Ford 5000 cranks but doesnt start

[haileyrae]

Hi there Everyone,

I just bought a Ford 5000, which is my first tractor. The guy I bought it from had video of it running and was using it and then said he went to move it and it wouldn't turn over. It sounds like it ran less than a week ago. If you spray her with a bit of ether she cranks and puts out some smoke and stutters a bit and sounds like it wants to start but doesnt. Would anyone have any ideas as to what the problem may be or what it may need? Thank you!

 

[DanielW]

Quite a few things it might be. But a few easy checks first: How good is the battery, how fast is it cranking, and does it have good fuel flow to the filters? Also, how cold is it where you are? Our 5000 and 6600 both have pretty tight engines, but even this time of year with temperatures being a little cold in the morning and neither having new batteries, they sometimes want the block heaters plugged in for a bit to fire. You really want a good, fast crank from a good battery to start in any kind of colder weather.

I would think this should really be on the seller - they sold you a running tractor, and showed a video of it running, and now they can't get it to start...

 

[Sean in PA]

First off, is it gas or diesel? If it is diesel, have you/they tried bleeding the fuel system? If it's gas, have you checked the fuel flow and for a good blue-white spark that will jump at least a 1/4" gap to ground?

 

[haileyrae]

Thank you both so much for the suggestions, it is pretty warm here currently. Now with that said, he did say the block heater was out, it seems to have a fairly fast crank. I am going to check on the filters, spark, and spark. It is a diesal as well. We havent tried bleeding the fuel system but we were thinking to try that as well today. I will check all these things now and let yall know how it goes. Thank you!

 

[DanielW]

Something else to consider is how old the diesel fuel is, and whether it might have sat and had time for moisture to condense in the fuel tank as well. Modern diesel is subject to an algae growth inside it: It's always been a concern in old diesel, but it used to be only prevalent in really wet environments (always been a concern in marine diesels). But the high sulphur content of diesel back in the day would help keep the bacteria/algae down/killed. Now that all diesel is ultra-low sulphur, that algae growth is far more common in any diesel that's been sitting for a few months. The algae feasts on the hydrocarbons in diesel, and when it gets bad it turns into a sludgy, gunky mess. But even before it turns sludgy, it may have started to eat away all the hydrocarbons in your fuel and make it the fuel far less potent. If the tractor has been sitting for a while (especially if outside) and if you've confirmed good flow to your filters, some fresh diesel may be a good next/easy step.

Also make sure the lift pump is working - which you'll be doing when you check & bleed it. I've seen a lot of lift pumps in the last couple years go bad - diaphragms get hard or cracked. Not sure if there's some additive in modern fuels that's causing the old diaphragms to crack, or just because all the old equipment I'm around is getting to that age where the diaphragms are at the end of their lives. Cheap & easy fix to rebuild the lift pump. But more checks needed to determine if that's the problem. the fact it wouldn't fire with ether is a little concerning.

 

[LarryBud]

Just went through this on my diesel. See the thread below. I might be your problem if you have fuel to the pump but not the lines.

L

Thread '3600 Fuel?'

Apr 13, 2026

3 cylinder diesel. Tried to start it for the first time since December. Hit nice for about 1 second and died. Fuel squirts at the pump. Fuel seeps out ( not squirting out )at the line screws. Won’t start again. Thoughts? Should I have more pressure there? It ran well when I put it to bed for the winter.

Thanks.

• LarryBud
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Ford

 

[haileyrae]

We bled the lines and the fuel shut off was indeed stuck, so we fixed that and she does start and run now!

It sounds like maybe it has a knock in it potentially? Unsure if i bled it correctly and if maybe there is still air in it, if anyone has any suggestions or knows the proper way to bleed it, in case I did something wrong it would be appreciated.

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions, im so happy it is running.

 

[DanielW]

As long as it's running at all, it shouldn't need bleeding anymore. A knock is perhaps concerning, however. Maybe post some pictures and videos of it running. A slow walkaround video when running showing the engine and all other components will likely yield a lot of thoughts/advice from folks on here.

Congrats on your new purchase. The 5000 was (in my opinion) one of the most exceptional tractors ever built. We have (or have had) similar sized and aged tractors from Allis, IH, and Deere. Some of the others may have a nicer seating position, others may have slightly faster hydraulics, others may have more convenient controls. But none beat the 5000 for all-out durability and longevity. I often compare it to my Allis 180 and Deere 2120 - which are pretty much direct rivals to the 5000. I love the Allis and Deere for field work. But both would have had to go to the wreckers years ago if we abused them like we do our 5000. Yet the 5000 still plugs away dandily.

 

[haileyrae]

Hope this video is good to show everything, after driving her around a bit the knocking may be gone? This is my first experience with a diesel or a Ford tractor so im also unsure exactly what she should sound like. The farm has a couple tractors I have driven but they have all been gas and have been on the farmall cub and farmall h which were much different. Thank you everyone so much for all of the help, this is so exciting. I put the video on YouTube because it was too big for here.

 

[dextadriver]

Select o speed transmission.. my favourite
Is it working in all speeds?
I would like to find a County with sos does anyone know of anything

 

[dextadriver]

Hope this video is good to show everything, after driving her around a bit the knocking may be gone? This is my first experience with a diesel or a Ford tractor so im also unsure exactly what she should sound like. The farm has a couple tractors I have driven but they have all been gas and have been on the farmall cub and farmall h which were much different. Thank you everyone so much for all of the help, this is so exciting. I put the video on YouTube because it was too big for here.

Why is steering arm bent?

 

[DanielW]

Something to keep in mind (will be detailed in your manual): Make sure you change the oil in that injection pump at least somewhat regularly. Those Minimec injector pumps can last forever if they're maintained properly. But unlike almost all other injection pumps, they have an oil sump and you want to drain/change it periodically, because it gets diluted and washed out with diesel over time. They don't last long once they start to run dry. The manual indicates to change that oil every time you change your engine oil, which is solid advice. But admittedly I only do it at every other engine oil change on our 6600.

When you go to change it, make sure you clean the area around the fill, level, and drain plugs thoroughly - you don't want to introduce any dirt in there. It looks like the fill plug on yours has been cleaned around it, so that's a good sign: Someone has evidently been changing/filling it (and keeping it clean when they do so). And be very careful to not over-tighten the drain and level plugs. The pump has a cast aluminum body that's very easy to crack if those plugs are over-tightened. Have good, new, soft gaskets on your level and fill plugs - not some old hardened gaskets that will require you to really crank on them to seal.

 

[SkipperII]

Why is steering arm bent?

Looks to be normal to me.

 

[dextadriver]

Looks to be normal to me.

Ok