Cold diesel hard to start

[john_bud]

I finally found time to work on it. My ground cable looked fine but since so many of you suggested that I clean it, I removed it and cleaned all surfaces well and replaced it.

The starter runs faster than it did years ago and starts easily!

So simple! Who woulda thought?

Uh, me for one...


;-)

 

[1948berg]

Had an old Hough Payloader. 12v, would never start unless it got 24v to start with. Starter lasted as long as the payloader.
A friend had an old Mercedes Benz 300 diesel. Would never start in cold weather. He installed an extra 6v battery which he could connect to the 12v during starting. 18 v made the difference.
Be sure that the charge voltage is high enough. You can replace the factory mounted with another with higher voltage.

 

[tallyho8]

Uh, me for one...
;-)

Sorry, I forgot to say THANKS John_bud

 

[john_bud]

Sorry, I forgot to say THANKS John_bud

Well, on the part of the TBN community - you're welcome! It was and is a team effort here to help folks out.

jb

 

[asi424]

I have a diesel IH 444 British import which from what I can tell is identical to the 364, and was having the exact same problem. I took the advice in this thread and started with the simplest first. After cleaning the battery terminals and connections it would crank but not fire up. I then popped off the wire connection to the first glow plug and shined it up with sand paper. After connecting it back up and really tightning down the connector (just the connector, not the glow plug, you don't want to over tighten the glow plug into the block) she fired right up in 20-30 degree weather. I found a trick though, first you want to hold the glow plug button for 60 seconds or more, then when you turn over the engine, and it is strugling to fire, hold the glow plug button back in for a few second while it is strugling, and it will assist the fireing. Works every time for my tractor, they have this tip in the owners manual. Thanks for this thread and all the good advice, it really helped me get my tractor back up and running.

 

[westcliffe01]

I have had it happen that the battery voltage would drop so low when cranking that the fuel cut off valve would drop out and there would be no fuel. Then you wonder why it won't start ??? When that happened (typically after a few weeks of no use at 10-20F), then I jump start it with a warm battery from inside the house and jumper cables directly to the starter solenoid. I also eliminated my battery isolator switch since that was another source of voltage drop and the operating lever had been broken off before I even bought the machine...