Cold Start B275 Diesel Tractor in Winter - Will it start?

Hello everyone.
We know full well that Lawrie's International B275 is not the easiest machine in the world to start.
But, on the coldest day of 2023 so far, will it actually start?
A video shot by, featuring, and edited by Lawrie.
Want more info on us and the stuff in The Shed, or want to get in contact? Check out our Website!
lawriesmechani...
Fancy supporting us on Patreon and receiving extra bits of LMM? Have a look at our Patreon here:
/ lawriesmechanicalmarvels
Get more of what we're up to with Instagram! - / lawries_mechanical_mar...
Want to some LMM Merch? Check out our teespring store!
teespring.com/...
Chat with us and other like minded people on our discord - / discord
Follow us for video alerts and other updates on Facebook - / lawriesmechanicalmarvels

[@hawkerhellfire9152]

"Some smoke from the Chimney" You'd know you're a steam man at heart!

[@andrewentwistle515]

What great fun seeing Lawrie taking the entire episode to get JEB to ROAR into life. It will be great to see Lawrie try and get JEB running & looking better.

[@martynwarren3192]

I remember in the 80,s. When every man on a cold winters day would be thinking….. will the car start? And that was the norm back then. Now, people don’t even know what choke is. And when you sold a car to anyone, you gave them the cold start instructions. Brilliant vid btw.

[@embrelleur]

As others stated your glowplugs (or one of them) are likely burnt. They are in series so if one burn the other won't get any current. Also, never hold the glow plus for more than 20-30 seconds at a time and you will less likely burn them. 20 seconds, release a couple of seconds, 20 seconds again, attempt to start, if it does not start, 20-30 seconds again. You see the pattern

[@lmm]

Oh really? Other people said that it needs a good minute of glow to fire up

[@embrelleur]

@@lmm You better do it in smaller shots and save on glowplugs ;)

[@g.a.f3398]

Hi lawrie i have the exact same tractor as yourself an international b275 i just thought id let you know if you didnt already know that the glow plugs on your tractor are only putting out 1.5v each totalling 6v when there all working they are not 12 volt glow plugs and do not get hot enough really to start an idirect injection diesel engine the more heat you can get from cold with an indirect diesel engine the better they will start. So the pepper pot in the dashboard is not just a display indicator to tell you the glow plugs are working it is a Ballest resistor which drops the 12volts from the battery down to 1.5 volts per glow plug adding up to 6 volts intotal for all four glow plugs these plugs are also wired in series like old type Christmas tree lights once one bulb blows then the rest of the lights stop working the same is for the glow plugs once one fails the rest wont work depending on which one has failed down the line. If you fit 12v glow plugs which wil cost you around 80 quid for the ones that will fit your tractor and wire them in a parallel circuit so if one blows the rest will keep working your tractor will start 100 times better when cold starting you will need to ditch the ballest resistor in the pepper pot just unscrew the pot off the dash and put a 12 volt bulb in its place as if you leave the resistor in your new 12 volt glow plugs wont get 12 volts each they will only get 1.5 volts each defeating the object of having 12 volt plugs so remove that and put a bulb in there then your new plugs will get 12 volts each and if one does fail the rest of them keep working they will get twice as hot 🔥 and get hot faster making a massive difference to cold starting ive done it myself and its like night and day difference when cold starting also you could fit a thermo inlet manifold heater in the inlet manifold as well like old fergie 35 have and wire that in on two relays one for the 4 glow plugs and one for the thermo start as the new 12v glow plugs will probably pull 40 amps over the 4 plugs initially put that will drop quickly as they warm up and the thermo start inlet manifold heater would pull about 15 amps so 55 amps in total so 2 relays would be more reliable than 1 incase one packed up the other would carry on working. The thermostart would require fuel to it as fuel drips on the coil of it and ignites the fuel sending a huge hot 🔥 flame into the inlet manifold aiding cold starting and with your new 12v glow plugs she would start absolutely mint in cold weather ive just done this to a ferguson fe35 and it started first time in minus -2 freezing weather hope this helps. If you go on ebay and put in International b275 12v glow plugs there is a chap on there selling the 12v plugs for about 80 quid its the best thing ive ever done to the tractor kind regards Guy.

