New to Me Ford 3600 cold start

[Zleviticus]

Hello all. Just picked up our first tractor . An 81 (i think have not grabbed the SN yet) ford 3600. Solid running but needs a bit of work that i will get to over time. You know the standard replace parts that have never been changed since purchased new like tie rod ends and all that fun stuff. Have a clutch issue that i think just needs an adjustment but i will know more when i go out to look. With the freezing rain i was lucky to get it off the trailer this weekend. I am sure i will have more questions but here is my main one for now.

Cold starting. Most of the time when the tractor has sit in the cold, you have to spray a bit of starting fluid in the air intake to get her to start. Not a whole lot but just a bit and she starts right up. I am assuming that the manifold heater is not working , either it is broke, the ignition switch is broke, or a wiring to it is messed up. I plan to redo the tractor and rewire it at some point. LOL Right now just want to get through the season then work on it over winter. Hope to have it looking and functioning like brand new eventually.

 

[fried1765]

Hello all. Just picked up our first tractor . An 81 (i think have not grabbed the SN yet) ford 3600. Solid running but needs a bit of work that i will get to over time. You know the standard replace parts that have never been changed since purchased new like tie rod ends and all that fun stuff. Have a clutch issue that i think just needs an adjustment but i will know more when i go out to look. With the freezing rain i was lucky to get it off the trailer this weekend. I am sure i will have more questions but here is my main one for now.

Cold starting. Most of the time when the tractor has sit in the cold, you have to spray a bit of starting fluid in the air intake to get her to start. Not a whole lot but just a bit and she starts right up. I am assuming that the manifold heater is not working , either it is broke, the ignition switch is broke, or a wiring to it is messed up. I plan to redo the tractor and rewire it at some point. LOL Right now just want to get through the season then work on it over winter. Hope to have it looking and functioning like brand new eventually.

Be VERY careful with that starting fluid!
Not a good idea. It can damage your engine.

 

[Zleviticus]

That's the thing it is not like one of my older cars back in the day, it is maybe a a slight squirt and that is all it takes. Just trying to figure out what it could be.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

My old 3600 gasser was a slow starter too one problem was the starter itself it had too much drag bad bearings I think replaced it. When it is cold if you warm up the intake manifold a bit with a propane torch it will fire right up or it usually did for me. In colder weather I made sure I plugged it in.

 

[sd455dan]

Be VERY careful with that starting fluid!
Not a good idea. It can damage your engine.

True But,

FORD 3000'S and possibly 3600'S could be ordered with a factory installed ether injected cold start system in addition to the key controlled cold start .

Ford also made their pistons with a high strength steel ring land for the top compression ring- which should help deal with the cylinder pressures generated by using starting fluid. Not all diesel pistons are built this way.

Obviously the 1st choice would be to repair/ replace the electric heater/diesel cold start unit.

 

[thepumpguysc]

DEFINITELY "start" at the manifold heater..easy to check w/ a volt meter then move on to the resiv. & then look at the engine timing..
The line on the inj. pump should be at or REAL close to 0* on the engine block..
Do yourself a BIG favor & go get a can of SPRAY gasket/paint stripper.. its so easy to use, spray it on, wait 1 minute & wipe off..
If your gonna re-do the machine, you'll def. want it..
What I'm getting at is, don't scrape the name plates on anything.. 99x outta 100 u end up destroying them & its a real pain to id the part.
Good luck on the rebuild..

 

[Ultradog MN]

Put a block heater in it.
Plug it in for an hour or two and it will start like it's July.
I've never hooked up my thermostart as the block heater does such a good job.