TC33 Hard Start, Engine Noise and No Hydraulics.

[Noytheyah]

Hello,

For the past couple months Ive been increasing the glow plug warm up time to get the engine started, even after its warm. When it starts theres a grinding sound but I dont think its coming from the starter. When it starts I get a large puff of black smoke. Im guessing Im in need of some glow plugs first of all which I've been planning to do. Today when it started, it began making a noise from the engine as if one of the cylinders wasnt connected to the muffler. It wasnt continuous unless I increased the throttle. I went to raise the bucket and no hydraulic functions are working. I also noticed my Tach wasn't working. Thoughts?

 

[Roadworthy]

Did all your problems crop up at the same time or have they been adding on over time? They seem kind of unrelated. Black smoke is usually a too rich mixture but that can be caused by a dirty air cleaner. Your tractor is twenty years old which is not old for a tractor. How many hours are on it? The tach can be electronic but many are driven by a cable. It's inside a sheath and can frequently be replaced by sliding a new one into the sheath. Glow plugs are generally good or they're not (like light bulbs). One or more could have failed. If your three point lever is in the full up position it can dead head the hydraulics preventing the FEL from working. There's an adjustment for that if that's the problem.

 

[Noytheyah]

Did all your problems crop up at the same time or have they been adding on over time? They seem kind of unrelated. Black smoke is usually a too rich mixture but that can be caused by a dirty air cleaner. Your tractor is twenty years old which is not old for a tractor. How many hours are on it? The tach can be electronic but many are driven by a cable. It's inside a sheath and can frequently be replaced by sliding a new one into the sheath. Glow plugs are generally good or they're not (like light bulbs). One or more could have failed. If your three point lever is in the full up position it can dead head the hydraulics preventing the FEL from working. There's an adjustment for that if that's the problem.

Just the hard to start issue has been getting worse. Before I would warm the plugs for 10 sec cold and 3 sec warm. If i do that now, it just makes this slow grinding sound. If I warm the plugs for 30 secs or so now, it will typically start fine but still makes that grinding sound a bit. The 3 point was down, I usually park it that way. As for the tach, it’s a wire that plugs into the alternator. When I saw that it wasn’t working, I look at the alternator and it was spinning. You’re right all these items seem unrelated and definitely have me puzzled. Got my fingers crossed you fine folks have some puzzle pieces I’m missing.

 

[Noytheyah]

UPDATE: I just went out to make a video of it starting and it started “normal”. The hydraulics function normal. I’m completely perplexed. I did warm the glow plugs a little longer, maybe 45 sec. But I have no clue how it went from making that loud engine noise, no hydraulics and no tach back to normal. The tractor does have electrical issues in that an owner previous to me wired and rewired things within the harness that have created some issues. Anyway, anymore help or guesses would be appreciated.

 

[tmeric7]

Right before I read your last sentence, at the words "back to normal", I thought... "This sounds like an electrical problem." Then I read on: "The tractor does have electrical issues..."

When I read post #2 and #3, I was agreeing that the problems seem unrelated, but a root electrical issue is one thing that could tie them together. Also, electrical problems are often intermittent.

I could see the rough engine leading to the non-functional hydraulics if it's running so poorly that it just can't produce the power to drive the pumps. I know these tractors decent, but I don't know diesels well enough to know how it measures engine parameters and the electronics determine injection time. I don't even know if there is an O2 sensor. If I were in you're shoes, I'd try to learn more about this.

 

[Noytheyah]

Thanks for the reply. When I have some time I plan to fix as much of the wiring issues as I can. I’ve thought about just replacing the harness altogether.

 

[tmeric7]

That may save you some headache down the road! Good luck

 

[dlctcg]

@Noytheyah -

The Tach as you mentioned is directly connected to the back of the alternator, it is a single wire. You can check that wire for continuity as it runs from the back of the alternator to the instrument panel Connector (on the back of the instrument cluster), PIN# 20.
If you are looking at the connector plug (disconnected & facing you), it's on the bottom row & is the second pin in from the left. If you have good continuity on that wire make sure there is no corrosion on either connector. If the tach still doesn't work there is a test procedure for testing the gauge itself... but it is usually the cable or corrosion.

It does sound like you have multiple electrical issues going on... but hopefully the above will help with one of them

 

[Noytheyah]

Thanks for the reply, I’ll check it out.