Recently purchased a 91 580 super k, weather has been warm here. Hit a cold snap approximately 25 degrees and it didn't want to start. When i turned thr switch on i didn't notice the glow plug light. I had to hit her with ether. How can i tell if its got glow plugs or not, what method would i use to start? I dont have operator's manual. What am i missing here????? Frank
It does not have glow plugs. The most important thing is to make sure you have 2 good batteries, and it's spinning good. It's not uncommon to have to give it a little ether when the temps are in the 20's.
If you can park the machine within reach of a 120 volt power supply you could install a block heater. There are three or four different ways to heat an engine block for cold weather starting. I live in Illinois and rarely ever use ether because I have a freeze plug style block heater in my tractor. A heavy duty appliance timer can be used with the block heater and it will greatly decrease electrical consumption.
That little Cummins should start to 0°F absolutely. Maybe your lift pump is bad. My 621 started giving a bit of trouble last fall. Changed lift pump. They are only about $40. Fairly easy to check, if it is blowing white smoke while you're cranking it, not the lift pump. Another question: how long did you crank on it before hitting the can?
Where is the lift pump? It does produce white smoke while cranking, probably cranked it for 2 minutes. However it does not crank extremely fast. Thought i should hit with ether before the battery ran down or the starter got hot. It had been sitting for a week before trying to start and 25 degrees. Never looked to see if i have one or two batteries. Any suggestions on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Frank
Double check batteries, cables, there might be a intake heater instead of glow plugs.
How you can you tell if there is an intake heater?
No intake heater unless it's been added.
Is the intake heater a plug-in or does it power off of the battery?
Heavy gauge wire going to a "throttle plate" on top of the intake manifold. No ether with an intake heater. Regarding mild weather starting (between freezing and 0 ), if everything is in good shape, it will start. But it's so much nicer to plug it in. Get a high wattage heater and a half hour is enough to fire right up and run smooth from the start. Newer/bigger batteries, warmed batteries, winter diesel, and lighter motor oil will all help cold starting. But ether won't hurt if you don't have glow plugs/grid heater and you give it a little shot while it's cranking. An intake heater powers off the battery.
I'm with Mitch, that year Cummins engine in that Case didn't have glow plugs, and didn't have intake heater unless it was added. And agree with others, if that engine is good and tight it will start at zero degrees. With a little age it may need a little whiff of white lightning on a cold morning, block heater would do very well to help it start. If you get a lot of white smoke on cold morning start (and a strong diesel fuel smell) along with the hard starting, you might consider pulling the injectors and have them tested. Properly atomized fuel is critical for good cold morning starting.
It will be monday before i get back to the job site, i will look closely for an intake heater THX.FRANK
My experience with the little Cummins some start better if you open the throttle all the way. Just remember to let off as soon as it starts. Make sure the batteries and cables are clean and tight. If you want to investigate the lift pump it will be right under the fuel filters. If looks very similar to any fuel pump on older gas engine. Another thing yet for you to do this winter would be to set the overhead. Bottom line is unless the engine is completely worn out, at 25° it should light up without giving it a second thought.
That very well may be the problem. Like Willie advises, remove the injectors and have them tested also while they are out do a compression test on the engine.
I'll stick with the southerners on this one, that engine could be in great shape but one old battery isn't going to cut it at 25. Or the starter could be weak, or... Bring your battery inside at night if you REALLY want it to start.
My 87 580k will start no problem down to 10°F or so after sitting for 2 months. I haven't tried it any colder. But that is with 2 fairly new batteries. So I'm sure that helps. I have used the block heater for about an hour before hand and it helps greatly. If possible do that. But as others have mentioned, it should start without ether down to 0° or so. Make sure you have good batteries.
After reading a few of the replys, i have a couple of questions.Alot of my work there is no source of electricity, just my generator. So i do not think a block heater wouod be a good alternative in my opinion.My machine has low hours for the year a 91' with only 2300 hours i gave had some issues with trash in my fuel tank.The previous owner had the machine for 12 years only put 300 hours on the machine . The injectors could be some of the problem (can they be rebuilt or cleaned, any ideas on cost of new injectors??) What should the compression readon the cylinders? I have only put 100 hours on the machine since i have owned it, still getting familar with the machine .What would be any other alternatives other than ether(gas on a ragor WD40).Any ideas on cost of an intake heater?
something like this works very good on a ford,, it requires a tee in the return line from injector pump to fuel tank, and then running a line to the thermostart,, the thermostart remains closed until the elect power is sent to it then opens send flaming fuel to the engine,,,you may be able to adapt this one for your use,,,,at lease this give info on how it works http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Ford-Th...=BI_Heavy_Equipment_Parts&hash=item35bc70f24b
No way to know for sure but could possibly have 12300 hrs, just sayin.
I had a bad experience with rebuilt fuel injectors. I didn't get 100 hours on them and three of the four failed. A fuel injection shop pop tested them and verified they were junk. I bought OEM new ones to replace them. There are two ways to heat the engine coolant without electricity. One way is a stand alone propane heater that is hooked to the cooling system with hoses. The other is connecting a running (warm) vehicle to the cold one with hoses. The hoses are connected and disconnected by hydraulic hose disconnects. A while back in time there was a lengthy discussion on HEF about using the hose system. If I remember correctly it was referred to as spit swapping. Here is a link to one of those threads. HeavyEquipmentForums
Ya 2300 hrs . Just wondering MMMM . No offence
Thanks go to Bill Smith for finding this thread pertaining to heating coolant without electricity. It was of them that I remember reading but couldn't find.