Starting Fluid

[Tc33dAllisB]

Anyone know what might cause my TC33D to only be able to cold start with a (small) shot of ether for diesels. If I use it and shut it down it will fire right back up but sitting overnight it will just crank. Its been this way for a year and a half almost. Tractor runs great other than that, I can rule out fuel filters, fuel, regular maintenance things because it has gone on so long and I maintain as scheduled with mostly New Holland parts.. I have owned it since new, probably 13 to 14 years. It has 1200 Hours, no warning lights on dash

 

[nyone]

Have you adjusted your valves? The next thing I would look at would be anything that can cause low compression. De compression lever or anything of the sort. Even leaking down injectors can cause that.

I have a tc40 with 3500hrs and I dont think the glow plugs even work, it fires on the first rotation.

 

[Roadworthy]

By all means check valve adjustment if you've not done so lately but while you're at it make sure your glow plugs are getting power and the glow plugs themselves are good. They're basically a heater and can open up at any time.

 

[blee03]

Fuel system most likely has a very small leak somewhere and is loosing it's prime. Could just be an air leak in the fuel system so you might not see any wet spots on the fuel lines, engine, etc.

 

[stevem5215]

My Ford 1900 was very hard to start in my cold outbuilding. If I warmed the whole inside of the building up prior to trying to start it (took hours) then it would start easily. No amount of time on the glow heaters would help it. And others who owned the 1900's said the same things about theirs being hard to start as well. On some tractors it's the nature of the beast. But if yours was easy when cold then something is broken. I'd first suspect the heaters.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Anyone know what might cause my TC33D to only be able to cold start with a (small) shot of ether for diesels. If I use it and shut it down it will fire right back up but sitting overnight it will just crank. Its been this way for a year and a half almost. Tractor runs great other than that, I can rule out fuel filters, fuel, regular maintenance things because it has gone on so long and I maintain as scheduled with mostly New Holland parts.. I have owned it since new, probably 13 to 14 years. It has 1200 Hours, no warning lights on dash

Just because you change the filters regularly doesn't mean you have adequate fuel flow. The strainer in the tank could be restricting flow because of crud in the tank. You could also have crud int the lines to the filter and the filter head itself. How about the air filters?

As other's have pointed out, low compression due to valve clearance issues, worn or stuck rings, etc can make for hard starting. Burned out glow plugs or faulty power supply to the glow plugs are other possibilities.

You will have to systematically eliminate each possibility until find the cause.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

If you start using starting fluid you will always need starting fluid. I only use starting fluid on tires. And we have the diesel junk around here. Tractors, dirt equipment, logging equipment, none of it gets starting fluid. You have another problem. Starting fluid just gets around that problem while causing another one.

 

[jaxs]

It could be something minor or it could be something major. On rhe other hand it might be a combination of something minor and something major.
Seriously,do you think mechanics know from discription of problems what's wrong before they lift the hood and run tests? They don't and neither do people a thousand miles away on the interweb.

 

[thclimer]

My first guess would be your glow plugs are not working.

Does your glow plug light come on with the first position of the ignition key switch, if so how long does it stay on before you turn the key further to engage the starter? If the light is not coming on your timer/relay may be faulty.

A resistance measurement of the glow plugs can determine if they are still good.

 

[LouNY]

Small vacuum leak in the fuel system at the pump inlet area or manifold heat (glow plugs), possibly slow cranking speed.