LS J2020H Not Starting

Fres · Nov 12, 2014

I am having trouble with my LS J2020H not starting and need to see if any one has any ideas for me...

symtoms:

1. I let the glow plugs warm up
2. Raise the throttle about a 1/4-1/3 up
3. Attempt to start engine -- it turns over like it should, but doesnt start.
4. I jumped it from my truck. Instant start.
5. I figured battery was bad so I had it checked (twice). They say it is perfectly good and less than 10 months old.
6. Put the battery back in and it worked flawlessly for about 2 weeks
7. Now I am back at step one...

Any thoughts???

Bladehauler · Nov 12, 2014

I have had the ground wire on mine get loose where it bolts to the frame, same symptoms you describe .
I tightened it up and no more problems.

windcatcher · Nov 12, 2014

Agreed with Bladehauler. Sometimes the new paint causes the grounds to not make contact properly. Just ask about anyone who has restored a tractor and went through great pains to remove almost every bolt and nut to be painted.

Guess what? All that shiny paint makes for terrible grounds! :laughing:

Navasot · Nov 12, 2014

Did you jump it from the battery or the starter? I would check all your connections from the grounds, battery and to the starter

Fres · Nov 12, 2014

Navasot said:
Did you jump it from the battery or the starter? I would check all your connections from the grounds, battery and to the starter

I jumped it from the battery. I will check the grounds this afternoon.

Fres · Nov 17, 2014

I tightened and cleaned the grounds to chassis.. only problem I encounted was 20 degree weather.. it still wouldn't start so I shot a quick mist of starting fluid into the air intake..

Started instantly.. so I wont know until warmer weather if I have fixed the problem or not. Id like to think I did by cleaning and tightening the grounds, but I guess I'll have to wait and see..

thanks for all the input you guys shared with a "newbie" to the forum.

Navasot · Nov 17, 2014

Does the tractor have glow plugs?

ozley · Nov 17, 2014

Fres said:
I tightened and cleaned the grounds to chassis.. only problem I encounted was 20 degree weather.. it still wouldn't start so I shot a quick mist of starting fluid into the air intake.. Started instantly.. so I wont know until warmer weather if I have fixed the problem or not. Id like to think I did by cleaning and tightening the grounds, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.. thanks for all the input you guys shared with a "newbie" to the forum.

Go easy on the starting fluid does it not have some type of pre-heat to help the start. If you keep use the starter fluid that will be the only it will start then die a early death.

Fres · Nov 17, 2014

Thanks again for the replays.

It does have glow plugs. I just shot one breath of starting fluid in to see if it would start. I am going to replace them as a precautionary measure.

At least now I'm pretty sure the ground is tight and that it will start without being jump started.