Does anyone know anything about Diesel tractors

[Dragonslayer]

I have a John Deere 770 tractor that will turn over but wont fire and run. Do you have any hints on what to look for?

[Peder_y2k]

Does it have glow plugs, and are they heating up?

Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[Wrench]

I'm not sure about your Deere, but you should have a fuel pump that feeds the injector pump. If you can't find that then crack an injector line at the pump to see if it's pumping fuel. I had a similar problem with my Massey 150 a few years ago and luckily it was the fuel pump and not the injector pump. The diesel also could have gelled up, but if you use highway diesel in it then that usually doesn't happen. I would just start at the fuel tank and work my way forward making sure I have fuel at each component. Let us know what you find.

[Condor]

As long as a diesel is getting fuel, it'll run... It may have lost it's prime from siting. Crack an injector open and turn it over. If it eventually starts spitting fuel it should be good to go. It'll run rough at fist until the rest of the cylinders kick in.

[Rdfroese]

You could try a couple of shots of ether in the air intake while it's turning over. Not too generous with the ether though.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rbig1]

well there is a wire that hooks to injection pump test it and see if you have power unless its pull kill then make sure lever is bottomed out

[rbig1]

also don't use either. on a lot of tractors the key turned backwards and held heats a glow plug in the intake.

[Condor]

You may not want to use ether on a diesel. WD40 will work.....

[saddlebum]

1. If the tractor sat for a while or ran out of fuel, it may have lost its prime. Some have a primer pump for this purpose which includes a bleeder screw. you open the screw and work the pump until the fuel runs clear out of the bleeder then close it and go to step 2 if it still does not fire. If it does not have a primer pump go directly to step 2
   
2. Most tractors have individual high pressure fuel lines that run from the high pressure pump to the cylinder head, usually one for each cylinder. loosen all the lines off (preferably at the head) but do not totally disconnect them.
   
3. Make sure the fuel filter is full of fuel.
   
4. Have a helper crank the engine while you watch the fuel lines. Eventually one by one fuel should start spitting out of the fittings.
   
5. As each one starts spitting fuel out tighten the line while your helper continues to crank the engine. Quite often it will start to fire on the cyl that you just tightened the line on. Continue watching the lines and tighten each one as it starts spitting fuel out. Even if the engine starts running on one or two cylinders continue following the procedure. You want to tighten up the lines as the fuel is spurting out, and yes it can get messy.
   

 

If it still does not fire or fuel does not appear at the lines and you are in a cold climate it may be because of water in the fuel which has frozen. Pour some methyl hydrate in the fuel tank (a cup or two should do) and remove the fuel filter. drain the filter or replace it. Fill the filter about 1/4 with methyl hydrate and top up with fuel. Then follow the steps above. You can also use an anti-gel additive if the fuel has gelled following the same steps. Gelling occurs when fuel meant to be used in warm weather is used or left in during cold weather.

 

If you try to use ether (which is fine I use it all the time) to fire it up do not use too much (you can tell by the sound, best is to spray while someone else is cranking over the engine so it gets sucked in with the airstream) make sure whether or not it has glow plugs or an intake heater. If it does disconnect the wire from the glow plugs or heater, I have seen people blow the intake manifold off by not disabling the heater.

 

Some have an electric shut off solinoid that you may need to check out and in some engines simply removing this solenoid will allow the engine to run.

 

If it still will not run you may need to look further such as a pickup line sucking air or faulty pump. Some engines use two pumps. One is a pickup pump which draws fuel from the tank and delivers it to the injection pump and can be mounted independently. Some are mechanical and look like the old lever type pumps off a gas engine, some are gear pumps and some are built into or onto the injection pump.

Edited March 16, 2015 by saddlebum

[Marcarl]

1. If the tractor sat for a while or ran out of fuel, it may have lost its prime. Some have a primer pump for this purpose which includes a bleeder screw. you open the screw and work the pump until the fuel runs clear out of the bleeder then close it and go to step 2 if it still does not fire. If it does not have a primer pump go directly to step 2
   
2. Most tractors have individual high pressure fuel lines that run from the high pressure pump to the cylinder head, usually one for each cylinder. loosen all the lines off (preferably at the head) but do not totally disconnect them.
   
3. Make sure the fuel filter is full of fuel.
   
4. Have a helper crank the engine while you watch the fuel lines. Eventually one by one fuel should start spitting out of the fittings.
   
5. As each one starts spitting fuel out tighten the line while your helper continues to crank the engine. Quite often it will start to fire on the cyl that you just tightened the line on. Continue watching the lines and tighten each one as it starts spitting fuel out. Even if the engine starts running on one or two cylinders continue following the procedure. You want to tighten up the lines as the fuel is spurting out, and yes it can get messy.
   

 

If it still does not fire or fuel does not appear at the lines and you are in a cold climate it may be because of water in the fuel which has frozen. Pour some methyl hydrate in the fuel tank (a cup or two should do) and remove the fuel filter. drain the filter or replace it. Fill the filter about 1/4 with methyl hydrate and top up with fuel. Then follow the steps above. You can also use an anti-gel additive if the fuel has gelled following the same steps. Gelling occurs when fuel meant to be used in warm weather is used or left in during cold weather.

 

If you try to use ether (which is fine I use it all the time) to fire it up do not use too much (you can tell by the sound, best is to spray while someone else is cranking over the engine so it gets sucked in with the airstream) make sure whether or not it has glow plugs or an intake heater. If it does disconnect the wire from the glow plugs or heater, I have seen people blow the intake manifold off by not disabling the heater.

