DB 996

[John coffey]

Once temperatures drop below 2, it’s impossible to start without booster. It’s a new battery but sounds old! Once temperatures rise, not a bother. I have 885 from 1974 and it’s not a problem.
Auto electrician has checked and replaced cables

 

[Netherfield]

Get @ACEngineering on the case.

Better starter motor needed, and invariably 3 cylinder Brown's were good to start.

and electrician would have been better re-routing the earth from the chassis direct to the starter motor.

 

[AlCapone]

Is charging system working ok?
Is Fan belt. tight

 

[Boohoo]

If the earth connection from the battery is still on the air filter frame move it to the chassis or the starter.
What spec is the battery?
Has it got a thermostart?
Are you using the cold start on the pump?

 

[ACEngineering]

Once temperatures drop below 2, it’s impossible to start without booster. It’s a new battery but sounds old! Once temperatures rise, not a bother. I have 885 from 1974 and it’s not a problem.
Auto electrician has checked and replaced cables

assuming good battery annd leads, if its not cranking same noticable speed cold as it does hot then starter is poor.

what room lenght wise is there on a 996?? theres a 4.2kw that will bolt on but will be 1/2 inch or so longer than standard starter

 

[Netherfield]

assuming good battery annd leads, if its not cranking same noticable speed cold as it does hot then starter is poor.

what room lenght wise is there on a 996?? theres a 4.2kw that will bolt on but will be 1/2 inch or so longer than standard starter

It should fit, 50s and early 60s starters were a good 2" longer anyway.

 

[Abacus]

There is a cold start on the bottom of the injector pump its a small T bar I can't remember if you turn it clock ways or antey clock ways for cold start

 

[ACEngineering]

There is a cold start on the bottom of the injector pump its a small T bar I can't remember if you turn it clock ways or antey clock ways for cold start

While there is no doubt if it has a cold start then it should be used, the op clearly implies its not cranking over like it should so that wants fixing anyway

 

[egbert]

There is a cold start on the bottom of the injector pump its a small T bar I can't remember if you turn it clock ways or antey clock ways for cold start

did 996 have that?

By the by, as well as getting cranking speed resolved, is heater plug firing?
Mine could crank all day with enough battery, and still not readily fire without some flames.

 

[Exfarmer]

If the cold start not screwed in it will not start at that temperature however if it needs new starter Ace is the man

 

[Oliveau]

did 996 have that?

By the by, as well as getting cranking speed resolved, is heater plug firing?
Mine could crank all day with enough battery, and still not readily fire without some flames.

I don’t think 990/995/996 had glow plugs. Just the excess fuel screw as mentioned earlier

 

[Boohoo]

I don’t think 990/995/996 had glow plugs. Just the excess fuel screw as mentioned earlier

Depends on the age, thermostart was optional on early ones then became standard. It's easily fitted if it isn't there.

 

[Netherfield]

All Q cabs had thermostart, the excess fuel device on the DPA pump was removed, blanking plug fitted, probably to save people having to climb in and out of the barsteward cabs so many times.

The inline pump excess fuel kicked itself out.

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Got 995&6 here wide and narrow door q cabs both fitted with thermostart and excess fuel tap on pumps.
My advice sort the thermostart or get one fitted. If the tractor wiring is original you might be lucky and find the wire needed lurking somewhere near the alternator floating about doing nothing

 

[Boohoo]

All Q cabs had thermostart, the excess fuel device on the DPA pump was removed, blanking plug fitted, probably to save people having to climb in and out of the barsteward cabs so many times.

The inline pump excess fuel kicked itself out.

The screw on the pump didn't go until later, all 996s should have it unless the pump has been changed.

 

[Boohoo]

Not wanting to do ACE out of a sale but upgrading the starter on a 996 or any other DB wouldn't be a common modification, I'd say there's another problem.

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

The screw on the pump didn't go until later, all 996s should have it unless the pump has been changed.

Got screw on my 1390 and used to drive a 1294 that had one, seems a bit random as to when they fitted them on later modes

 

[Boohoo]

Got screw on my 1390 and used to drive a 1294 that had one, seems a bit random as to when they fitted them on later modes

I was told that non turbo models had the screw on the pump and turbo models didn't, but I've never looked into it. Haven't had much to do with the 90s or 94s

 

[ACEngineering]

Not wanting to do ACE out of a sale but upgrading the starter on a 996 or any other DB wouldn't be a common modification, I'd say there's another problem.

So you would rather replace the old one with a poor copy? because basically thats what happens these days. people replace with what they think is like for like but infact they are just modern poor copies not fit for purpose. Any repairs on old starters these days are generaly carried out with modern copys of the orignal parts so a repair is often no good either. This is why i just sell the 3.2kw and the 4.2kw Mahle starters as first choice because they actually work!

 

[Boohoo]

So you would rather replace the old one with a poor copy? because basically thats what happens these days. people replace with what they think is like for like but infact they are just modern poor copies not fit for purpose. Any repairs on old starters these days are generaly carried out with modern copys of the orignal parts so a repair is often no good either. This is why i just sell the 3.2kw and the 4.2kw Mahle starters as first choice because they actually work!

I'm not suggesting a starter repair or a poor copy! I'm well aware of the benefits of the Mahle starters and will fit one to my 996 when it needs one, but in this case I think there's another issue.
If the auto electrician has replaced the battery earth cable on this tractor and put it back to the original, factory position on the air filter frame then it could be an earth issue due to corrosion between the air filter frame and the chassis. This poor earth connection caused issues on some of these tractors when they were new in the 1970s.
We've been told it's a new battery but we've no idea what spec it is.