Ford 4000 Diesel -4 cylinder

molderone

New User
Good afternoon,
I was asked by a friend of mine to help start a Ford 4000 diesel. Not sure what year it is, looked for serial number but it is not legible. It did run last year but is dead now. Wiring is in very bad shape, missing some, brittle and corroded. I was able to jump the starter solenoid and it does turn over. But that is it! It is a 12 volt system. My question is there a simple re-wire to just get it running? Ignition switch is in operable, terminal block which I believe has 4 terminals on it is broken, switch for manifold heaters broken and so on. Any help would be appreciated
 
If it turns over well it should start. We used to park our 961-D for the winter and pull the battery. If the tractor was needed for a quick job, would just pull start it without the battery. Don't really need electricity. I would check for fuel getting to the injectors (is there any smoke?), can loosen the lines from the pump to injectors to check for fuel spraying. However, do replace defective wiring as you get the chance.
 
4 cyl. is 61-64. Diesels are compression engines so all you need are: compression-450 psi or more at 200 rpm cranking speed, diesel fuel mist, air, and
correct injection timing. To get the engine turning over a simple starting solenoid connecting the battery hot terminal via a hot wire to the hot terminal of
the starter, and the return terminal of the battery to the starter case, usually through a starter to tractor frame mounting bolt.

The solenoid usually is 4 terminal with 2 ⅜" copper studs for the main power switch and 2 small terminals receiving 12v and ground to activate the
solenoid and spin the starter. If only 3 terminals, then the case of the solenoid needs to be grounded to the battery return to energize it.

If you are in a hurry forget any switches and all, just hook the battery high current and return leads up as mentioned and take a pair of common pliers
using the handles, jump across the ⅜" copper terminals of the battery to spin the starter. Yea it will spark and ark and snap at you but press hard and it
will get you going. Having a battery of 300 amps capacity at 11v terminal volts maintaining for 15 seconds or so is a must.
 

On those 4 cylinder diesels the engine shut down was pushing the throttle lever full forward.
Open the throttle 1/4 - 1/2 before trying to start the engine.
 

As already said you don't need but to have it crank. Have you gone through the bleeding procedure to insure fuel to the injectors?
 
If you fully advance the throttle and then slowly return it to the full off position, you can feel the point where the pump shuts off. Full off about the 1 PM
position with off at about 2-2:30 position, add some room to get your throttle setting above 600 rpm position. Like DS said, ? throttle to get it to light
off then back it down to idle and let it circulate lube and all is what I do.

My reading and experience with pumps is that you want the fuel shut off completely when the engine isn't running. Not a pump guy and don't know the
failure mechanism, nor what pumps used on Fords are susceptible, but old Fords force you to cut the fuel off completely either with the lever arm as
mentioned, or with the pull out/push in throttle lever on '65s and up (within limits) whereby you have to push the red knob all the way in to kill the engine
and just leave it in when not in use. Course on newer engines an electric fuel supply valve is used, controlled by the key switch.
 
Thank you all so very much! Glad to hear I am not going to have to get too deep in to this right away.

Clarification:
I was not aware of the throttle position to start
I have not check fuel supply yet
When I jumped the unit it turned real slowly. I suspect the donor battery was weak and it was no where near the RPM recommended

I most certainly will be back to pick your brains again on this ole girl.

Thanks again
 
If you were unaware of the throttle position to start, your solution may be as simple as moving the lever! Sweet fix!
 
Thank you to all who provided the information. The ole girl fired right up by jumping the starter solenoid and a little "please start"(AKA ether).

After the initial ether usage it started handful of times after without ether. I was extremely impressed on how smooth and quite the 4 cyl diesel ran...

Thanks again
 

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