testing glow plugs??? Tractor hard starting.

[Anonymous-0]

Hey folks,
My little tractor has been starting and running real well and just the other day started, ran around a while and baled some hay. Shut it off and it was a bear to get started again. finally took a shot of ether. Once started, it runs just fine. Was low on fuel so I topped it off. It's still hard starting and takes a shot of ether to start. Acts just like it did when the glow plugs weren't working a couple years ago.

I've got power to the plugs and when I connect a multimeter between ground and the end the wire connects, I have continuity. This means the plug is good right?
If my glowplugs are good, where else should I look? No water in oil or vice-versa, no bubbling in the radiator, just hard starting.

Tractor is a German made Farmall with a 3 cyl diesel motor (DD-111).

Thanks, Dave

 

[guido]

Hello Dave2,
If the tractor ran out of fuel, you may still have air in the system, especially if you did not run it long. Run it under load at full throttle, it may self bleed. Bleed the injectors at the head side if it doesn't.
The glow plugs have a resistance, not much though.
Set your meter to the lowest OHM settings and try againg. 0 resistance is a direct short to ground, that would blow the fuse. Does the engine need the glow plugs to be activated in the summer time? I'm not familiar with your setup, but anything above 50 degrees F. should not require a glow plug in order for an engine in good condition to start.
Guido.

 

[rrlund]

I don't use a meter,I use a test light. Hook it to the battery and touch it to the wire spade on the glow plug. If the plug is good,it'll ground out and light the light. No light,the circut is open because it's burned out,thus no light.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'll check what I had the meter set on and check again. Yes, glowplugs are needed almost at every start in these things for a quick start. Didn't run out of fuel but it acted like it. Would a bad fuel filter do the same as running out of fuel as far as air in the system? Really acts like it did the couple times I ran out of fuel also except it runs fine after starting.


Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hi Dave, if your heater system is the same as the UK built B250/275 type tractors clean all your connecting wires between the plugs and the last wire wich goes to earth. MJ

 

[Mike (WA)]

I used to check the glowplugs on my 7.3 Ford "in place"- a good one is about 2 ohms, I recollect. A bad one will be infinite (open).

 

[Anonymous-0]

(quoted from post at 02:04:06 06/24/10) Hi Dave, if your heater system is the same as the UK built B250/275 type tractors clean all your connecting wires between the plugs and the last wire wich goes to earth. MJ

Same principal, but I upgraded to new (VW TDI) glowplugs that done away with what you are talking about and runs a wire direct to each plug. For some reason, it started a lot easier this morning with just a token squirt of ether. Maybe I just had some moisture in the fuel???

Thanks,


Dave

 

[guido]

Hello Dave2,
If the fuel line from the tank gravity feeds the pump, it is possible that the tank vent is clogged or possibly the line itself, if rubber, has the inner wall collapsed. A bad filter will have the same results.
Guido.

 

[Anonymous-0]

(quoted from post at 15:29:30 06/24/10) Hello Dave2,
If the fuel line from the tank gravity feeds the pump, it is possible that the tank vent is clogged or possibly the line itself, if rubber, has the inner wall collapsed. A bad filter will have the same results.
Guido.

Don't think it's a vent because I open/look in the tank before starting. Picked up a new filter yesterday and will install it/check the line today. It does gravity feed and the filter is in the tank.

Thanks, Dave