First off I will say I am completely new to farming and inherited a tractor from my father-in-law. It is a Massey Ferguson tractor and it worked fine of last year. This year it seems to be OK but this morning I went in the tractor won’t start anymore. It will crank a little and then nothing. What are the possible solutions for this? And battery is new
Massey Ferguson Won’t Start
- Thread starter Gspsaku
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tibadoe
Silver Member
Possible the battery needs a good charging or could be toast. It should have a voltage reading of about 12.7 or more. If you have a charger you may want to charge it a bit and check again.
CobyRupert
Super Member
What kind or model of Massey? Gas or diesel? When was tractor last started?
Last started yesterday. Used it for an hour. Diesel, Massey Ferguson 253
New battery in January and checked the voltage, 12.8
JethroB
Veteran Member
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Check/clean the connections of the cables, at the battery, solenoid, starter, and ground. I once thought I needed a new battery but the old one tested ok. Turned out to be a simple poor connection. A wire brush does wonders.
CobyRupert
Super Member
So it cranks over a little, perhaps slowly, then it stops cranking?
Any smoke out the exhaust pipe?
We need to determine if it’s a battery/starter problem (slow or no crank), or if it just keeps cranking but doesn’t start (like a fuel problem).
If the former, clean all terminals, especially where the negative terminal connects to frame as others have suggested.
Any smoke out the exhaust pipe?
We need to determine if it’s a battery/starter problem (slow or no crank), or if it just keeps cranking but doesn’t start (like a fuel problem).
If the former, clean all terminals, especially where the negative terminal connects to frame as others have suggested.
CoyPatton
Veteran Member
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As others have stated, check all connection points on battery cables. You do not want them so tightened as to break bolts, but they do need yo tight. They need to be free of corrosion. Connections to the frame should be free of loose paint and rust.
I have sold batteries in the past and have seen many new batteries not hold a deep charge, but show an acceptable surface voltage—if your starting issues of slow speed continue after clean and tightening connections, try boosting the tractor with a good truck battery (650+ cca). If it spins faster with a boost and a charged battery, take it to be load tested.