Bummed out

Rick123 · Nov 11, 2023

Just bought a 1960 ford 801 diesel near the Phoenix area.
I transported up the mountain to my place at 8000 feer. It started and ran great in the valley and started and ran long enough to get it off the trailer then died and won't start now. My first tractor and this happened. Any suggestions? It does exhibit white smoke from the exhaust when trying to start it now.
Thanks!!

Roger in Iowa · Nov 11, 2023

Altitude just reduced your compression and won't start. What is the temperature?
Warming up the tractor prior to starting may help enough for it to start. White
smoke is the diesel not igniting via compression.

Bob Bancroft · Nov 11, 2023

I'm sorry to say you need a good, tight engine. And at 8000 feet, preferably a turbocharged one.

DeltaRed · Nov 11, 2023

Turbochargeing wont help it to start. Only give more horsepower.Just as it would at lower elevations.

the tractor vet · Nov 11, 2023

at 8000 feet and a old diesel is not going to work out well . Even a gas engine back when they were new used different pistons to make up for alt. starting a 5000 ft and again at 8000 foot levels to maintain power and starting . For you on your diesel tractor it will not be cheap to solve the problem . Best ya can do is a rebuilt and see how much ya can take off the head then go thru the fuel system to make sure the pump is putting out correct cranking pressures and the injectors are cracking at the correct pressures , then make sure the starter is in real good condition along with a really good battery to spin it .

rustred · Nov 11, 2023

if its smoking its getting the fuel, so give it a sniff of starting fluid. be enough to get it going.

guido · Nov 11, 2023

Rick123,

Check the air cleaner. Hopefully it
restricting air intake Which is
more critical at 8k feet.

White smoke is unburned fuel. Late
valve timing (wide gap) will also
produce white smoke.

Take the air cleaner element off
and see if it starts.

Injectors can also be the issue.

Guido.

Bob Bancroft · Nov 11, 2023

Correct on the starting. That's why I mentioned a tight engine. Turbocharging tends to compensate for thinner air/higher elevation. So something like a small, modern turbocharged diesel would be ideal. Of course the older remedy for our antique gas tractors at high altitude was higher compression pistons.

Rick123 · Nov 11, 2023

Got it to start but it does after about a minute. Runs real smooth then starts to sputter and dies. Wait 5 minutes and it starts again doing the same thing. Temperature is low 50's.

rrlund · Nov 11, 2023

I'll trust that you guys are right about the elevation, but an alternative would be that some crud
might have loosened up in the tank during the haul.

BarnyardEngineering · Nov 11, 2023

(quoted from post at 14:54:53 11/11/23)
Got it to start but it does after about a minute. Runs real smooth then starts to sputter and dies. Wait 5 minutes and it starts again doing the same thing. Temperature is low 50's.

Fuel supply problem. Start by changing the fuel filter.

The old gal got "shipping fever." As many machines do. They can be in perfect condition, out in the field being flogged hard by the previous owner right in front of you, no signs of problems... Put 'em on a trailer and move them down the road a ways and suddenly they're a basket case.

Bob Bancroft · Nov 11, 2023

Sounds like you've got something else going on, like fuel delivery.

Rick123 · Nov 11, 2023

Thank you to all that replied. I'll try a new fuel filter first.

Bob Bancroft · Nov 11, 2023

Yep, something gets knocked loose, stirred up, whatever.

wore out · Nov 11, 2023

A new fuel filter isn't going to get it started UNLESS you bleed the diesel fuel injection system of air. Do you have an Operator's Manual, that should give the bleeding procedure specific to your tractor. If NOT, hopefully someone with knowledge and experience with that exact machine will come along and post exactly what you need to do.

Or, did someone happen to shut to fuel off at the tank? (A more common thing to do with a gasoline-powered machine.)

cjunrau · Nov 11, 2023

Sounds like plugged air intake or dirty fuel filter to
me.

Dieseltech · Nov 11, 2023

Try loosening the two screw timing cover on the pump side, if it runs OK WITH the fuel leak, but dies with the cover tight the injection pump needs repair. The retainer
ring is failing inside, and when the bits plug the RETURN line side the injection pump will shut down. Wait a bit, and it will start right up again, then die again. I
repair/calibrate a lot of pumps for this trouble.

caterpillar guy · Nov 11, 2023

One of a few possibilities 1 fuel supply via filter or tank restrictions 2 return plugged by dirt or flex ring going out in pump and 3 cool weather with elevation. Though my semi always started when I was up in elevation from 3500-6 or 8000. Spent the weekend in the San Louis valley in the winter with no problem starting and no ether nor block heater. Out on the west edge of Alamosa CO . Sat all weekend. That is around 7500ft. Been to WY and spent time there with it off in the winter and lowest point in WY is something like 3500 ft. Most of WY is closer to 6000. Kemmmer at the port is 6000 starts fine there. Million miles on it doing this so not close to new engine in the old girl.

d9gdon · Nov 11, 2023

Something could be floating around in the fuel tank and getting sucked into the supply line. Then when it dies, it floats back up and unplugs the fuel line.

McCormick 40 · Nov 11, 2023

You guys need to read what he wrote better. He said it started to back it off the trailer at his place, so the elevation has nothing to do with it, then died, so the problem has to be a
fuel restriction.

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