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855 Cummins won't start
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Don McDonald
Posted 7/5/2006 08:21 (#24186)
Subject: 855 Cummins won't start


Plain City, Ohio
I have a 1978 St 251 Steiger with an 855 Cummins that does not want to start.
I believe the problem is fuel related as it trys to start with a shot of ether but will just not go.
The fuel filters were changed this spring due to loss of power after a few hours of operation and I suspected them to be the cause due to either water in the fuel or otherwise.
I also bled the water off the bottom of the fuel tank and there did not seem to be a whole lot.
At the time, changing the filters seemed to remedy the problem as far as power after a few hours of operation although the engine still did not start as easy as it used to(on a warm day it would fire right up as soon as you hit the key).
My other suspicion is the electric fuel shut off on the injector pump as when we bought the tractor several years ago the dealer we bought it from had to work on it as it would not shut the engine down.
Any thoughts on the situation would be appreciated.
Thanks.
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Rod
Posted 7/5/2006 08:31 (#24191 - in reply to #24186)
Subject: RE: 855 Cummins won't start


Check the ground connection on the shutoff. Our Peterbilt with Cat engine was hard starting, bad ground on the shutoff was limiting fuel to engine.
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hwdcne
Posted 7/5/2006 10:30 (#24219 - in reply to #24191)
Subject: Re: 855 Cummins won't start


Soutwest Ks.
The solenoid on top of the injector pump should have a screw. If the screw is screwed out, screw it in or vice versa then try to start. This bypasses the solenoid and lets you know if solenoid or current to solenoid is suspect. To shut off engine, you will need to reverse what you did to the screw.
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Dennis
Posted 7/5/2006 12:41 (#24236 - in reply to #24219)
Subject: Re: 855 Cummins won't start


See if you have 12 volts to the solenoid on top off pump. I had trouble this spring with my KW. Found out the key switch was bad.
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Larry NCKS
Posted 7/5/2006 14:37 (#24249 - in reply to #24219)
Subject: Older Cummins


Washington, Kansas & Lincoln, Nebraska
had a way to mechanically turn on the fuel as has been suggested via a screw. Been awhile for me too though. Don't know this particular situation.
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jakescia
Posted 7/5/2006 20:08 (#24294 - in reply to #24186)
Subject: RE: 855 Cummins won't start-- It cost me 10,000 to find out........



Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577

that the engine was slightly out of time due to chip in timing gear teeth.................seemed we always had to use ether on that machine to start it........once it got going it ran like a jewel.

Then it seemed to take a little more ether, a little more often..............but of course we were too "busy" to take it to a real mechanic.

Finally...........it blew a bunch of white smoke, and clattered to a halt..............I happened to be driving it at the time, so I know exactly how it was being handled.

$10,000 later we found out it started as just a simple, inexpensive timing gear problem..............that 855 runs like top now.

In fact, if it weren't in such a light tractor----- 875 Versatile-----it would be used all the time since the guys believe the 9370 with the nice cab and big tires is much more doggy than that 875------and supposedly nearly the same engine/hp.

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Guest
Posted 7/5/2006 23:21 (#24368 - in reply to #24186)
Subject: RE: 855 Cummins won't start


hwdnce is absolutely correct. Disregard the post that says otherwise. A bad solenoid can also cause a low power condition. That is a very good diagnostic tool.
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Tim Cooke
Posted 7/6/2006 00:45 (#24393 - in reply to #24368)
Subject: Rich, it is the other way around.


Screw in is fuel on (engine runs). Screw out to kill engine.

Had an IH cab over that loved to eat electic shut offs. Especially at night in the field with the storm coming in...........................

Tim
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Redman
Posted 7/6/2006 01:14 (#24396 - in reply to #24186)
Subject: RE: 855 Cummins won't start


SW Saskatchewan
Older 855 Cummins had a component in pump that would fail(not solenoid") and require replacement.

Did several old versatiles.

But symptoms of it were that it just would not start one day, no matter how well it ran yesterday-- never seemed to be connected with any other symptom.

Easy and cheap fix at a diesel shop.

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Don McDonald
Posted 7/6/2006 07:27 (#24410 - in reply to #24186)
Subject: Update and Thanks


Plain City, Ohio
Hey guys,
First of all I would like to thank all of you for the advice it sure helps when a guy is puzzled as to what to do.
As it turns out, my 855 is stamped 1979 as opposed to '78 as I stated earlier,don't know if it makes a difference or not.
At any rate the thumbwheel when turned in did allow the engine to start and then when turned back out did shut the engine down.
I did have 11.93 volts when grounding the wire to the solenoid to the tractor frame.
This leads me to believe that I either have a bad ground or solenoid.
I will check ground this evening as I did not think to check it last night if it checks out then the solenoid valve will be replaced.
Once again thanks for the advice and if any one else has any thoughts I would find them interesting.
Don McDonald
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plowboy
Posted 7/6/2006 08:54 (#24424 - in reply to #24219)
Subject: Re: 855 Cummins won't start



Brazilton KS
Rich, you're backwards on this.  The solenoid holds the fuel on when energized and if it fails it will not run.  Screwing the thumbscrew in will make it start, but you have to screw it back out to kill it when running on the thumbscrew.....or just stall the engine with the clutch....not that any good driver would do that.    Been there done that on our Versatile once and on our spreader truck due to mice in the wiring....ran the spreader truck that way for some time so I'm pretty sure of what I have said. 
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