[@winnie6354]

I can recommend changing to modern pencil glow plugs .You have to alter the wiring , and i would advise a relay if you have the later version of this tractor with ignition switch start. The tractor will start after 20 seconds heat on the coldest day in uk then.

[@eze8970]

I can already hear the fire engine on it's way to put out the fire where all the smoke is coming from! Glad you got it started! 🙏🙏

[@lmm]

So was I!

[@marauder3058]

You haven't lived till you have tried to start a CAT 3516 mechanical in the cold, now THAT'S a smoke show.

[@ja-bv3lq]

I am jealous of your coldest day of the year "so far", Laurie! We've hit -13 F (-25 C) a couple of times already here in Denvet, CO, USA... and it shouldn't be this cold here!!! 🥶

[@billskalicky5400]

Check for voltage at your glow plugs. They are wired in series along with the indicator on the dash panel. Any opens an 0 current flow. Also check the ground on the last glow plug to the cylinder head. Check for voltage drop across the glow plug switch as well.

[@thestandardfour0699]

Your neighbours must love you!

[@alwaysbearded1]

Great cold loco imitation.

[@Tombola1993]

I’ve seen a Case International 733 Tractor while I was out in Corfu last September.

[@billskalicky5400]

I always keep the glow plug switch closed as i crank the engine. I hold it for 45 to 60 seconds on a cold day. Consider installing a block heater, it will make a huge improvement on cold starts.

[@Auagri]

I would suggest holding the heater handle down whilst turning the engine over (says to do so in the manual) to keep the heat going. works every time for mine Also it sounds like there is a valve not seating right too

[@jbhtrams]

Something to look at and definitely somewhere to go. Been 3 times. There are 3 floors of layouts, of all over the world! Definately somewhere for YOU to go. You need about 3 days!!!!

[@jbhtrams]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3TOnpppjptnldU

[@jbhtrams]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3TOnpppjptnldU Miniature Wonderland

[@jbhtrams]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3TOnpppjptnldU

[@burninpwder76]

I would agree with the folks that are saying the glow plugs are tired. hitting the glow should put a heavy draw on the gauge seeing as they are basically resistance heaters. New glow plugs and a good cleaning of the connections are in order I say. I have quite a few old gas (petrol) tractors but I've worked on a bunch of diesels. I have a 1957 ford 850, a ford 8n, a 1941 farmall H and just recently added a 1966 massey ferguson 202 industrial tractor with loader and backhoe.

[@dsj672]

At least you don't have to push it back into the tent!😆

[@lmm]

Makes a change 😂

[@emilpartanen8719]

I see a screen on dashboard. In that mesh screen is a glowing wire which shows when glow plugs are hot enough for starting.

[@bentullett6068]

I thought humpty was the easiest vehicle to start in the cold weather. I really think you need to get Jeb road legal enough and give it a good run or even get a plough and do a ploughing match to give the engine some work to do and clear some of that carbon from the engine.

[@Hewitt_himself]

Towing a fire engine round the yard would clear it out... wonder if he knows anyone with one

[@bentullett6068]

@@Hewitt_himself I am sure there is someone with two Fire engines in that location 🤔

[@danwaters115]

I think you need to put some new heater plugs and a pepper pot on that tractor as the amp gadge should fly all the way to the one side and the pepper pot should glow red on the dash after around 10 seconds and that should help it start a lot better as international bd144 engines are always difficult to start unless they have good heater plugs and they always fire right up then.

