X740 JD starting hiccups. Glow plugs?

[Deere Dude]

I have an 2009 X740 with 3 cyl. Yanmar and it started nicely even in an unheated pole shed in Wisconsin when the temp would be down to 0 deg F or even colder.

I changed the battery a year ago when starting took longer than a couple seconds in medium temperature. I got a Wally world battery because it was a lot closer that a JD dealership. I took the battery back and their tester said it is okay. It reads the CCA that the battery states.

Now I park the tractor in a semi heated garage and kept at 45-65 deg. It starts fine. When the temp drops to the 30s and I park it outside I will be lucky if it starts. It pops and sounds like a Johnny popper for half a minute.

I always had Rotella 15w40 in it even in Wisconsin and I have it in now in Tennessee.

WTH. Oil didn't change but was wondering about glowplugs. I don't have a tech. manual but visually it looks like to top of the motor would have to come off just get at them to check them. All the fuses are fine. Grounds okay.

Is there a way to check them without removing them to see if they are okay. Not sure if this is the symptom for bad glow plugs or plug.

Thanks in advance.
Chuck

 

[Kish318420]

Most glow plugs read one ohm, if you measure the harness resistance at the control circuit it will be ~0.333 ohms due to the plugs being in parallel.

 

[ruffdog]

Them diesels call for a group 51 battery with 500 cca. Lately, there have been many complaints about fuel quality and contamination. Are you running winter grade fuel that has been treated?

 

[Deere Dude]

My battery tested at 552 CCA if that test was correct. I think it is a group 51 battery.

The glow plug indicator does come on correctly.

I used fuel bought a few months ago and put in Stanadyne Lubricity Formula.

I looked at the glow plugs and it seems they come out straight upward, but a chunk of engine, maybe intake manifold or something is directly over the top. If the wire just pulls straight off that would work. I need to google or find out somehow how the wires come off first.

I will take a look at them again tomorrow to see if I am looking at them correctly. I like the test from the harness and checking all three at a time for starters.

 

[Deere Dude]

I just found this on a Gator forum. I'll check it out tomorrow, maybe.


1. Park machine safely. See "Park Machine Safely" in the Safety section.
2. Raise and lock cargo box.


MX37356
3. Loosen hose clamp (A) from air cleaner hose and disconnect hose from intake side of rocker arm cover.
4. Remove bolt (B) from wiring clamp.
5. Remove six long (C) and three short bolts (D) securing valve cover to cylinder head.
6. Remove rocker cover.

 

[beenthere]

Deere Dude
Schematic of the X740 glow plugs and wiring attached.

Item found Amazon and GreenPartsStore
John Deere Glow Plug - MIU82457

 

[Deere Dude]

Thanks a lot for the pic and advice. I;ll check it out.

 

[Deere Dude]

I stopped my crying and took all the stuff off from the top of the motor live valve covers and air intake. I could get at the glow plugs easily then.

I hooked my negative welder cable to the positive post on the battery and clamped the glow plug body on the other end. Then I put the post of the glowplug on the negative post of the battery. One started heating up right away and 2 did not. So I had 1 good one.

I priced on the internet and greenparts.com and other places were 40+ apiece. I called NAPA next door for a cross reference and they were 15 apiece. When I went to pick them up I asked for a military disc and I got them for 12.50 apiece.

I got them in and they work great.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Richard001]

Glad you got it going for not much money. And thanks for letting us know what the outcome was.

 

[ruffdog]

What are the NAPA numbers for future reference?