# John Deere 6600 Hard To Start



## niallkiernan18

I have a john deere 6600 premium. whenever i go out to start it in the morning it is always hard to start. when the engine is warm it starts perfect. even when there isn't frost it is still hard started. i have a new stater, battery, relay for starter and have changed engine oil, fuel filter and air filter. it keeps trying to fire but wont, while emmiting white smoke. it is perfect in power and a nice clean engine. The fuel pump is perfect and so is the gauze in the diesel tank. even when left in-doors and no frost it is still hard started. i would greatly appreciate help as i have tryed alot of things and no sucess.


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## Live Oak

Sounds like you have good fuel on the start attempt and the batteries are cranking fast enough. By chance has anyone been using ether to start this engine lately or in the past?


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## Live Oak

The other thing that comes to mind is injection pump timing. Has anyone done any work to the engine or injection pump in the tractors history?


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## Morgan

Are your glow plugs working


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## niallkiernan18

How many glow plugs are there?


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## Live Oak

Can you give a little more information as to whether your machine is the John Deere 6600 combine, sprayer, or tractor? Did this problem start recently or has it been a long time persistent problem?


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## niallkiernan18

It's a john deere 6600 tractor, the tractor was always like this since i bought it a year ago. i got it dyno tested and it is perfect in power?


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## Live Oak

So this is a 6600 European spec. tractor. I agree with Morgan. Check the glow plug cold start aid system for proper function. This will mean verifying proper voltage at the glow plug. Check the glow plug for proper function by either removing it from the engine and testing them for observed getting hot or find out what the specified resistance is and check that. 

I see what was causing the confusion. You are around Amsterdam and the 6600 is a European spec. tractor. 

Anyhow, it sounds to me like the glow plug system is not operating. Could be a relay or a bad glow plug in this case the glow plug evidently is a single glow plug that heats the incoming air charge in the intake manifold. Does the engine have a block heater? If so, plug in the block heater about 2 to 3 hours before use in the mean time and it should start easily.


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## Live Oak

This is what you are looking:


<img src="http://www.tractorforum.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=94956">


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## Live Oak

I am not sure what the weather temperatures are there in Holland lately but you should not need the glow plug to help start the engine this time of year. Most of the older John Deere engines did not have glow plugs and used ether as a start assist via an electrical plugger on a can of ether spray that sprayed ether into the intake manifold. Once you began the start attempt and had good exhaust smoke you would hit the ether button very sparingly to help start the engine up and only a spray here and there to keep it running until it warmed up enough to run on its own. Spray too much ether too often and it could ruin the engine over time or in really bad cases lock up the engine temporarily.


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## Live Oak

niallkiernan18,

What is the latest with your starting problem?


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