[@lmm]

I am leaning towards it being the glow plugs aren't doing anything. Or at least, some aren't

[@mobiousenigma]

lol bet the plugs have seized and replacing them would be a nightmare,,, 24v to the starter should do it...for a few starts.. injector cleaner would be a good investment i think it may want a snort of ether as some diesels do but i think compression is the root issue..she is old

[@lmm]

@@mobiousenigma it's had a load of injector cleaner chucked in it previously

[@mobiousenigma]

@@lmm its a diesel... if its got fuel then its gotta be compression... carbon on exhaust valves or rings worn.... or it could just be an ether junkie ,,,im guessing she burns oil

[@professorprogressor982]

You can check the pepper pot and each glow plug for continuity with multimeter to verify

[@lukehomer35x]

Think a full engine rebuild and injection pump and injectors serviced would transform that tractor. Plus new glow plugs. Great videos 👍

[@philipbosch1427]

I'd say atleast a good cleaning of the pump and injectors and some new glow plugs should do it

[@professorprogressor982]

After overhauling my B-250 it starts right up in freezing temperatures with a few 6-8 second bursts on the standard serial-style glow plugs. Glad to see it finally came to life with some persistence though.

[@philipbosch1427]

@@professorprogressor982 True but he already has too many projects going on, he don't need another big one

[@robinforrest7680]

Nah it’ll start first time 😂 Oh ok then … I think you need to persist on number one start. The glow plugs on my VW T4 are knackered, but I just hang on on the first start and it always fires in the end! I recently watched a video of a class 50 cold start (happy memories of SNCF C-C 72000 cold starts at Nancy depot in the early 2000’s). I was amazed to discover that diesel locos have no glow plugs! Epic in an outside temperature of -10*C! I was woken up in my SNCF lodging at 3am, not by the noise, but by the stink of unburnt diesel seeping through my window. 😂😂😂😂

[@nikdog419]

"How 'bout some ether?" -Hunter S Thompson Looks like it's time for a cylinder ring job. 😜 Or a short ATF oil change. I imagine you're already full aware, but the low speed idle issue was cause by 2 cylinders not making proper seal and compression. Also the obvious it would have started a lot easier if the cylinder rings weren't sticking.

[@lmm]

What low idle issue? I suspect a glow plug not doing its job. It isn't on atf, and had fresh oil a few years back.

[@jvmalta081]

good glow plugs , some oil in the intake and a puff of multi spray or brake cleaner would do the job ;)

[@Tufferss]

Allll the glow 😂😂😂

[@MikeTagg-kg1so]

"Dont you do this again" whilst wagging a finger at it, i think is the quote of the video for me lol sounds bit like me when ive attempted a repair on something and everythings fine then a while later it starts again.

[@lmm]

It listened to me as well!

[@dalecherne5377]

Jeb is a very good name of this thing. Its just a stubborn old man

[@lmm]

😂 😂 😂

[@ghostmatio]

Struggling for idle like that is usually a sign of fueling troubles, and is likely why it's difficult to start

[@detroitredneckdetroitredne6674]

Cool video brother

[@colelepper9381]

I love that despite being winter the grass is green

[@lmm]

It's been pretty mild so far

[@AndreiTupolev]

Isn't it always?

[@Mrflash222006]

Sounds down on compression as soon as it gets some heat in it, it’s all good

[@eastpavilion-er6081]

I just got a 1.5L choco milk from Waitrose. At the second start, I decided to drink a mouthful of choco milk every time you say "more glow". I drank all the choco milk in ten minutes. Damn you, Lawrie.

[@lmm]

Sorry!

[@ashok.Bishnoi.godara]

I have international B275 model 1984 but he was sitting around 20 year

[@mrgaz955]

Your pepper pot wasn’t glowing at all, ergo, no heat at all. My B250 was a b1tch to start. £13 new pepper pot, away she goes, first time.

[@lmm]

There was a lot of heat under the dash. I'll try it - it's doing something though, because without glow it won't go at all!