 

Some have an electric shut off solinoid that you may need to check out and in some engines simply removing this solenoid will allow the engine to run.

 

If it still will not run you may need to look further such as a pickup line sucking air or faulty pump. Some engines use two pumps. One is a pickup pump which draws fuel from the tank and delivers it to the injection pump and can be mounted independently. Some are mechanical and look like the old lever type pumps off a gas engine, some are gear pumps and some are built into or onto the injection pump.

That about covers it,,, but if you use ether, remember that Ben has no money and can't replace anything on your engine.

[Dragonslayer]

1. If the tractor sat for a while or ran out of fuel, it may have lost its prime. Some have a primer pump for this purpose which includes a bleeder screw. you open the screw and work the pump until the fuel runs clear out of the bleeder then close it and go to step 2 if it still does not fire. If it does not have a primer pump go directly to step 2
   
2. Most tractors have individual high pressure fuel lines that run from the high pressure pump to the cylinder head, usually one for each cylinder. loosen all the lines off (preferably at the head) but do not totally disconnect them.
   
3. Make sure the fuel filter is full of fuel.
   
4. Have a helper crank the engine while you watch the fuel lines. Eventually one by one fuel should start spitting out of the fittings.
   
5. As each one starts spitting fuel out tighten the line while your helper continues to crank the engine. Quite often it will start to fire on the cyl that you just tightened the line on. Continue watching the lines and tighten each one as it starts spitting fuel out. Even if the engine starts running on one or two cylinders continue following the procedure. You want to tighten up the lines as the fuel is spurting out, and yes it can get messy.
   

 

If it still does not fire or fuel does not appear at the lines and you are in a cold climate it may be because of water in the fuel which has frozen. Pour some methyl hydrate in the fuel tank (a cup or two should do) and remove the fuel filter. drain the filter or replace it. Fill the filter about 1/4 with methyl hydrate and top up with fuel. Then follow the steps above. You can also use an anti-gel additive if the fuel has gelled following the same steps. Gelling occurs when fuel meant to be used in warm weather is used or left in during cold weather.

 

If you try to use ether (which is fine I use it all the time) to fire it up do not use too much (you can tell by the sound, best is to spray while someone else is cranking over the engine so it gets sucked in with the airstream) make sure whether or not it has glow plugs or an intake heater. If it does disconnect the wire from the glow plugs or heater, I have seen people blow the intake manifold off by not disabling the heater.

 

Some have an electric shut off solinoid that you may need to check out and in some engines simply removing this solenoid will allow the engine to run.

 

If it still will not run you may need to look further such as a pickup line sucking air or faulty pump. Some engines use two pumps. One is a pickup pump which draws fuel from the tank and delivers it to the injection pump and can be mounted independently. Some are mechanical and look like the old lever type pumps off a gas engine, some are gear pumps and some are built into or onto the injection pump.

Whew:think: that seems like a lot. Here's what I know and did so far:

• The tractor did sit for about three months.
  
• It did get cold :cold:during that time and the fuel may have gelled. Looking in the tank it looks and smells like fuel but, I didn't taste it. If it did gel..... I can't tell. (poet and didn't know-it:innocent:)
  
• The fuel filter was nasty so I removed and replaced the fuel filter.
  
• When I reinstalled it, it did fill up with what appears to be clean diesel fuel.
  
• At this point it still wont crank.
  
• I did not prime anything or verify fuel at the cylinder intake.
  
• It's not my tractor so I'm going to let someone else more knowledgeable than me try to spray combustibles into the air intake.
  
• Each time I did try to crank it I did wait twenty seconds with the key in the warm up mode before turning key to crank.
  
• Did I mention that it is a Yanmar 3 cylinder diesel engine, if that helps
  

[93 venture]

My little diesel tractor you have to turn the key counter clock wise for 30 sec to heat up the glow plugs, move the hand throttle down about half way and hold down on the cluth petal to start. The throttle on mine is the only thing that shuts it off too.

[mraf]

Whew:think: that seems like a lot. Here's what I know and did so far:

• The tractor did sit for about three months.
  
• It did get cold :cold:during that time and the fuel may have gelled. Looking in the tank it looks and smells like fuel but, I didn't taste it. If it did gel..... I can't tell. (poet and didn't know-it:innocent:)
  
• The fuel filter was nasty so I removed and replaced the fuel filter.
  
• When I reinstalled it, it did fill up with what appears to be clean diesel fuel.
  
• At this point it still wont crank.
  
• I did not prime anything or verify fuel at the cylinder intake.
  
• It's not my tractor so I'm going to let someone else more knowledgeable than me try to spray combustibles into the air intake.
  
• Each time I did try to crank it I did wait twenty seconds with the key in the warm up mode before turning key to crank.
  
• Did I mention that it is a Yanmar 3 cylinder diesel engine, if that helps
  

 

You say you replaced the fuel filter. If you did this it now has air in the system. As you are cranking the engine loosen any injector{just one}. This will allow the air to escape. When it begins to run it will miss until you tighten the loose injector back up. The fuel fiter should have a bleeder bolt on the top of it. Before doing any of the above open it up. If you have a mechanical fuel pump look for a lever on the side of it. This lever is a pump override that lets you pump it by hand to remove any air that you trapped when changing the filter. If no mechanical fuel pump then the bleeding of the fuel filter is done by gravity. Either way still does the same thing. Good luck, sometimes it take a while before it finally runs.