Slow cranking tractor

[John SD]

Talked with the guy again--tractor came with glow plugs. They added the block heater later-- I'm not sure if either is working so that's where I'll start along with an oil change.

It's easy to tell if a block heater is working. You can usually hear it from the moment it gets plugged in. Within 5 minutes, you should be able to feel the heat with your hand.

Not sure how you check glow plugs or what type you have, whether there are individual glow plugs in each cylinder, or one big glow plug in the intake manifold. Follow the wiring.

Most indirect injection diesel engines with precombustion chambers require glow plugs year round. (old GM diesel cars and pickups)

Most direct injection diesel engines only need glow plugs when it is extremely cold. I would not consider 20 degrees extremely cold.

Main thing to remember is to never mix glow plugs and ether. It's an either/or thing. Never both!

 

[Nesikep]

If it has individual glow plugs, it will have a fairly heavy guage wire going from what looks vaguely like a sparkplug on the head for each cylinder.. usually very close to the injector. Testing them to make sure they work is a little harder... but here's how I do it without taking them out..
Remove the connector wire from all the glow plugs, then hook a jumper cable to the positive cable of the battery and use the other end to touch the connector terminal on each glow plug... the ones that show a spark are good, and if you can't get a spark, it's burnt out.. If you take them out, connect them to a battery somehow and they should glow nice and orange within about 10 seconds.

Often the glow plugs are powered through a relay, and the energizing circuit can mess up.... that'll take a bit of retracing, starting with the key switch...

 

[hurleyjd]

The reason for me posting that it has a thermostart unit was that was what was shown on the case-ih website. You can go on the sight and look up the parts for the 990.

 

[jallen]

Thanks for the help guys, this is all new to me. Can anyone recommend what oil to run in it? I would prefer to run as thin as possible for my weather conditions. Going to get the oil changed out today.

 

[jltrent]

Thanks for the help guys, this is all new to me. Can anyone recommend what oil to run in it? I would prefer to run as thin as possible for my weather conditions. Going to get the oil changed out today.

This will be the best for starting in cold weather.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Shell-Rotella ... l/14958681

 

[jallen]

Thanks for the info. Will this oil be ok for summer use in Alabama as well?

 

[jltrent]

Thanks for the info. Will this oil be ok for summer use in Alabama as well?

It will go upto 40w if needed and down to 5w if needed. It should be good year round.

 

[John SD]

I picked up a gallon of Rotella 5W-40 today on sale at O'Reilly for $21 something. :banana:

 

[Nesikep]

It doesn't take more than a gallon?

 

[mn_farmboy]

Hi, I have a 990 Case, my dad bought it new. It starts pretty good with the glow plugs down to 35 F or so. Then we always plugged the block heater in and it starts great with that. Definitely need lighter oil than 30 F when it is cold. I usually run 10 W30. You have to have a good battery when it is cold to get it to spin fast enough to start.

Good chore tractor. We have a loader on it and we use it on a snow blower in the winter. In the summer we use it on a hay bine, hay rake and on a square baler. We also haul 1000# bales on the 3 point and with the loader. It is easy on fuel and has been reliable. It is good to change hydraulic filter and transmission oil fairly regular as the hydraulics can get funky if you have water in the transmission.

Hope this helps.

Mark

 

[xaxiak]

My red DB 990 developed sluggish cranking about 2 years ago. It would come good for a while if I gave the starter motor a tap with a spanner.
I eventually found the cause to be poor electrical contact between the grounded brush holders and the back plate. The rivets must have lost tension. I fixed it by drilling through the brush holders and back plate, then fitting 3mm bolts and nuts.