JD 855 Won't Start

[Dennisfly]

JD 855 Won\'t Start

There is fuel in the tank and the battery turns it over well. The temperature is in the mid 50s. It ran perfectly a week ago right up to the time I shut it down. It has always started easily before. Now it doesn't even pop. There is black smoke that pumps out of the exhaust when it turns over. I'm thinking fuel shutoff solenoid. Any other ideas?

 

[Egon]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

Black smoke should indicate fuel delivery. How about glow plugs?

Egon

 

[755inNY]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

Dennis,

Is this the first time you have tried starting it a that temperature? I would check and make sure the glow plugs are working. Check for voltage right at the glow plug connection with the key on. There is a relay that controls this and when it failed on my JD 755 it was hard starting like you are describing. Fortunately I have a neighbor with a JD 655 and was able to temporarily swap his relay for mine to confirm the failure. The relay is not cheap.

Jeff

 

[BigEddy]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

Check the fuel filter bowl - make sure it's full. My 855 runs out of fuel long before the tank is empty, then it will cough and splutter black smoke but won't start. Fill the tank, bleed the system, off and running

 

[RoyJackson]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

"Fill the tank, bleed the system, off and running "

Good point...

In fact, best to keep those tanks full (especially in the winter) with some additive to reduce condensation.

Since these things sip fuel, I only keep 3-5 gallons on hand to fill up. I top off as soon as the gauge reads ½ full.

 

[fgross335_2210]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

If you don't have a block heater, do you have a trouble light and old blanket? I'm thinking use the blanket to cover the hood/hold in heat and then hang the trouble light near the engine (not on anything plastic). Let it warm up overnight and see if that helps starting. Could be moisture as other posters have pointed out.

 

[Dennisfly]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

Thanks for all of the good input. The fuel filter bowl is full and clean. I obtained an IT shop manual and determined that it does not have glow plugs but rather an air heater. The air heater only works when it is colder thatn 58 degrees F. This weekend it is forecast to be in the 60s. I plan to make sure it is full of clean fuel, check that the fuel shut-off solenoid is fully opening, bleed the fuel system, and hopefully start it. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[jdcook00]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

How many hours on it? Has the "down draft tube" been dripping oil? My brother in law had a 755 with similar problems and I checked and found low compression was the culprit. He had serviced it more often than was called for and it had only 750 hours on it. Disassembled engine and found the rings siezed to the pistons. A new set of rings and she was off and running. This is just a look at worst case senario, not to get you alarmed, but just aware. Let us know what happens. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Dennisfly]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

Well I did get it started this weekend! The fuel shutoff solenoid was working. I topped the tank and bled the system at the filter, at the flow divider, and at each nozzle. The temperature was in the 60s so the air heater was out of the picture.

It still started hard. It took 4 attempts with significant waits between for starter cooling. When it did fire, it needed starter assist to keep it going for the first 15 seconds or so. There was a lot of black smoke but in a minute it was running well. I used it for a couple of hours and it ran well with good power. I made several warm starts and they worked fine. It will be interesting to see how it starts after it cools overnight. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Bird]

Re: JD 855 Won\'t Start

Sure sounds to me like the guys who suggested a glow plug problem were right. Could be the glow plugs themselves, or power not getting to them.