Starting problem - fuel

[Petej247]

Hello all,
Yesterday I added around 50L of diesel to my 1984 3CX. A few minutes later and she was not happy, progressively loosing power and almost stalling. I figured it would be a sludge disturbance getting into the fuel line.

I had a spare filter, so changed it (the old was full of sludge) and refilled the sight glass manually using the pump tab. All good.

Next onto the 3 bleed screws, lots of air coming out, but eventually after a few cycles - fuel squirts. All good

Onto Cyl 4 union, cranking the engine produced nothing. many cranks later, still nothing. Cycled through 4/3/2/1 several times - nothing dry as a.....

Found the thread on this site discussing taking the pump end plate regulating valve off and cleaning the filter. I did this and also found that the regulating piston (item 7) was a little sticky in its barrel, cleaned this up and passed it through a couple of time until it was smooth, reassembled everything.

All installed back onto the machine, lots of fuel is in the pump (3 bleed screws running clear), pressure is being created by the pump pushing fuel into the injection pump but still no squirts from the injector pipes. A couple of coughs and some smoke coming from the exhaust but no fire. Cranking quite slowly now so I've abandoned for the night.

Any thoughts? I've read somewhere about using easy start? Do I just keep cranking and cracking the injector unions until eventually something will happen? Seems I've been on it a long time!!!

Thanks in advance for your advice..

PJ

[Jeremy Rowland]

Was she running happily before you topped up the fuel or had you run out of fuel?

Jeremy

[Petej247]

Hi Jeremy, yes, for over a year in my possession perfectly started first turn of the key even in the coldest winter day. It was a top up of fuel.

Side note, I've read about the shut down mechanism sticking - needs a tap to release it? I may pop the cover and take a look.

[essexpete]

The engine will need to spin quicker than with a dying battery I would guess. It sounds like a fuel issue still. There may be a small gauze-like filter just inside the injector pump fuel supply port. I have never had to take one out so check with someone who as.@agrimax.

[essexpete]

Was the fuel fresh BTW?

[UnclejakeNZ]

You wouldn't be the first to mistakenly fill her up with Adblue or some other liquid that isn't diesel

I had a breakdown in the middle of a bumpy road in my 3CX.... which embarrassingly turn out to be the seat bouncing up and down which pulled up the engine stop lever

[gecko.cx]

Careful with your startermotor - the long cranking sessions will overheat it causing internal shorts and eventually you'll need a new starter (what ever you do then, get the new-style reduction drive type).
A low battery cranks slower and heats the starter faster.

Not a fan of the ether spray (easy start etc) as it can hammer your bearings due to pre-ignition. In this case, if you are not getting "any" fuel to the injectors, it won't help anyway.

You can try loosening the injector lines at the pump just to make sure there is no air trapped lower down.

the engine is 4.236?

I'll be following closely as I've just bought a lincoln welder driven by a 4.236 - [Cranks well, no fuel at the injectors, won't start]

[Petej247]

Hi All, thanks for your replies.

Just to run through the points made...
I have stripped and rebuilt the regulating valve, but I've ordered a new fibre washer as the installed item looked ropey.
Fuel was fresh
Definitely diesel!

Update
Now I have slept on it there seems to be a lack of fuel as witnessed by taking an injector pipe off - no squirts or even a dribble.
I have ordered the new fibre washer - so this will be fitted.
Someone mentioned the pull handle, When it was giving up prior to the filter change and didn't want to start , I checked this by pulling and pushing (switching off fuel and switching back on) and it immediately started. I'm going to lift the cover on the pump and check that the cut off is opening correctly.

I'm not going the easy start route until I can see fuel squirting out of the pipes (I might not need it by then anyway....)

Will revert

[Petej247]

So a short update.

Regulator was reassembled with the fibre washer and new filter. The pump fills with fuel, bleeding from the side and top screws. Still nothing out of the injectors.

To be sure I have disconnected the injector pipe from the pump, this will allow me to see it spitting fuel when it eventually does...

I took the top off the pump to reveal the governor and linkage, this was quite dirty inside so I have spent a while cleaning this out, lifting the governor out long with the fuel valve. All seemed clean below and inside. I've re-assembled, bled the system and still nothing coming out.

So this can now only be the shut off linkage not opening or the fuel valve sticking. I've read somewhere that to try opening the throttle to maximum while tapping the end of the pump...I'm going to try that.

[topkit]

I would try the line from the tank out to the injectors, A few years ago i had the same problem on my old 3C mk2, it would not start and no fuel was getting up to the injectors, I fitted a new fuel filter and lift pump then I disconnected the feul pipe from the injector line and put an air line on it, There was a load plopping noise which was the blockage coming out and dropping back into the tank after that i sprayed some easystart in and while i was doing that someone cranked the digger over it started and ran perfectly after that.