[@mrgaz955]

Don’t forget to test the plugs themselves. As in series, can be “sort of tested” with a multimeter. I thought mine was working but trust me, the new pepper pot glows propped red, no mistaking

[@lmm]

@@mrgaz955 I'll do gander online and we'll see! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@mrgaz955]

Oh God, I’ve just realise I may have sounded like one of those internet know it alls, sorry. Just speaking from my experience.

[@lmm]

@@mrgaz955 no no, I appreciate the idea. If you have one you understand the thing more than most!

[@machiningbasics1729]

Next video , Laurie rebuilds a starter motor

[@MrDeeej86]

After 3 I would have given up, got tea and chemical assistance 😝

[@lightningrob]

She needs a bit of attention i had issues with mine. Head gasket and treated to a new set of parallel glow plugs now starts a treat.

[@timwhite4301]

I guessed 5 🤣 as quite a few people have said I think your glow plugs are shot. Maybe the fuel filter might be a bit clogged

[@lmm]

Filter is new, so unlikely that. Glow plugs sound a good idea

[@mobiousenigma]

@@lmm if there bad it will help but i think its compression...worn rings and until you splash enough oil up the piston skirts to help compression it dosnt start. cold start with ether if it starts right away it isnt compression its fuel .

[@bgood2010]

While waiting for new glow plugs to arrive and install themselves, a hot air gun or a hair drier down the air intake while cranking might do the trick . 😉

[@mobiousenigma]

on a gas engine possibly but the air in the cylinders gets compressed ....to the point its hot enough to combust diesel there is no spark plug to ignite air fuel mix its pressure and heat that do it.

[@jimbarchuk]

Without having watched the vid, my guess is that it will take all tries to start. Not one less than all. More glow, more potatoes.

[@Patmac74]

Yes, it will, eventually

[@basscharenborg6441]

0:52 I gues 3

[@richardsweeney197]

I have to give you a glow (plug) review for effort. But I must say when JEB finally gave up fighting you and started, it sounded really good! Part of the problem might be the way you counted, at that temperature if potatoes freeze, they are no longer edible/usable... 😉🙂 in fact box cars used to carry raw potatoes in the U.S. are heated.

[@JoeV-nq9ez]

I have a 1959 serial # 3905 , it would never start, needed ether & was blowing white smoke, bought an engine rebuild kit & tore the whole b275 down to bare bones, rebuilt the engine, painted the whole machine, decals & all & took the CAV injection pump off & sent it to be rebuilt. Wish I could show you pictures here. I'm betting your piston rings are dust, that's what my problem was, everything else had no wear but the piston rings were shot to dust, no compression & blowing oil.

[@lmm]

Sounds like that would be my issue then

[@Eblackadder1982]

I was thinking 5, not 15!

[@scaleop4]

I thought 4, but I think that was a bit optimistic

[@chrisrumble2665]

You should have given it some SYB.

[@Zebrails]

Smoke rings look cool but a sign of fouled combustion...John BC, Canada

[@scaleop4]

👍👍

[@graemew7001]

I'm not even going to guess, call me a pessamist if you like but all i though when you said "what a good idea....." was, hell no "what a dreadful idea", prove me wrong 🤣. Now at 56 seconds in I shall continue to watch! You proved me wrong although I am relieved that our farmers don't rely on tractors as worn out as poor JEB is cos we'd all be starving and eating each other and grass!

[@jamesriley6315]

Having just got round to this video I think 5 attempts

[@lmm]

I wish!

[@TheDistur]

Jeb is tired. Let him rest when he's cold. lol

[@Tombola1993]

My guess was about 10-20 attempts of a startup.

[@huwdavies6650]

You know those videos of 60's and 70's vintage Diesel Locomotives starting in cold weather......

