NH TC55 died.

[ch1ch2]

I was doing some light dirt work Saturday at a low RPM when the tractor just died.
I checked the fuel gage and had 3/4 tank.
I went to restart it and nothing. The dash indicator lights worked but went dim when trying to start.

My first thought had been the fuel solenoid lost power or went bad, but when the started did not have power, and the dash did, I was at a loss.
I looked for fuses and connectors. A lot of connectors were not in the best of shape. I sprayed "Corrosion X" on them, and moved on looking for a problem. I could not find anything and gave up without a wiring digram.

The shop manual was at home 120 miles from the ranch. So, I took off the shredder and dragged it out of the way. I could not think of a way to raise the loader and bucket to load it on a trailer so I started taking it off. After a lot of work with come-a-longs and driving the jeep up on the bucket, it came off. Towed the tractor to an area to where I could wench it on the tractor and got it loaded and strapped down ready to go home.

Played around for several hours around the ranch not wanting to leave and I decided to look at the tractor once more, now that the tractor was on the trailer, I could craw around under it without getting into cactus. After several minutes looking for a problem I decided to recheck the symptoms. I turned the key and it started right up.

I am guessing that the connections that looked so poorly, which I sprayed with "Corrosion X" had been improved, and now had good contact.

I unloaded the tractor reattached the loader and shredder and went back to work.

I hope the problem is fixed!

 

[Jerry/MT]

I was doing some light dirt work Saturday at a low RPM when the tractor just died.
I checked the fuel gage and had 3/4 tank.
I went to restart it and nothing. The dash indicator lights worked but went dim when trying to start.

My first thought had been the fuel solenoid lost power or went bad, but when the started did not have power, and the dash did, I was at a loss.
I looked for fuses and connectors. A lot of connectors were not in the best of shape. I sprayed "Corrosion X" on them, and moved on looking for a problem. I could not find anything and gave up without a wiring digram.

The shop manual was at home 120 miles from the ranch. So, I took off the shredder and dragged it out of the way. I could not think of a way to raise the loader and bucket to load it on a trailer so I started taking it off. After a lot of work with come-a-longs and driving the jeep up on the bucket, it came off. Towed the tractor to an area to where I could wench it on the tractor and got it loaded and strapped down ready to go home.

Played around for several hours around the ranch not wanting to leave and I decided to look at the tractor once more, now that the tractor was on the trailer, I could craw around under it without getting into cactus. After several minutes looking for a problem I decided to recheck the symptoms. I turned the key and it started right up.

I am guessing that the connections that looked so poorly, which I sprayed with "Corrosion X" had been improved, and now had good contact.

I unloaded the tractor reattached the loader and shredder and went back to work.

I hope the problem is fixed!

Make sure the chasis ground is "bright and tight". A bad ground can cause these types of problems.

 

[ch1ch2]

Thanks.
I did not think about the chassis ground.
I have been turning wrenches most of my life and have even given the same advice as you, but some times you can not see the forest for the trees.

 

[GManBart]

I could not think of a way to raise the loader and bucket to load it on a trailer so I started taking it off.

This probably won't work with all tractors, but if you crank the engine over with the starter while moving the loader controls, it might give enough hydraulic pressure to lift it high enough to load on a trailer.

 

[cycle_gator]

Good idea, but in this case the starter would not spin. Electronics, can't live with them can't live without them.

 

[Qapla]

You may also need to check all the safety switches - one could be "ify"

 

[ch1ch2]

You may also need to check all the safety switches - one could be "ify"

Help me with that thought.
I am unaware of any operator present safety switch. Only safety start switches.
Are you suggesting that there could have been 2 problems. 1 that shut off fuel and a 2nd that prevented the restart?

 

[ch1ch2]

This probably won't work with all tractors, but if you crank the engine over with the starter while moving the loader controls, it might give enough hydraulic pressure to lift it high enough to load on a trailer.

That is a thought. If this happens again, though it would not turn over with the key, with a second person there, we could jump the starter and turn it over. I keep a wire on my IH for anytime I forget my key. The IH has a cable to the fuel injector pump which enables fuel flow instead of a solenoid. You do not see that much any more. I wish all tractor had the cable instead of a solenoid.

 

[GManBart]

That is a thought. If this happens again, though it would not turn over with the key, with a second person there, we could jump the starter and turn it over. I keep a wire on my IH for anytime I forget my key. The IH has a cable to the fuel injector pump which enables fuel flow instead of a solenoid. You do not see that much any more. I wish all tractor had the cable instead of a solenoid.

That's a good idea. If you really had to, you could probably use the seatbelt to pull back on the FEL control and then jump the starter by yourself.