886 IH starts, then quits

[M Nut]

I'm looking for some advice on my 886 IH. It starts pretty good down to about 20 degrees or so without plugging it in. Problem is, it runs about 3 seconds and then quits. It will not restart at that point. Only way I can get it to stay running is if I plug it in for several hours ahead of time. Compression is good, as the motor only has about 50 hours on a complete rebuild. 1 hour plugged in isn't enough, 4 hours or so is what it takes for it to start and stay running. Never used to do this. Does this problem sound like an indication of anything specific? Just looking for opinion on where to start in fixing this situation.
 

[steve alderman]

have you added anything to the fuel if not theres stuff you can buy to prevent fuel geling once its get below freezin that fuel starts to thicken up
 

[M Nut]

Good thought, but it is #1 diesel in the tractor tank. I'd think that it should not need an additive with #1 fuel?
 

[steve alderman]

#1 AND #2 there the same fuel but the 2 has a dye in it that will a truck or tractor smoke and also on 2 there is no tax on it but either one will gel up my dad has a new diesel for say 15 years old and a few years ago it got pretty cold here say 15 to 20 for about 10 days and it snowed went to use tractor it would start but was smoking and sputtering some dumped about 6 ounces of the condensor in it and worked fine every year I put some in that one and all my other diesels when it gets cold out
 

[CJinMI]

#1 & #2 are different, the dye has nothing to do with anything but taxes, either #.
Winter, Summer, #1,#2, house fuel, sulpher or ULS, BTU content, many disscusions in the archives, some fact, some opinion.
 

[Bouncer]

The dye certainly does not cause an engine to smoke either.
 

[CJinMI]

Correct, forgot that part.
 

[armand tatro]

You don't happen to have bio-diesel in your tank do you? That stuff is nasty when the weather gets cold and it gels! Also change the fuel filters no matter when last changed! Also check the air cleaner and make sure the lines to the pump are clean. I had a fuel line on a tractor/loader/backhoe that I blew the line clean 3 or 4 times and still had to lay a light bulb next to the fuel line so it would start the next morning and the tractor was inside a shed with the block heater plugged in. Once started it ran good allday. Don't overlook any possibilty no matter how small the odds. Keep us updated. Armand
 

[ihman73]

Try pumping the hand pump a half dozen strokes before you try to start it. I'd bet your lift pump on the injector pump is weak. Also throttle the tractor up when you start it then immediately back it down as much as you can and still keep it running. My 966 does this and I have been stringing it along for several years. I'll get around to fixing it one of these days...
 

[mazemeister]

2 things you might try:

1. before it quits, give it full fuel, pulling the lever back to keep it under about 1200 rpms, and see if it will stay running.

2.after it starts and quits, climb down and give the priming pump on the back of the injection pump a dozen pumps. then see if it restarts.


i've got a 986 (4000, original engine) that will start and 20F, no plug in, no ether, but after it fires you have to hold the throttle wide open for a couple seconds( it doesn't overspeed cause it's still firing cold, smoking, etc). let it get up to 1000 rpms or so and you're good for the day. if you idle it down too early it'll cough, sputter, die and won't restart without the priming pump.
 

[fixerupper]

How are the filters? If it at least starts, even for just a few revs the engine itself is healthy. If compression was low it wouldn't even fire. My Dodge Cummins that's normally an excellent starter, started and ran a couple of seconds and then died the other morning when the temp had been +4 that night. Fuel filter needed changing and wouldn't flow the cold thick fuel. Changed the filter and away she went. Pure neglegence on my part. Jim
 

[M Nut]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll try them tonight as I have to move some snow for my neighbor. Sounds like I may be looking at some pump work in the near future. I'll also try the filters, they were changed a few months ago, but maybe they are dirtier than I am thinking.