L245DT will not start

[ric]

My L245DT has always been tough to start. Replacing the injectors last year helped. But now that it's colder it will not start. Battery and starter turn the engine over without a problem. Removed the glow plugs and checked them, they get plenty hot. If I heat the glow plugs and then try to start it acts like it will catch after several cranks, but when I let off the starter the engine will not run on it's own. So, I checked the fuel pump there's plenty of fuel. I tried to check the fuel timing using the procedure in the manual, but the flywheel is rusted and the marks don't show up in the window. One thing I noticed is the glow plug controller coil in the dash panel does not burn red now when I heat the glow plugs. Any ideas? Thanks, ric

 

[kubmech]

When you checked the glow plugs did you hook them up to a power source other than the glow plug lead? I've seen the little glow plug controller coil break. Maybe your not getting power to the glow plugs.

 

[ric]

Kubmech, I pulled and wire brushed each glow plug, washer and cord holdown to ensure a good ground and power contact. Checked each one using the battery as the power source grounding each case to the tractor frame. Each glow plug got very warm quickly with the tip end getting the hottest. I did not test each one to the point where the plug glowed red to prevent destroying the plug testing it. I then checked the wire from the switch for power using a test lamp. Checked ok for power. I checked each glow plug using this wire as a power source grounding the glow plug body to the frame. Each one responded as they did when I used the battery to check them. I also, cleaned and checked each glow plug cord. All checked out as functional. Then tried to start the tractor, no luck.

 

[kubmech]

How's the blow by tube look? You may be ready for a set of rings. you stated you changed the injectors last year. Checking injection timing is a logical step but to be honest with you, that usually does'nt go out all by itself, and in my opinion it's not a factor in this case. If you can get a hold of a compression gauge that would be my next step. It's a little pricey for the gauge and adapter for a one time check. I would consider the amount of blow by out of the breather tube your best indicator. However the fact that it's not running right now is a little tough. See what you can do about getting a compression test done. I'm a little curious about the glow plug indicator not glowing though. Make sure you have a good battery with good connections (posts as well as frame ground) and see if that improves the situation any. Oh yea,
one more thing, are you getting any exhaust smoke while cranking, steady, what color, etc.

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Ric, just a thought. Your switch for the glow plugs may make contact, but if the contacts are dirty or corroded it will limit the current to the plugs. Voltage will test ok though. try jumping direct from battery to plugs. Bet the coil on the dash will glow also.

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

 

[Anonymous Poster]

ric,

How long are you heating your glow plugs for? I used to have an L245DT and found that I had to hold them for up to a minute to get it to start in cold weather. The I did a test on mine once by pulling one of the glow plugs out of the cylinder and leaving it connected to the circuit. Then I preheated it while observing the little indicator coil in the instrument panel, I found that the glow plug glowed red at the same rate that the indicator coil did. So you can gauge how hot the plugs are by watching this little gizmo. Another trick I would use was to pull the compression release and crank the engine a few revs while giving full throttle, this would wet the glow plugs a bit before heating them and create a bit of vaporized fuel in the cylinders as they heated up. Then I would crank the engine with the foot feed at full throttle and let up as the engine got going to keep the revs about 1200. As soon as the motor is firing on it's own above the starter cranking speed you can turn the starter switch back to the preheat position and hold it there until the engine fires smoothly and the smoke clears. Mine would sputter for a few seconds after starting too. Now having gone through all this the best solution I could recommend is to use a coolant heater if you have one on your unit. Mine had one in the lower rad hose. I would plug it in whenever the temp was below 40f, this is so much better for the engine as it cuts down on warm up time and the engine fires right up without a hiccup. I think this was pretty typical for the older Kubotas a few of my neighbors have them and they behave about the same. Mine had 1200 hours on it when I sold it and it still ran clean and smooth on the original injectors.

 

[ric]

These are great suggestions.

Kubmech, Here's some background. This tractor has 1720 hours. In 2000 at 1645 hours I had to replace one piston and re-ring the other two. Somebody had been using ether to start this tractor. The cylinders were not damaged by the melted piston. New injectors were installed at the time. Engine seemed to start and run much better, but has always been hard to start. I usually heat the glow plugs for a count of 60 then try to crank the engine with the throttle slightly open. The smoke from the exhaust is usually white to gray while cranking with a slight fuel odor and gets darker when the engine fires. Blow by has never seemed excessive even after running all day.

Stephen, I will try some of these starting tricks you suggested, I know what you mean about starting drills. I have been giving some thought to a block heater maybe now is the time to install one.

Mike, I agree I need to revisit this connection as I'm not so sure it's a fuel problem yet as Kubmech suggested because whatever quit happened all at once.

Thanks, More later, ric

Oh yeah, meant to ask exactly what does the glow plug contoller do? Is this a ballast resistor that steps the volts down from 12 to 10.5 to heat the glow plugs?


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ric on 11/13/01 06:01 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[ric]

Kubmech, Removed the glow plug indicator. All three wires and contacts were clean and tight. The wire from the indicator to the first glow plug is intact. Even though both wires to the indicator have power when the glow plugs are heated to heat the element in the inidicator the element does not glow red. Removing and bench testing also does not cause the inidicator to glow red. Even though the indicator seems to be defective it does not appear to affect the power to the glow plugs because of the way it's wired. This indicator also does not appear to be an electrical voltage drop device either. Does this makes sense? Also I noticed the battery ground is connected to the loader frame. Although I am not having any electrical problems I will be adding another ground cable to make sure the block is grounded directly. Any other ideas? Thanks, ric

 

[ric]

Got it running. Thanks for all the suggestions, ric.

 

[gemini5362]

Wait a minute. What did you finally do that you think got it running. We need closure