What could be wrong?

[Fishguy]

I posted this on the Massey Ferguson board with no responses , hopefully someone here can help me on this one.
I have a MF 1230hst. I always have to use the glow plug prior to starting. When I do this, I would hear a ticking noise both when I hold the key to the left and when I turn it to the "run" postion prior to engaging the starter. This Saturday I went out to mow and never heard the ticking in either key position. The outside air temp was in the upper 80's and climbing.
My question is, are the plugs sensitive to outside air temp or do I have a problem. If a problem does exist, I need to fix it before the cold sets in.
Any suggestions?
Is there a relay or sorts that controls this or is it all in the key switch? I did look on the fuse box and there is not a fuse for the glow plugs circuit.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

 

[knute_m]

I always have to use the glow plug prior to starting. When I do this, I would hear a ticking noise both when I hold the key to the left and when I turn it to the "run" postion prior to engaging the starter. This Saturday I went out to mow and never heard the ticking in either key position.

Steve,
I'm glad you posted this. Maybe it is an epidemic.

I have a Mahindra 2015 that is about 4 months old. Since I got it, it too made a fast ticking sound when the key was in the "glow plug" position. As of this past Saturday, the ticking slowed way way down and it was not as loud as before. The sound comes from somewhere near, or in the the fuel tank, which is located just behind the seat. It still starts and runs just fine.

I never paid much attention to it until it changed sound this past weekend.

It is the first tractor I've had that made this kind of noise. Does anybody know what is (was) making the ticking noise?

Thanks,
Knute

 

[JerryG]

FG,
The ticking with the key on is the fuel pump that takes the fuel up to the injector pump. Why it wasn't ticking, I don't know. Apparently, the fuel system is still working or it wouldn't have run. I didn't see your post on the MF section or I would have said something there.

 

[Fishguy]

Jerry, The ticking being the fuel pump sounds right since Knute said his was behind the seat around the tank and mine being under the hood.
Other than waiting for the cold to set in, is there a way to test if the glow plugs are working? (i.e. resistance at the key switch)

Thanks again,
Steve

 

[Volfandt]

Agree that ticking = electric fuel pump. This doesn't appear to be brand specific either. The fuel pump on my Kubota is just about directly below me under the floor board and that is what ticks every time when the key is "on".

One reason it may not be so evident at times could be related to the fuel system holding the fuel pressure and not requireing it to repressurize.

My BX23 has a glow plug indicator that lights whenever they are energized. Glow plugs work off of 12v so it wouldn't be too hard to wire in an indicator lamp or LED if one didn't come with your particular model.

Volfandt

 

[JerryG]

Jerry, The ticking being the fuel pump sounds right since Knute said his was behind the seat around the tank and mine being under the hood.
Other than waiting for the cold to set in, is there a way to test if the glow plugs are working? (i.e. resistance at the key switch)

Thanks again,
Steve

Do you have a glow plug light by the key? What does the smoke look like when you start it up cold?

 

[Fishguy]

Do you have a glow plug light by the key? What does the smoke look like when you start it up cold?

The plug light hasn't worked since I've had the tractor. Is there suppose to be lens over the lights "coil"?
When I start her up, the smoke is first black but instantly turns blue/white and then disipates.

One reason it may not be so evident at times could be related to the fuel system holding the fuel pressure and not requireing it to repressurize.

This would also make since as I had just topped the tank off when I noiticed the "ticking" wasn't there. That's when I flipped it over to the "glow plug" position and also no ticking.

We may have this mystery solved! I'll know for sure when I get to "play" on it again.

Thanks for the help with this,
Steve

 

[OKnewguy]

If your tractor has an amp meter you can watch the amp meter as you apply the glow plugs. They should read really high resistance when you first turn them on, and then as they warm the resistance should be reduced. If there is little resistance then you might have some that are not funtioning properly or burned up.
Good luck, DAve

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm.. that doesn't jive in this world of electronics.

I'd bet the resistance on the glow plugs is initially low and raises as they warm up. Thus an initially high current reading that tapers off as the plug warms and the resistance goes up.. thus the current draw goes down.

It's all ohm's law there.. E=IR Is is the fixed value as the bat volts don't drastically change during warming. That leaves I to be initially high, and R to be initially low.. and they both change from there..

Soundguy

 

[OKnewguy]

My bad soundguy, I might had it backwards. But I am sure you get my point.
Dave

 

[Soundguy]

Yes.. I was pretty sure of what you were saying.. however for clarity, I posted.. so others that are not electrically experienced would be getting usefull info... In a fixed supply votlage setup, where the load is a heating element.. almost always it starts at low ohms, and goes to high ohms as it heats.. That means, due to ohms law, that current draw is initially high, then lowers.. Thus the amp meter pegging over at -10 or -30 and then heading back towards (but not ) -0- as the elements are fully warmed, and their thermal resistive properties have stabilized.

Soundguy