Starting --- long crank times?

[Egon]

I believe I am going to pick up a frost plug style block heater -- only $41 bucks at the dealership -- this will help me out a lot I think...

Now that may make a real difference!

 

[RobiBX2230]

Also.. are you making black smoke during the cranking?

soundguy

Not during the crank, but once it fires up I get a decent puff - not too bad --- I'm picking up a frost plug style block heater in about 15 minutes, $40, I figure its worth it to help the machine start easier...

 

[pitt_md]

Not during the crank, but once it fires up I get a decent puff - not too bad --- I'm picking up a frost plug style block heater in about 15 minutes, $40, I figure its worth it to help the machine start easier...

Let me know how hard this is to install. I have had one sitting on the shelf since my tractor was new about three years ago I never find time to do it since I always have something lined up to do that involves my tractor.

 

[RobiBX2230]

Let me know how hard this is to install. I have had one sitting on the shelf since my tractor was new about three years ago I never find time to do it since I always have something lined up to do that involves my tractor.

I went to the dealership and they gave me a radiator hose style heater. I told them it wasn't what I asked for, they looked it up and their system said "Frost Plug" but it wasn't a frost plug style. The guy asked the Service department (that actually does work on tractors) and they swore you couldn't reach the frost plug on a BX. Oh well, I returned the radiator hose one since there really isn't a good spot to install it on the radiator hose and ordered a Kat's magnetic one (small, 200 Watt, but got great reviews for small diesel tractors). I'll just put it on the oil pan an hour or so before snowblowing - it was $10 cheaper and no chance to mess up an install...

 

[jimmysisson]

Probably more like 4 hours, but it will help.
Jim

 

[RobiBX2230]

Probably more like 4 hours, but it will help.
Jim

Really that long? All I've read so far is people saying 1-2 hours... Either way, it'll be worth it

 

[JoelD]

Not sure the year of your tractor but cold should not be a problem

I can start in zero f without a problem

glow plugs for 45 seconds to one minute then quick crank she starts if not imediately o re cycle the plugs and as soon as she fires I flip the plugs back on until she smooths out

I always try to remeber to spin the motor with fuel shut off the prime oil preside before start

I have hose heater just have not got around to installing

Joel

 

[RobiBX2230]

Not sure the year of your tractor but cold should not be a problem

I can start in zero f without a problem

glow plugs for 45 seconds to one minute then quick crank she starts if not imediately o re cycle the plugs and as soon as she fires I flip the plugs back on until she smooths out

I always try to remeber to spin the motor with fuel shut off the prime oil preside before start

I have hose heater just have not got around to installing

Joel

The tractor is a 2004... Its odd because I can glow it for 10 or 60 seconds, same result. However, once its warm, the plugs don't even go on, I can fire it up as if it were a gas engine... I think the glow plugs might need replacing, I only have 218 hours on the machine, but that could have been a lot of start up cycles with low hours by the previous owners

 

[Wayne_H]

Something is wrong if you need to install a block heater to start it when it is stored in your garage. We've got five diesels, the oldest being an 88 F-250 and they all start when it is 20-25 degrees out without a block heater and without cranking for more than a few seconds.

In order for the diesel engine to start, it needs to crank over fast. It is not like a gas engine that if it gets past compression it will fire up. So my first question is does it seem to crank over fast?

The glow plugs are easy to check. They should appear almost like a short circuit on your voltmeter. Or, check the battery voltage and see if it drops down some when the glow plugs are energized. Might be the glow plug relay is not working???

Fuel could be a problem, but it does not sound like it to me. Easy enough to check though, crank the line at the plug and crank when cold to see what comes out. Ought to be fuel.

How old is the battery anyway? A weak battery will start it, but iit may not crank over too fast.

It took a while to get my 88 7.3 right. In the end it was the starter, and over the past ten years it was slowly getting worse, but I never realized it. Put a new starter in and it cranked like mad and started right up even on the coldest winter days. (it doesn't get too cold here in Maryland!)

Good luck

Wayne

 

[RobiBX2230]

Something is wrong if you need to install a block heater to start it when it is stored in your garage. We've got five diesels, the oldest being an 88 F-250 and they all start when it is 20-25 degrees out without a block heater and without cranking for more than a few seconds.

In order for the diesel engine to start, it needs to crank over fast. It is not like a gas engine that if it gets past compression it will fire up. So my first question is does it seem to crank over fast?

The glow plugs are easy to check. They should appear almost like a short circuit on your voltmeter. Or, check the battery voltage and see if it drops down some when the glow plugs are energized. Might be the glow plug relay is not working???

Fuel could be a problem, but it does not sound like it to me. Easy enough to check though, crank the line at the plug and crank when cold to see what comes out. Ought to be fuel.

How old is the battery anyway? A weak battery will start it, but iit may not crank over too fast.

It took a while to get my 88 7.3 right. In the end it was the starter, and over the past ten years it was slowly getting worse, but I never realized it. Put a new starter in and it cranked like mad and started right up even on the coldest winter days. (it doesn't get too cold here in Maryland!)

Good luck

Wayne

I think it may be a weak battery, it appears original, if not, its not "new". I wanted the block heater anyway to make it a little easier on the machine, it was cheap money ($30) and I got a solar battery maintainer for the times when I go a week or so without using the tractor ($20). I think you make a good point, and for me being new to the diesel thing I didn't think of it - it needs to crank FAST, it does crank a bit slow but will always start after about 10 seconds (sometimes less) of crank.