Petter PH1 difficult to start

[essexpete]

Do you think the previous owner got in a muddle reassembling at some point?

[FOWLER MAN]

Hello again Tony,
I forgot to state the obvious in my previous post. Spill timing is done on the compression stroke and the tappet screws in to advance and out to retard.
If your still having trouble starting afterwards, I'll talk you through the settings for the injector pump rack and maximum fuel setting.
Fred

[edbangingamateur]

Hi, Thank you to all who contributed advice. After setting the spill timing which was just a little out I have managed to get the engine started and running in the correct direction. One thing that occured to me was that using any form of easystart could cause problems with the running direction because it is obviously not put into the cylinder at the right time and may ignite prematurely. Anyway I've had it running and able to use the beast several times but now it has died again. Used it turned it of with the pump lever and carried on filling with next load. When I came to start no go. Left it till next day but still no starting. Then I thought to turn it over on compression and found very little! My first thought was valves so took the head off and looked. All seemed quite good, valves not bad at all but ground them a little anyway, Little carbon build up on head or piston. Reassembled and tried again. Compression a little better but still no go. I then thought of rings and took the pot off. all rings complete! I think it has had a rebore and new piston because next to the number it says +.060 and of course severe piston wear would not have happened in an instant so I think that is OK. Reassembled and comp. again a little better. I checked fuel coming out of injector, 3 fine puffs but it then occurred to me that when operating the pump or turning over with injector in I can't hear the "Quack" My question is could the fuel pump be weak? Good enough to produce a spray outside cylinder but not under pressure? Or is it the injectector itself. I have no way of testing fuel pump. Any suggestions?

[essexpete]

Was a valve sticking?

[edbangingamateur]

Hi, no not that I could see, when I took the head off i did think the exhast valve looked a little proud of it's seat but on examination they were both good.

[cobbadog]

Sounds like you are having fun with this challenge. The 0.060" over size could have been done at any time in its life but yes it has been bored.
When you had the barrel off did you think of checking the ring gap?
Check that both valves are not sticking slightly open.
Next is the fuel system. Do you have clear fuel lines all the way from the tank to the rack?
Is the filter in good condition?
Does the injector show a nice atomised spray when connected to the fuel line and outside of the head? The compression inside the cylinder is no where near as high as the fuel pressure coming out of the nozzle.
Is the injector clean and has it been set to the correct pressure to 'crack'?

[edbangingamateur]

Hi Cobba, Valves are closing Ok. No i did not check the ring caps as I was worried about taking the of without the right tool in case I broke them but It was running the day before. Yes I have a good mist spray outside of the cylinder and again the injector has been running. Thanks.

[cobbadog]

Just as a bit of help in the future. When I change rings I actually use my ring compressor to help with the removal and fitting of the rings to the piston. When removing I slide the compressor down to the top ring and tease the ring up onto the outside of the compressor then slide the lot off. Repeat this until they are all off. Do the reverse to install them back onto the piston and use it in the normal way to fit the lot into the bore.
Sorry, I get off track easily.
Then if you have good compression, good spray then the next and last thing is timing. Now timing your fuel system is something I have not done and have not studied as yet so I wonder if it could have slipped out of adjustment.