[@dafyddmorris4954]

Glow plug probably need changing .give a sniff of easy start she start then

[@MokesEnd]

Should've got some laughing gas - btw, Twelve only has 2 "e"s..... :)

[@jakeibrahim2898]

Need a visit for the either bunny

[@lmm]

I try not to use it

[@detroitredneckdetroitredne6674]

My guess was 12 I was wrong if you take a hair dryer or a heat gun or even a propane torch put warmer hot air into the air breather pipe it will make it easier to start with the glow You're welcome Back in my younger day we had gasoline soaked rag on fire at the air breather of the old 48 Mack truck

[@lmm]

A hot air gun would likely help alot

[@johnlamberti2735]

17 I reckon

[@PedalBox]

I reckon 11 tries. I was going to say 7, and changed last second. Guessed at 1m50 sec

[@jackscott8931]

1 try, come on Jeb!

[@jackscott8931]

ah well, nothing wrong with a little optimism lol

[@NJPurling]

This is going to involve the use of fire. A gas torch to heat the air inlet & the incoming air. Easy Start is not a good idea in large doses.

[@lmm]

I try to avoid it if I can

[@MrVinnyh]

10

[@bow-tiedengineer4453]

I guess 5.

[@minisareus]

I hear that mslr is doubling it's track length and the steam engine is coming back online next year

[@braxton8497]

How many attempts All of them

[@karldickinson2799]

Think it's not just it's cold but u might think of looking at engine as it should of started by now

[@lmm]

If you check out any other videos with it, it's not a good starter to begin with but the cold really didn't help.

[@petrophaga8523]

shit... i guessed it right... now my luck for 2023 is done...

[@kelliher5929]

5

[@UncannySense]

new glow plugs and a compression test...

[@jjt1093]

Well I have a 1959 B250, I use Veg oil as fuel, and I will tell you long glow while cranking its starts -30C

[@lmm]

Yours is obviously better than mine!

[@jjt1093]

@@lmm LOL LOL or just lucky :) it sounds horrible when it goes but starts :)

[@BrooksMoses]

I am guessing 20. Possibly pessimistic. We'll see! ... Seven attempts in, I'm feeling like it was probably pessimistic (it's nearly starting!) but not as much as I feared I might be after the fourth attempt. ... At 12, I didn't think the big battery would quite do it, and I was right. ... And there we go, it started! I was definitely a bit pessimistic, but I'd say I was still about right. In any case, it looks like it's much easier than cold-starting Humpty! I'm also realizing just now nice the condition was of the three-cylinder-diesel John Deere 830 that I grew up with. Even at 20-odd years old, I don't remember it ever failing to start pretty quickly on cold days, and our cold days got close to 4 below on our scale. And that was without glow plugs; I don't even know if it had them.

[@zogworth]

20? We have an old international and even with heavy persuasion from 15v of lithium and a sneaky bit of ether it's a pig to start in winter

[@jacobwhittle9896]

I will see if my TEF20 will start soon 🥶

[@lmm]

Hope it's better than this!

[@jacobwhittle9896]

@@lmm it usually goes 3rd time with some glow. A lot of glow. I wish mine came with a cold start but it doesn’t you just have to give it some glow and hope it starts before the battery pancakes

[@bwilesuk]

Six.

[@lmm]

I like your optimism!

[@mattwills87]

Sometimes I think you need a respirator mask when your trying to start some stuff.

[@claesmansson9070]

Just a small amount of ether, and it would have started long time ago, an engine for renovation.

[@joshsim7181]

Looking like fuel problem or lack of fuel to the injectors or fuel lift pump not keeping the fuel pressure up what ever the fault it needs looking at sooner rather than later

[@garyhardwick8489]

At least you didn't resort to using Easy Start! 10 btw.....

[@lmm]

I try to avoid it if I can!

[@garyhardwick8489]

@@lmm When I was in the scouts,we had a Ford A series bus that was addicted to the stuff & refused to start without it!

[@alwaysbearded1]

6

[@TheAverageDutchman]

I'm going to guess 5 attempts to start. Although that's probably a bit optimistic.

