Baffled by B7500

[Shack]

New Guy here! I had a crazy thing happen to my B7500HST and no one seems to have a clue....so I came to you guys.

I start my tractor, move about 10' and a huge (to me) puff of white smoke comes out from the front of the tractor and it dies. Won't turn over. No electrical smell I could discern, but it was windy. Opened hood and nothing obvious, no oil, no water, no fire, no nothing! Exhaust does face forward as well as the air intake.

I opened the radiator, and water was low, and it wouldn't crank, figured head gasket must have given up and hydraulic(ed) the cylinder.

Asked about the white smoke and no one had ever heard of that around here (???)

Today, I pulled it in the shop. No water in oil, engine rolled over by hand, so I tried to start and it rolls over real slow and starter clicks loudly.

NOW I'm thinking the starter may have gotten hung up in the flywheel and spun it's guts out.

I've got a head gasket set and a multimeter, which one do I use?

 

[Daren Todd]

Multimeter. It's usually cheaper and less labor intensive of the two Start with checking the battery and cables. If good, then it's time to bench test the starter, or take the starter to the local auto parts store and have it tested Especially if the motor wil turn over by hand

 

[ShaunBlake]

Well, don't pull the head! Check all the cheaper; easier; and more obvious areas first.

There are some good threads here on starting issues; I'd suggest reading one or more of those, first.

Disconnect the battery, then check the voltage of it (needs to be 12.5v or more). Be a good idea to get a hydrometer too, since they are only about eight to ten bucks; check the specific gravity in each cell to make sure that there isn't one cell that is so low that current wouldn't flow through it even if it showed full voltage.

If your battery checks okay, then carefully check all your wiring, but particularly from the battery to the starter, and from the switch to the starter.

You may want to try "jumping" your tractor, with your truck/car. If you do and the starter doesn't spin fast, take one of the tractor's battery cables off so your vehicle isn't trying to charge the battery as well as power the starter.

Lots more tips in the threads. Prolly lots of the gurus here will chime in with better advice.

Best wishes, and please ask any questions you have, and keep us posted on your progress.

Oh, and a belated welcome to OTT!

 

[100 td]

Charge battery. Pull the glow plugs before cranking and bending something if you haven't already. Crank with engine stop rod pulled out so fuel doesn't go into engine. Check what comes out! There's lots of other things and options and everyone will recommend something different, but that's the basic easy stuff, your call. You can also fill radiator overnight and see what level is in morning, leave cap off to do this. If it's down, find where it has gone.

 

[Shack]

Well, as 100td stated, I went back and filled the radiator. Checked the battery, 12.65V Was still rolling over super slow on starter, figured I'd test the starter later.

Next morning, came in, fluid low, locked up again. Seems to have diagnosed itself!!! LOL! I am assuming either a gasket or crack is letting the water into the cylinders. Grrrrr!

 

[100 td]

Well sorry to hear, hopefully nothing bent, I think you will be very lucky if you get away with only a gasket........