Ford 655a cold start problems

OL MAN FITZ · Feb 12, 2020

I cannot get the machine to start cold if its under 50 degrees.It has a glow plug,i turn key left and it does warm the intake manifold some.I have to plug it in the night before which is ok but at times keeping the machine close enough to get a extension cord to reach is a issue, and my electric bill goes steep as this machine has 1 plug but it supplies 2 units at the block.My real question for the back in the day crowd is where is the cold start button I keep hearing about?, I see nothing on the injection pump but 1 weird item above the throttle linkage but it has a steel sleeve over it.My google search suggests ford has put 1 variation or another on most of the construction and farm equipment but I find no pictures of the location anywhere,i have been looking for weeks.Any help greatly appreciated.

thepumpguysc · Feb 12, 2020

"I THINK" your thinking about the cold start button on a SIMMS PUMP..
The Simms is an Inline pump..the steel lines going to the injectors are in a straight line coming from the pump..
& the CAV DPA is a rotary pump.. the lines are in a circle.. is the best way to explain it..
IF u wanna a picture, go to Broken Tractor dot com & hit the Ford selection to pic your pump..
I can tell u where it is on the Simms but u gotta figure out whatcha got 1st..
Theres NO button on the CAv DPA

Tinkerer · Feb 12, 2020

Welcome to HEF! Old Man Fitz !

OL MAN FITZ · Feb 13, 2020

It is this pump,SIMMS?. The piece I am referring to is at the top in the picture,that cover is tin and no way it pushes down and I see no other cold start button anywhere.FWIW I did install a new lift pump hoping it may help,it appeared to be the original since it had the engine paint color still on it,I may have a tad more power but no difference in starting machine.It has 3250 hours on a working meter.

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum, I have creeped around here over the years just never had anything to add.I'm retired yellow freight/yrc driver and ran low bed trailer dump exc. in my younger days, I can jump on most machines and do some work without wrecking things, will never call myself a expert operator but I can do a lot, maybe a bit more them a weekend warrior.

OL MAN FITZ · Feb 13, 2020

This young fella gets his going,mine looks the same with full cab.I get a kick outa the kid, it's Christmas morning! haha neighbors must love it.

Delmer · Feb 13, 2020

The kid knows where the button is, and sort a what it does, but he's a little foggy on how it works. Useless for showing where it is too. If I'm understanding correctly, you push the button in and leave it in, it will pop back out on it's own when the engine starts. Pretty sure he's not pumping extra fuel by pumping it a few times.

The button is the pivot shaft of the shut off lever. In the upper right of your pic is the shut off lever, look at the shaft that arm is mounted on, you can almost see part of it shiny and smaller and sticking out further, find that on your pump and see if it pushes in 1/4".

jimg984 · Feb 13, 2020

my ford 555a has what is called a thermostart,,,, it has a tee coming off the bottom of the line coming from inj. pump returning to fuel tank, off the tee going down to therostart which is a glow plug stays full of fuel, until key is turn then glow plug heats up and letting hot fuel into into the intake as cranking

OL MAN FITZ · Feb 13, 2020

Wow thanks, I will check it out.I have read the proper way is to open the throttle all the way,push the button and bring the throttle back half way,heat the glow plug and crank,when it starts bring throttle down and it releases a spring pressure on the button.I am not sure if the fuel rail has a bypass valve or what but it is supposed to allow a bunch of fuel to pour into the intake.

thepumpguysc · Feb 13, 2020

U have to have the throttle off of low idle for it to work properly..
How far off of LOW IDLE is your guess. It’s trial n error. to release it manually just pull the stop lever..
But the excess fuel button is in the center of the shut off lever.

OL MAN FITZ · Feb 13, 2020

jimg984 said:
my ford 555a has what is called a thermostart,,,, it has a tee coming off the bottom of the line coming from inj. pump returning to fuel tank, off the tee going down to therostart which is a glow plug stays full of fuel, until key is turn then glow plug heats up and letting hot fuel into into the intake as cranking

I was told to check for that,this 655 does not have a "dripple line" connected to the intake.

OL MAN FITZ · Feb 13, 2020

thank you all I will try it later today and let yall know how she does, chappell tractor says the 655's always started hard in the cold, I wonder how many people don't know this has this feature?.

Delmer · Feb 13, 2020

I didn't until reading this thread. There seems to be some confusion about a glow plug vs flame start. The flame start/thermostart is an electric heating element in the intake manifold that heats up, releases fuel, and ignites it, so that the cylinder is literally sucking in flames. A glow plug is an electric heating element only, typically inside each cylinder. There's also a grid heater, that just heats the air going into the intake manifold with electricity, and is much less effective than glow plugs or thermostart.

All of these are completely separate from the button on the simms/minimec pump.

Tinkerer · Feb 13, 2020

NO ETHER when using heating devices in the intake manifold.
Bad things happen if you do.
Most everyone knows that but there may be a very inexperienced person reading this.

Delmer · Feb 13, 2020

No ether/ starting fluid with any glow plug engine either/ever.

GregsHD · Feb 13, 2020

I've found all engines (Ford/Leyland/BMC) with a Simms/minimec pump are hard starting cold.

Using the excess fuel button is a must!

jimg984 · Feb 13, 2020

video of that tractor trying to start,,, looks like engine is flooded with fuel,,,low battery, bad starter, leaking injectors

jimg984 · Feb 13, 2020

THANK YOU DELMER,, FOR PUTTING MY POST IN ENGLISH

jimg984 · Feb 13, 2020

https://partstore.agriculture.newho...actorCo/parts-search.html#epc::mr48900ag24231 ( diesel cold start 1 and 2 )

Delmer · Feb 13, 2020

Well son of a beach, they call it a "glow plug" too. Whatever

thepumpguysc · Feb 14, 2020

U hafta pay attention to the vernacular.. the "glow plug".. or the glow plug"s"..

Ford 655a cold start problems

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