[@StupidBlokeStupidVideos]

I’ve just watched two videos of you starting this tractor, not sure why I watched two videos of a tractor being started but I enjoyed it nevertheless. On the other one where it wasn’t getting fuel, the smoke you had was likely oil smoke. It also seems to turn over pretty fast as though the compression could be down. Both of these point to potentially worn rings and this could be a perfect candidate to test something called “Engine Restore”, might work or might not but it could make an interesting video 🤷‍♀️. Also, make sure the tappets haven’t tightened up, that can also reduce compression and cause running issues, especially when hot but wouldn’t explain the blue smoke. P.s. your hands, and your clothes look just like mine,.. however you definitely have a more eloquent way of explaining things than I do in my videos. My guess was 7 attempts by the way, so about half right?

[@lmm]

What's this engine restore of which you speak? The engine is certainly tired, I'm loathed to do anything to it until it stops running as I have enough that doesn't run!

[@StupidBlokeStupidVideos]

@@lmm it’s like magic potion you add to the oil and it causes better sealing of rings to bores and gains compression. I tested it on my channel, but tbh it wasn’t a good test as I didn’t have compression issues to start with but I’ve seen other people test it with unbelievable results. This would be a perfect candidate. I’ll post a link to my vid, but I’ll do it in another comment cos it will likely get deleted

[@StupidBlokeStupidVideos]

@@lmm this is the vid where I tested it, if KZbin doesn’t remove the comment kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHSVkneLhKymnLc

[@888johnmac]

attempt severn ?? .. at least Lawrie had the sense to drag it out-side this time .. lol

[@lmm]

Drag / push 😂

[@emilpartanen8719]

It needs new glow plugs.

[@johnlomas7398]

I have to admit to not knowing a lot about starting a deisel, but would hot air from say a propane blowlamp down the air intake help?

[@lmm]

Quite likely!

[@QALibrary]

Lawrie have you replaced the water and the antifreeze mix in your vehicles - not sure if you know antifreeze has a millage/hours used/time-based life span

[@lmm]

Yes, covered in the last wbn!

[@peddersmeister]

I guessed 9, I guess I don't get the speedboat

[@TheSwiftrain]

I guess 11, because funny number

[@nghermit4922]

Dang I was way off guessing 5.

[@lmm]

I like your optimism though!

[@andrewduke1489]

Attempt “severn” killed it, too much water.

[@inarithegermanshepherd2555]

14 times

[@stevepeat1719]

Ridiculous. Doesn't the glow plug indicator work? Also I don't think the glow plugs are good. Also when i drove one of these back in 1968 (!) it was normal practice to depress the clutch pedal when cranking to reduce the gear drag. Also the crank speed sounds a bit slow to me.

[@minisareus]

Easy start time? will your other tractor start?

[@NoNilolsos]

hello

[@thomasmcilroy510]

3-4 times cold start

[@kymvalleygardensdesign5350]

I reckon 4 goes

[@kymvalleygardensdesign5350]

Cripes is the Diesel Stale?

[@kymvalleygardensdesign5350]

If she won't start how did you get her out of the tractor port?

[@stevengrieve678]

Hence why the older nashies were never popular 🤣🤣🤣

[@matthewrichardson2467]

Needs more glow? :)

[@roberthocking9138]

24

[@lmm]

Oh ye of little faith

[@luckyhomestead]

Are you shure your glowplugs are working?

[@lmm]

They do something, because without them it simply will not go.

[@luckyhomestead]

@@lmm What do you mean "something"? Why you don't want to check if they working correctly.

[@lmm]

@@luckyhomestead If you don't use the glow plugs, the machine will not start. So clearly they are doing something. I don't however think that they are all working, or working to their full potential. At some point I'll replace them, but there's other bigger jobs to complete first

[@realnutteruk1]

I think it probably goes 1 cylinder, 3 cylinder, 4 cylinder, 2 cylinder.....

[@lmm]

Yes yes, though it's certainly firing on one, then ton two, then three