jcb 3c died and wont restart

[lynnandrob]

I've just bought a jcb 3c and was using it to dig trees stumps and move earth ect when it stopped working,when I bought it none of the dash board dials worked so I couldn't tell what the temp/fuel was,anyway to cut a long story short I was using the front bucket to move some soil and while moving in second gear with what felt like a full bucket (bucket was empty)the engine died and wouldn't restart , the engine was hissing a bit as the head gasket is ready for replacing and needed 1ltr of water to top it up,I checked the fuel with a dip stick and there was only about 1 to 2 cm of fuel in the tank.i left it to cool till the next morning before tring it again,the engine turns as it should but it still wouldn't start ,

I cracked/opened the injectors and fuel filter to see if it was a problem with fuel delivery but everything looked fine.
does anyone know what might be causing this problm

[Stormin]

If you are definitely getting fuel upto the injectors and it shows no signs of firing it sounds like a lack of compression.
The labouring before stalling could have been the beginnings of an engine seizure. Letting it cool off overnight has let the engine free off but the rings may now be bonded to the pistons and reducing compression. The dodgy head gasket is probably losing you a bit more compression, enough for it not to fire up.

I'd double check the fuel supply again by adding more fuel and making sure there's a good flow at every point. If it still shows no signs of firing up it's time to do a compression test. With the already leaking gasket it sounds like it's time for some major engine work anyway.

[Jeremy Rowland]

I agree with what Norman has said but would first put fuel in the tank because the fuel pick up would definitely not draw off the very bottom of the tank so 1 to 2cm of fuel in the bottom of the tank is virtually empty.

Jeremy

[essexpete]

If the fuel level was that low you may find that some sh1t has been drawn into the fuel system or blocked the pickup.

[Jeremy Rowland]

If the fuel level was that low you may find that some sh1t has been drawn into the fuel system or blocked the pickup.

Yes Pete I forgot to mention that

Jeremy

[lynnandrob]

thanks for all your help guys,

I did put about 20ltr of fuel in before I tried starting it but that gave no joy. The diggers in Lincolnshire at the moment and I live in Leeds so ill be having a good luck at the fuel system the next time I'm down there, i'm also going to replace the head gasket and check the pistons just to make sure they are ok, however i'm not sure which engine it is, do they have a plate on the engine to identify the make/model etc. as it would be just my luck to get the wrong gasket set.
also when doing a compression test would I use a regular compression tester or is there a special tester needed for such a big engine?.i've only ever dealt with cars so i'm not sure what bits could be used on a jcb.

[topkit]

What year is your 3c if it is a mk 2 or 3 then it should have a leyland 4-98 engine in it earlier machines would have a ford or Nuffield ngine in them. If you have run it very low on fuel then the chances are you have a blockage, i had this on a mk2 3c and ended up changing filters fuel bowl, lift pump only to find a blockage in a piece if rubber hose going from the tank up to the fuel line once it was unblocked (i just blew down it) the machine started.

[lynnandrob]

log book says it was first registered in 1975 but nothing states if its a mk2 or mk3

[essexpete]

log book says it was first registered in 1975 but nothing states if its a mk2 or mk3

MK 11 (I should think).

[Stormin]

As I said before I would definitely explore the fuel starvation line before stripping the engine down and definitely do a compression test first before removing head gasket.
Really low compression values tend to indicate a failed head gasket or valve problems. Slightly low readings tend to indicate piston ring or bore wear problems. At the very least it may narrow down one or two particular cylinders to look at further for problems.

You'll need a diesel specific compression test gauge, much higher readings than petrol typically 300-400psi diesel versus 120-180psi petrol.

I bought one like this for my David Brown tractor, similar engine size and same injector type.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Diesel-engine-compression-tester-kit-/281246825719?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item417b9dfcf7