8600 - Sitting for over 10 years. First steps?

So, my father was a farmer. They used this 8600 on the farm. They sold the farm, kept the tractor and used it for some driveway maintenance, snow plowing, etc... It was starting hard in the winter and he was getting older and at some point, he ended up giving up on it and let it sit for a few years. He has since passed and more years passed.

10 years or more since it's last run, I'm now interested in starting it back up. What recommendations would you have prior to doing anything big. Should I just change the fluids/filters and hope for the best? Is there some priming of pumps I can do prior to attempting a start?

I'm thinking of draining hydraulic, fuel, coolant, and oil and replacing. I understand that this injection pump has its own oil - so I suppose that's a candidate as well... Anything else I should consider?

Regards,
Jay

If it were me I would inspect the fluids for contamination and if there is no contamination I would move onto starting it. Contamination would mean milky colored fluid in either the crankcase oil or transmission oil. Strong diesel fuel smell in the engine oil. Milky or dirty looking antifreeze/ water mix. Dirty or milky looking fuel. Remove any contaminated fluids through a slow drain which would take a few days then refill with new fluid and change appropriate filters. If the fluid level can not be determined by stick or by sight then it becomes necessary to add the appropriate fluid to the point where the tractor can safely run. It will probably need new batteries but until you know what you have you could attach a couple of automotive batteries to start it. If it does not start after the first few minutes then the fuel system has lost prime then you will need to crack lines open and prime the transfer pump. If you have an owner's manual it will have steps specific to that tractor. If not start at the transfer pump and once you have fuel there then loosen a bleed screw at the filters, and then finally the line to the injector pump. If the engine skips then it may be necessary to loosen the lines from the injection pump to the injector to bleed off any trapped air.

Before starting the engine so that it runs more than a minute you will want to know the status of any gauges and in particular the oil pressure gauge or oil pressure light. If you are serious about keeping the tractor it would pay to put in a screw in gauge into a port on the engine block to verify what you see on the console instruments. If you determine the tractor has suffered considerable damage from sitting you are only out maybe a couple of batteries, a gauge, and whatever fluids were needed to know the tractor was in the operating range. Once you know the condition of the tractor when running and determine that it is in good condition then I would go about complete fluid changes and so forth.

I was just recalling what was told to me by an old Ford man years ago about the 8000-8600 series tractors. That is the injection pumps on those tractors did not like sitting not run for many months at a time. Hopefully, it will start and maybe start without re-priming the fuel system. If the tractor does not start after priming the injection pump and there is poor or no delivery to the injectors then you may well have injector pump problems. It will not be cheap to fix or replace unless somebody else here knows something that I do not. It could mean big money compared to the value of the tractor. You will have to decide either to commit to keeping the tractor or selling it as a non runner.

Somebody asked me to point out the possibility that the engine may be stuck or froze up. Maybe you have already investigated this possibility. It may be wise to make the very first order of business to attempt to turn the engine over manually via front crank pulley or by flywheel. I don't know the finer points of 8000/ 8600 tractors but it might be possible to rock it by putting in high gear. If you are real concerned about avoiding damage and do not mind the additional effort it might be wise to remove the valve cover and determine if that part of the engine turns freely. I guess everybody I have known in the situation you are in of a diesel sitting for several years got lucky by not having these issues so I did not think of it sooner.

My 9000 had been in the weeds for seven years when we put in a battery, primed the fuel up to the pump, cranked for about five seconds and it started right up. After running it for a few minutes we dumped the oil, and installed new filters. Diesels, because of the oil that they run on are less susceptible to freezing up than gas engines. Like NY986 said, the injector pump can be problematic. Remove and inspect behind the front cover that is held on by two screws. If it is rusty in there you need to clean it out. or the injector rack is likely to get hung up.

Not easy to rock a 10,000lbs+ tractor like you do a little N series!

+1 on the suggestions here. Loosen the drain plug on the rear housing first and let the water trickle out before you start it when it mixes with the hyd fluid it willnot separate from the newer oils. Bleed the brakes with BRAKE OIL not brake fluid.