Tractor won t start?

[perryjosh64]

Folks my 64 Ford 2000 gas tractor has been sitting outside in SW GA for a few weeks now. Ran fine few weeks ago when I was mowing pastures. Today when I tried to start it could not get it to crank? It s turning over and but not cranking up. Hit it couple times with starter fluid and it fired but still would
Not crank? Battery is fully charged. Any ideas/trouble-shooting tips?

 

[Jerry/MT]

Have you cleaned the battery terminals and made sure the chasis ground is bright and tight?

 

[RobCons]

Does it have fuel in it? I have been known to run them dry and forget.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

How did you determine battery is good? Get the battery tested, not just connected to a trickle charger. Take to a local alt/gen shop and have them test it on their
machine under load. Chances are it is very weak or dead and won't hold a charge. Can perform Fuel Flow Test first and avoid guessing and temptation to just start yanking
parts off willy nilly. If not tested and proven defective, why remove? When vehicle sets idle for days, weeks, or months, without battery connected to a FLOAT CHARGER
(i.e. DELTRAN BATTERY TENDER) the battery will deplete specific gravity, lose electrolyte, and weaken lead plates. Draining and recharging battery is the quickest way to
kill life span on a battery.


Tim Daley (MI)

 

[showcrop]

You are getting answers relating to your battery because you are stating that it doesn't crank. Cranking is what your starter does with power from the battery. Running is what happens when the fuel and compression meets the spark.

 

[Hemmjo]

I just had my old trusty, fire up after 1/2 revolution, suddenly would not start after sitting a couple days. Pulled the coil wire, no spark. Popped the cap off the distributor. Had voltage to the points, BUT, no current would pass THROUGH the points. Rubbed a thin piece of clean cardboard, like cereal box folded so the bare side in against the points, back and forth with the points closed against it. Got a dark streak in the cardboard.

Back in business. It was just dirty points.

 

[perryjosh64]

Yep it was the points. Cleaned and now back in business.
Thanks folks