Pull Starting a MT 372D

[rzacc]

Has anyone tried pull starting a MT 372D? Mine will not start, and I tried pull starting it. No matter how Hi a gear it is in, the tires are locked up and will not turn. Im just skidding the tires. The engine turns over with the starter, but will not start. Any ideas how I can pull start this, or is it just geared so low that even in hi range it will not turn over the motor? Ive pull started a lot of vehicles, and cant imagine that this little 2 cylinder motor is that strong to keep it from turning over....

The tractor ran when I bought it, and drove ok, but will not start now. Thanks in advance. Next step is to have starter rebuilt and check compression, but Id like to be certain that everything else is ok.
Ron

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

I've never tried pull-starting but I'd be surprised if it would lock the tires in 6th gear with an operator on it on asphalt/concrete. Add rear weight if necessary (a box blade would help a lot if you can get it attached somehow). "Feathering" the clutch may also help. It is geared pretty low even in "high gear" by most vehicle standards though. If your starter is working, even moderately, it should start on its own assuming it's warm enough and getting fuel unless you have some other problem in which case pull starting may not make much difference. What does the smoke look like when you're cranking it with the starter? Make sure the glow plugs are working and it's getting fuel.

 

[rzacc]

Thanks for writing. IM stumped... When the throttle is all the way back smoke is black. When this first happened, it belched black smoke like crazy when trying to start. When it warmed up, that all cleared up. The motor is free and turns over, the rear end is free, as I can push it by hand in neutral. Tranny feels normal at the shifter. I don't know this machine at all, but im thinking there must be another brake or safety device somewhere. But the tires just hold fast. I don't have any asphalt but the ground is just like that since it's frozen.
Thanks
Ron

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

It sounds like fuel supply is ok and the engine is building enough heat if you're getting black smoke. These 2-cylinder engines are a bit more stubborn than the K3 series of engines to start. I believe the starters on the K3s spin faster but I don't think they'll fit the KE engines. You're probably at the "cusp" of it starting on its own. At this point you can do a couple of things - 1.) check battery/connections, maybe a new battery if it's old 2.) Take apart the starter and clean/rebuild 3.) Check compression - should be 400+ psig if good. As it falls below that starting will be affected accordingly I've read. Temperatures have a major affect on starting which is well known to people with "vintage" (i.e. old/high hour) diesels. I start having difficulty on all my engines when the temps begin hitting 20 deg. F and less without block heaters. Here is a video of me trying to start a KE70 (I believe this is what you have) at 20 deg. F. It will start eventually and run but it takes continued cranking. The black smoke indicates the fuel is burning, just not well enough to keep it running.

TX1300 cold start 20 deg F.mpg - YouTube

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Here's a video of the same engine starting at 70 deg F. I still use the glow plugs but notice the difference. Minimal rack setting too vs. full when cold as in previous video. Forward to 6:35 to get past the jibberish.

\Iseki Foot Pedal and Blowby Check - YouTube

 

[oliver28472]

My three bangers have always puffed gray smoke while cranking. Possibly a dumb question but are you using the glow plugs? Black smoke on a running diesel tractor indicates a stopped up air filter.

 

[oliver28472]

And don't use ether!

 

[duwem]

Insure you have 12v going to the glow plugs, and wouldnt hurt to replace them. They are like $12 each. Indirect injection diesel wont start without glow plugs even when its 80F out.

If you do manage to pull it to start it you still want power going to the glow plugs. But definitly shouldnt need to tug it if everything else is working fine.

Have you bled the injector lines?

 

[skylarkguy]

It seems to me that if the starter is turning it over, pull starting won't start it either.

 

[duwem]

Unless the starter is turning too slow or drawing too much power away from the glow plugs.

I assume you have a good battery on the thing? Diesels take a lot of juice to start.

Does it have a block heater? Both my MT372's had them when I got them.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Pull starting will allow much higher "cranking" speeds. This helps tremendously since less time is available during the compression stroke to leak compression and heat away from the cylinder resulting in much better starting not to mention a lot more power being dumped into the block for faster overall heating. I agree having the glow plugs powered during this can only help.

 

[Xfaxman]

Thanks for writing. IM stumped... When the throttle is all the way back smoke is black. When this first happened, it belched black smoke like crazy when trying to start. When it warmed up, that all cleared up. The motor is free and turns over, the rear end is free, as I can push it by hand in neutral. Tranny feels normal at the shifter. I don't know this machine at all, but im thinking there must be another brake or safety device somewhere. But the tires just hold fast. I don't have any asphalt but the ground is just like that since it's frozen.
Thanks
Ron

Is the starter gear stuck out and meshed with the ring gear on the flywheel?

Can you turn the engine with a socket on the crankshaft pulley? Might not if the starter gear is out.

Put it in 1st gear, don't push in the clutch and spin the starter (may need to jumper the saftey switch) to see if the tractor moves.

If all seems normal, add some weight to the rear, and try to pull start again.