1967 4020 ps hard starting unless plugged in

grayson20

Member
I don't remember this being an issue for me last year but this year if the temperature dips below 30 for any time at all id better have my 4020ps plugged in or im wasting my time...is this a water in diesel issue? it will turn over fine and eject white smoke but will not fire unless its been plugged in for a while. Any ideas? diesel additive? I drain any water before I use it. Thanks in advance.
 
Sounds to me like maybe the injectors need servicing or replacing. Warming the cylinder head area will aid combustion and offset a poor spray pattern.
 

I think both of you guys are probably right, starting to see just a little weap around the block weap hole as well. I bought the tractor two years ago from an amish gent who had it in his family since new. it was immaculate shape, had 1200 hours on its first overhaul (out of frame over and under) hoped it would last a little longer than 2000k hours but sounds like its due for one...ugh.
 
My 67 4020 PS has always been like that. Since I keep it inside, if I plan on using it when it is below 50F I just plug it in. I quit using starting fluid many years ago. It will always start instantly if plugged in for at least 45 minutes. There is a transmission disconnect lever which is supposed to make it start easier, but I never use it. Have to shut the engine down after warm up before you re-engage the transmission.
 

Ive never used starting fluid on it. and if its plugged in it will fire and not smoke a big, it will occasionally smoke a little dark smoke at an idle but with any rpm it goes away. But if its cold and just turning over it will puff a little white smoke. anything about 35-40 and up its cranks right up. Ive used the disengage but my batteries are strong and even on the coldest mornings it spins over fine its just like it wont get any diesel unless its warmer?
 
Pulling the injectors and having them tested takes minimal effort and once done you can cross that off of the list if nothing changes. If an overhaul was done an O ring
could have gotten pinched causing the light weaping. As others have said they can weap lightly for many years without being a larger problem. Just keep track of the
coolant level.
 

And to be honest it has weaped since the first day I have owned it but it never amounted to a drip and coolant has always been just fine so i never messed with it? I can start with the injectors for sure!
 
. I don’t know why you have been trying to start in the past at 30F without using the block heater ?
Even if it does hammer to life without the block heater when cold . Engine wear is increased due to the raw fuel washing the line oil off the cylinder walls . The same raw fuel also dilutes the lube oil .
Cranking a cold engine also increases wear and shortens the life of the starter, battery(s) and charging system.
 
I'm not going to dispute that plugging a tractor heater in helps with starting but my 4010 with good batteries will be running within 5 seconds of turning the key at 30
degrees F. I could better see your point if the OP was grinding on the starter for far longer with no combusted fuel coming from the muffler.
 
I'd say engine is just getting tired. White smoke means engine is GETTING fuel, but compression heat is not hot enough to burn it. If engine runs fine warmed up, I doubt injector service will help. Diesels will run OK with 300 PSI WARM, but won't start well. 350-400 PSI is needed for starting cold, higher is better. Cranking speed helps too, that's why gear reduction starters with higher cranking speeds are so popular.
 
(quoted from post at 09:31:40 01/29/19) . I don’t know why you have been trying to start in the past at 30F without using the block heater ?
Even if it does hammer to life without the block heater when cold . Engine wear is increased due to the raw fuel washing the line oil off the cylinder walls . The same raw fuel also dilutes the lube oil .
Cranking a cold engine also increases wear and shortens the life of the starter, battery(s) and charging system.

...Well because i don't have half a mile of extension cords. IF i want to keep my tractor in the shed I cant plug it in, if i want to leave it out in the elements i can leave it at the house plugged in....(I don't have power in the shed)
 

You are correct in that it runs perfectly fine and doesn't skip a beat or smoke once it fires, and i am not trying to make excuses for a tired engine, could very well be that! So would you check compression before you did anything else? Will I further damage it to keep using it it plugged in until summer? If the tractor still has summer diesel in the tank would that make a difference?
 
Plug it in and use it. If fuel is not winterized and is #2, you risk it waxing over inside the fuel filters and stopping the flow through the system, or at least slowing flow down some. Best get some blended fuel in it if needed much in cold weather.
 
Just started the 4010 as I wanted to work a little fuel treatment in. 21 degrees F at 10 PM last night. 31 degrees F late this morning and currently 27 degrees F. Tank heater was not plugged in and started a whisker longer than 5 seconds. Combusted fuel obvious after 2 seconds.
 
You said 2000 hours since the last overhaul. Unless there were a lot of corners cut on the overhaul and a fair amount of neglect it really should not be tired 2000 hours
afterward. It really should not change your approach much as the injectors would have to come out to do a compression test and while they are out they should be tested
and serviced. I am not saying that it is impossible for the compression to have declined considerably but seems unlikely for 2000 hours if things like the air cleaner have
received proper service. Injectors are subject to wear and a worn injector will have a poor spray pattern affect starting. I've seen the before and after with my own eyes. Do
as you see fit.
 
How fast is it spinning over? You can crank a Deere slow all day and it will not start. You need good batteries,heavy cables and a good starter. I needed my 3020 diesel(about 3000 hrs on engine) yesterday and at -12 it needed just a small spray of ether to start. I prefer plugged in but that was not an option yesterday. You should start down to 20 without ether or plugged in. Tom
 
In response to Davids comment the trans disconnect on left hand side will help it turn over and after it is started pull the button and engage.I have a neighbor that bought 2 new 72 4020s and one was cold blooded and other wasnt.They finally after several attempts put a new injection pump on which helped.Plugging in is easiest but not always convienent.
 
(quoted from post at 13:12:31 01/29/19)
(quoted from post at 09:31:40 01/29/19) . I don’t know why you have been trying to start in the past at 30F without using the block heater ?
Even if it does hammer to life without the block heater when cold . Engine wear is increased due to the raw fuel washing the line oil off the cylinder walls . The same raw fuel also dilutes the lube oil .
Cranking a cold engine also increases wear and shortens the life of the starter, battery(s) and charging system.

...Well because i don't have half a mile of extension cords. IF i want to keep my tractor in the shed I cant plug it in, if i want to leave it out in the elements i can leave it at the house plugged in....(I don't have power in the shed)

Run power to the shed or use a generator .
 
The Deere tech showed me an easy way to field
test injectors pull em all the put a line back on the
pump and hook an injector to it to check the spray
pattern granted that isn?t the best test but you can
see how they spray without a tester
 

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