the park brake on.

No crank?

I'm suspecting the key, PTO, or neutral switch or the wires in between them.
It's possible I may not be finding the real neutral position with the lever.

After last night, here is what "we" learned.

When the key is turned to on, the battery, oil and temp light are on, NOT the preheat-sorry I mislead you.

Turning the key will yield a single "click" from the control module (part number AM102118), located just behind the key switch.

I'm going to begin tracing/testing wires next--as my friend has been no help

Any suggestions, comments, insults would be welcome
Thanks,
Glenn

 

[kilobravo3]

Have you tested the battery? That is the first thing I would check. Forgive my ignorance on tractors, but is there a starter solenoid? The only other thing I could think of would be somehow the tractor thinks the PTO is engaged. I'm not sure where that connector is, but perhaps you could check that. Sorry I don't have any answers, I'm just talking outloud about how I would debug the situation.

 

[Gryantaylor]

With all your help, my friend and I, (and I wish he knew more about tractors)

put the starter back on,
tested the seat switch and found it working,
disengaged the PTO,
put in neutral--hard to find as the lever is not accurate.
put the park brake on.

No crank?

I'm suspecting the key, PTO, or neutral switch or the wires in between them.
It's possible I may not be finding the real neutral position with the lever.

After last night, here is what "we" learned.

When the key is turned to on, the battery, oil and temp light are on, NOT the preheat-sorry I mislead you.

Turning the key will yield a single "click" from the control module (part number AM102118), located just behind the key switch.

I'm going to begin tracing/testing wires next--as my friend has been no help

Any suggestions, comments, insults would be welcome
Thanks,
Glenn

I posted this as part of a PM I replied to you. After reading your last post I thought I should clarify.

"As for other things to check, the tractor won't start if the HST peddles are not in "Neutral" next time it won't start try to play with the HST peddles, it maybe that the spring needs to be adjusted. The PTO also has a safety switch but I would doubt that龍 your problem."

With the 855 I worked on putting the Hi-lo "gear shift" lever into neutral will not help. what will cause the problem you are describing is the HST peddles not "centering." For example if you were to fully depress the foward peddle the tractor would not start. On the one I used to drive sometimes one would have to depress and release the peddles a few time to "help" it get back to center. This should be easy for you and "your friend" to test.

 

[855Idiot]

I'll mess with the pedals today along with the neutral lever.
Pedals seem stiff and not much play when it's not running.

The battery is less than a week old.
When it cranks, it roars to life instantly.

I'm going to check and see if find a manual today.

It has to be something simple/stupid that "we" can't figure out.
Something is telling it not to start.

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[jd110]

I would suspect the neutral switch on the hydro pedal linkage. It is probably going bad or not adjusted properly. It is not very easy to get to. If the tractor sits still when running, then adjustments to linkage are probably ok. If the tractor "creeps" then adjustment or lubrication of stiff linkage may help. The switch is located under the tin cover between your legs near where your right heel rests on platform, although you really need to access it from under the tractor. There is also a neutral switch in pto circuit that could be bad or have a loose connection.