JD 2640 hard to start

Purdyite · Feb 2, 2011

Hi to all, I am a newbie here, but use other types of forums...I help my dad on his farm, I live 25 miles away. He has a JD 2640 that is driving us nuts on the starting--hard to start, barely cranks...he had the starter rebubilt some few years ago, and we just put new batteries and cables on it. Same thing. Is this a congenital defect, or can it be fixed? Is it chronic for this tractor? Has anyone suffered this and solved it? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Not sure the model year at this time...

RickB · Feb 3, 2011

They are hard starting pigs in the cold. Use a block heater religiously.

Tx Jim · Feb 3, 2011

When you replaced batt cables did you relocate ground cable to engine block or starter mounting bolt? The factory location at the batt box sometimes gets rusty where batt box bolts to clutch housing causing poor connection.Also install a hyd pump destroking screw(part # AR33249 for hyd pump with no SN tag)( AR96625 hyd pump with SN tag). This helps cranking speed as it relieves hyd pump strain while trying to crank engine.

Purdyite · Feb 3, 2011

Thanks for the reply...when we re-wired the batteries, I used a separate ground cable for each battery, grounding them just below the batteries inside the batt compartment. We were using the block heater--it had been plugged in for several hours. Please tell me where the destroke screw is? I have been reading about that...

Tx Jim · Feb 4, 2011

The de-stroking screw will be(if installed) on LH side in frt of radiator. It points straight up and has a "t" handle on it. You have to turn it down several rounds which pushes on the stroke control valve to keep pump from building psi until it is turned back out. An alternate but not as effect is moving the steering wheel rapidly back and forth while trying to crank engine also can aid starting if a DS valve isn't installed.