JCB 3CX excessive smoke and loss of power

[Slooby]

As Agrimax says that button is for testing the instruments warning lamps. With a grey cab like yours I'm guessing you just turn the ignition key to off to stop the engine and not pull on a red 'T' handled lever next to the hand throttle to the right of the seat? If that is the case (no red T) then unfortunately you don't have the simple way Fred suggested to turn the engine over without starting it and you'll need to pull a fuse or disconnect the fuel cut off solenoid as Agrimax suggested

[SimosSoldatos]

I'm nearly sure that is a test button for the dash warning lights. I think if you press it when the engine is going,it's just to show that the bulbs are working.
You would need to either remove a fuse or remove the wire from the fuel cut solenoid on the injector pump,to prevent the engine from starting whilst cranking,to prime the turbo with oil.

Nice, sounds like removing the wire from the solenoid will do the trick. Like Slooby said there's prbably no easier way of doing it. I thought of another way to prime it with oil which should work in theory but i'm not sure. The battery that is on it now needs to be changed because if it sits for a few days it cranks the engine slower and it doesn't start so maybe i could prime it that way and charge the battery after.

Also have you guys heard of this brand JRONE for the new chra???Is it reputable??(https://www.kolos-ms.net/en/item/465/tu ... 311879.htm)

[Slooby]

Have you guys heard of this brand JRONE for the new chra???Is it reputable??(https://www.kolos-ms.net/en/item/465/tu ... 311879.htm)

I just looked them up as I've not heard of them, they're a Chinese company, and have a well put together English language website that actually reads correctly so has been put together by someone who speaks English, rather than a literal translation, which says to me they are quite prepared to put the time and money into ensuring they project the right image. I know a gross generalisation, but a well crafted website that makes sense is certainly portraying serious intent. They are very clear that they are aftermarket and not an oem, but at the same time they really do make quite a thing about production quality and standards.

The European office is however directed to a UK mobile number, so potentially just a sales representative rather than a warehouse and support staff.

My gut feeling is that they probably make a reasonable product, not something I would feel comfortable about buying and using in say my 4 year old car or crazy power toys, but for a fairly low stressed set up of an 80's tech piece of plant or one of my Land Rovers, I'd give them a go over an eBay special!

Probably similar to a Warco Lathe or Mill, or an R-Tech welder (if you know them)

[SimosSoldatos]

Have you guys heard of this brand JRONE for the new chra???Is it reputable??(https://www.kolos-ms.net/en/item/465/tu ... 311879.htm)

I just looked them up as I've not heard of them, they're a Chinese company, and have a well put together English language website that actually reads correctly so has been put together by someone who speaks English, rather than a literal translation, which says to me they are quite prepared to put the time and money into ensuring they project the right image. I know a gross generalisation, but a well crafted website that makes sense is certainly portraying serious intent. They are very clear that they are aftermarket and not an oem, but at the same time they really do make quite a thing about production quality and standards.

The European office is however directed to a UK mobile number, so potentially just a sales representative rather than a warehouse and support staff.

My gut feeling is that they probably make a reasonable product, not something I would feel comfortable about buying and using in say my 4 year old car or crazy power toys, but for a fairly low stressed set up of an 80's tech piece of plant or one of my Land Rovers, I'd give them a go over an eBay special!

Probably similar to a Warco Lathe or Mill, or an R-Tech welder (if you know them)

Sounds pretty reasonable, to be honest i wouldn't mind if in a few years it started having small issues. If that happened i'd get something better then but just as you said i don't want an ebay special which could potentially have a catastrophic failure and destroy other things on the engine too.

I'm not really going to be using the machine for too many hours so i think i might go with that, there's not many other options either apart from getting a whole entire turbo.

[MrF]

The chinese turbo's fail in the consistency of the metallurgical properties, so you tighten up bolts normally and the thread just pulls, or bearings fail prematurely or the exducer explodes one day for no reason. They look like the turbo they copied 1:1 but some of them are ok, and others from the same manufacturer are terrible because they lack quality control and the whole supply chain in china is riddled with forged material certificates and corruption.
The reality is its cheap, we roll the die and take a chance, perhaps its good. Sometimes how its bad does not matter, and sometimes we have to use the cheap part because we have no alternative.

For me, I would prefer to rebuild a genuine cartridge myself, but I have had some experience with doing this over the years (and no, the landrover turbo that failed was not one of my rebuilds!). If you dont have a company that will re-balance the turbo after, and very few will balance turbo's assembled elsewhere, then you must mark all the wheels carefully so that they go back to exactly the same position and then you can avoid re-balancing.
If the impeller or exducer wheels require renewal, it cant be done this way.

Are there not greek companies who take the old turbo from you and rebuild it with new bearings then return your turbo to you rebuilt as a 3rd option? That way you get the good metal inside the turbo, but making the work properly is someone else's problem. I'd rather do this than buy a chinese turbo.

[SimosSoldatos]

Are there not greek companies who take the old turbo from you and rebuild it with new bearings then return your turbo to you rebuilt as a 3rd option? That way you get the good metal inside the turbo, but making the work properly is someone else's problem. I'd rather do this than buy a chinese turbo.

I'm looking at that option too, a couple of places have told me they probably couldn't do it because of shortage of parts due to the pandemic but i should be able to find someone so i'll definitelly get quotes for that too.