I just purchased a non running John Deere 855. That is a small utililty tractor with 3 cylinder Yanmar diesel. Previous owner used it for landscaping and says it just quit running while they were using so he replaced it with a new tractor. So far I have figured out that it has a bad fuel shutoff solenoid but I can manually bypass that while I try to get it started. It has an electric transfer pump and it has good fuel flow to the injection pump. I have bled each injector and have fuel at each one. It will smoke and somewhat fire on one cylinder. I also see that it has a missing freeze plug in the block. I’m wondering if maybe it was overheated and that caused the freeze plug to blow out and loose compression enough for it to start. It turns over like it has compression but I don’t know how much without pulling an injector and doing a compression test. Being that it has fuel at the injectors I’m thinking it either doesn’t have enough compression or the injection pump could be out of time. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Welcome to HEF,jdk ! Did you replace the "freeze" expansion plug and fill the radiator with coolant ? If you did, is the coolant level staying where you filled it to ? Is it there a chance the plug came out due to frozen coolant ? Overheating doesn't normally pop an expansion plug. Any coolant in the oil pan ? A compression test would rule out a cracked head or block.
Do you have glow plugs on that yanmar? are they working? You could try turning the engine over by hand to see if you have equal resistance on each of the three cylinders, remember a four cycle 3 cylinder engine will have compression strokes 240 degrees apart? or 2/3 of a full turn. Also, you might hear where the air is escaping turning it by hand, or crank it and feel the intake and exhaust for the pulsations not matching. You might be lucky and it froze with inadequate coolant, they started it up to do snow and it overheated only enough to blow a head gasket.
This engine does not have glow plugs. It has an intake grid heater that is working. The engine oil on the dipstick isn’t milky at all but I will drain oil pan and see if there is my coolant in there tonight. I don’t currently have a diesel compression tester. How is the guage attached to an injector hole that isn’t threaded? Most of the kits I see have adapters for glow plug holes but not for this type of injector.
you don't have to drain the oil, just loosen the plug enough to get several drops, you'll know by the second drop if it's coolant or oil.
There is a compression tester adapter that goes into the injector hole and while it is not the one for your engine it is similar to what you would use on yours (see attachment). They are expensive from Deere ($500+). You may want to try an internet search using your engine model number to try to find a used one??
Does it have a emergency shut off that is on ?
Things I would check are: 1. Engine cranking speed- If its too low you will not build enough compression heat to fire the fuel off. 2. Remove an intake hose as close to the intake manifold as possible and check the inside of it for dirt. If there is a lot, you may have severely worn pistons rings. 3. Fuel supply pressure- too low a pressure may not supply enough fuel for your injector pump to work properly. 4. Fuel condition- old diesel fuel will have a higher flash point, and super old fuel may have no flash point. 5. Make sure you have no air intake restrictions. I would like to know if you have tried just a touch of starting fluid, just to see if it kicks the engine.
That engine needs A LOT of glow plug.. Hold it on for 2 rounds of 20 seconds & try it again.. U can remove the injectors, all at once & turn;m upside down or hang'm outside the engine & SEE if they are spraying.. Maybe 1 or only 2 are actually opening & spraying in the engine.?? Without a pop tester, that's your best bet.. How much pressure is the electric pump putting out?? Can u get the P# off of it & search the pumps PSI.? IF its putting out 1-3{like most} that's not enough. Can u take a pic of the inj. pump & injectors?? u can send it to my home email.. if its easier. Just put @ a o l dot com after my screen name in your home mail server. Are u holding the throttle wide open when cranking?
I worked on it again last night. I cracked oil pan drain plug and the oil looks fine. Not milky at all. Engine seems to turn over as quickly as any other little yanmar I’ve been around. I did try a little bit of ether and it pops on that but doesn’t run. I have been holding throttle wide open when trying to start it. I pulled the injectors and ordered a compression tester with adapter for this engine. Doing research online low compression from worn rings seem to be fairly common with these tractors. I don’t think maintenance was a priority with the previous owner and it may have been ran without an air filter. I’ll post an update after I check compression. Thanks for the help so far.
YEEEEOOOOOUUUUCH!
X2 !!!! The previous owner had a reason to buy a replacement machine. I think he knew he had an expensive repair job on yours. Especially if he would need to pay someone to do the repairs that it needed.
By all means, see if your engine can be saved, but those little tractors are well worth keeping running. I have a 755 that I keep thinking about selling, but every time i am about to, I come up with some other reason to keep it. It is just the perfect size, and I have a skid steer, TLB, and big ag tractor. The John Deere front deck mowers of that same era (F915-F935) used the same engines and I see them on craigslist quite often for very little $$. Might find a donor machine. Also, as mentioned above, fuel supply/pressure is definitely something to check. The fuel pickup tubes in the tank & the filter housing seem to be the weak points on the fuel system.
JDK.. where did u find a inj. adaptor to do the compression test.??
I think you are on the right track checking compression. As mentioned it doesn't have glow plugs. The intake heater is also automated so you can't hold it on to warm it longer. It senses the air temp to determine if heating is needed then automatically warms for a designated time if you don't turn the key to start. Just switch to on and see if the heater light illuminates then wait for it to go out. I wish all my stuff had that heating system. Takes the guess work out. Just sold my 855. Was a good little tractor but I wanted something bigger with a loader and my little tractor was 2wd and no loader.
thepumpguysc. I searched another forum and found a post that said a star products tu-15-18a adapter worked for someone in their 855. The one I purchased was a Lang with the same part number and specs. It is listed as fits 8.3 Cummins,Volvo Penta, and some Yanmar and Deutz. I will find out tomorrow if it works.
If anyone reading this is interested in purchasing the tu-15-18a adapter, it is available for nearly half the cost of the offer on Amazon and Lang's website. Here ----> http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=STATU-15-18A
I have had a engine that is wore have the cylinders washed down by putting a lot of either in it you can bet that the previous owner used a lot trying to get it running try pouring some oil down the injector hole and spin it over to blow excess oil out then try it
Good find Tinkerer.!!! I "think" that adaptor is in the Harbor Freight "Master" compression kit or something similar to it.. I've only used that kit for the "pencil" type injectors.. & only ONCE.. everybody else just says, "Pull the pump AND Injectors & go thru'm.".. & I say, "Don't u wanna find out if the engine is any good 1st?" "NOPE, just rebuild the pump & injectors.." You know the saying>> A fool & his money...
I got the compression tester today and made a hold down for it. I did the compression test and cylinders had 180,150,and 120 psi. I guess it’s time to pull the head off and see how bad it looks inside.
Did you try it with oil poured in the cylinders
Yes I did on one cylinder and it added about 25 psi. I was really hoping I’d be able to change just the rings and put it back together but I’m not sure if that will be enough. I still may try that and see what the compression is after that.
If it needs piston rings it most likely needs to have the head refreshed. Or, you may be redoing it in the near future anyway.