D7E, compare electric start to pony. long crank times

The direct electric start has glow plugs to put heat into the chambers before trying to start, that white smoke is unburnt fuel, no point in adding fuel without enough heat to burn it, run on full compression with the throttle closed until the main starts to 'beat', then open the throttle, and it will fire straight up cleanly. That unburnt fuel washes the cylinders and puts more resistance against the pony by increasing compression.
You can't even compare the 3208 with its direct injection, its a totally different design and will start like a petrol engine.

Ah, I totally forgot about the 3208 being DI. I also did not know all electric start D7Es (direct start) had glows. So I take it pulling the heads and adding glows for a direct start mod would be advisable? I think his machine came with the direct start.

I was just trying to determine if I had engine concerns. I guess if he has glows, I will leave this as "I did not research enough before posting"...👍

Fastline how did the air cleaner fiasco turn out?

It didn't. Still shopping..... Getting a little sad that an air cleaner is holding the whole deal up.

Fastline,

You don't have to pull the heads to put in glow plugs. You just unscrew the pre com chambers out of the head and screw in the type that has the threaded hole for the glow plug. There's a special splined tool that looks like a 7/8 x 2" bolt except it has splines instead of threads that you insert into the pre com chamber after pulling the injector nozzle.

Fastline,

30 seconds pony time is too short to heat 'er up. It should run two-three times that long with the compression closed and no fuel to warm it up before applying fuel.

The starting engine exh goes out a pipe through the main engine intake manifold and that heats the intake air.
Later Bob

Fastline,

30 seconds pony time is too short to heat 'er up. It should run two-three times that long with the compression closed and no fuel to warm it up before applying fuel.

On the older tractors, Do the glow plugs come on automaticaly when cranking, or are they on the two position start switch like the later tractors? We have a D6C at work and in warmer weather you don't have to use glow plug heat and it will fire right up. It is still like comparing apples to oranges the D6C being direct injected as opposed to the PC tractors, But I am still curious about the glow plug switch.