I need help on figuring out what is going on with my D6R, when it is cold it just flat out wont start. This just started this year, in the years past it would start when it was 0 degrees now it has to be about 25 degrees to start now. When it trys to start it only wants to fire on about 2 cylinders then after it does start it will pick up about 3 more then it sits and misses about 3 minutes before it finally smooths out. I priced some new injectors today and I dont want to put new injectors in it after they told me they were $521 a pop. The tractor runs great after it warms a little. I was just wondering if anybody else has trouble like this and if you did what you did to fix it.
Sounds like the fuel system has finally started to show some wear. If you can get CAT ET hooked up, you can test the heui pump and make a few other checks and get a general idea to the condition of the fuel system. It wont get any better, but will run for a good while like it is.
D6, I don't think would buy all six anytime soon, the price increases of the engine manufacturers are unreal, thats like 3100.00. I've fought a few of these HEUI systems, need to check pressures while cranking thats a good start. Spring will be here soon that will help the worst of them. Good Luck
If you prime the fuel before attemting to start, does it make any difference?
Per, Nope, I've tried that and it makes no difference.
D6 is it a older D6R with the 3306 engine or the newer with C-9 engine? Is your air intake heater working if its a C-9? One more thing...if it has one is the either assist option working?
3rdgen, It is a c9 and has either assist, but it doesn't have a intake heater. Yesterday I finally got started but for about 20 seconds it only hit on 2 or 3 holes then finally picked all but one up. It sat there and missed for aprx. 3 minutes. Then after it warmed up all was good.
I don’t know much about cat motors but could it be you need to do a valve adjustment or as we call it run the rack
I would do a compression check with the motor as cold as possible.
Yo ! Not tryin to be a smartass (ran d6 for years). But up here in Canada when it got that cold she wont start unless you plug it in for a few hrs. Inline coolant heater/ or block heater. PIGPIG
Pig, I sure have thouht about the inlet heater but 90% of the time I am too far froom elec.
That's odd it doesnt have an intake heater on it for a C-9. I know most of the excavators, loaders and dozers with that engine have a intake heater on them. Okay...on the dash does it have an indicator with what looks like two loops? Have you gotten a real close look where the intake is on the engine? There should be two wires one purple/red and one black that goes to an element. Looking at it they just look like they go into the intake itself. I just think its odd that it doesnt have an air intake heater. I could be wrong. Another thing to check for is you could be loosing the prime in your fuel system. Worse case scenario is you could be looking at a few injectors gone bad. Had a 330D doing the same thing....turn over and over and over and sound like it was catching on 2 cylinders, would finally start on 3cylinders and after about 5 minutes of smoking and idling bad the other 3 would start up. If you've got the time and tools try to take off the valve cover and while its running at an idle pay close attention to the injectors. What you're looking for is oil bleeding out of the injector body.
A compression test is an easy way to eliminate a lot of different problems. Its quick and easy and will confirm the internal mechanical bits are proper. No doubt the compression is fine, but weak compression would definitely give you the symptoms you describe. I fought with an engine for years and years and years before a compression test revealed a huge problem. I like the fuel system leak down or prime idea. Sounds like a good thing to look for.
I have yet to see one without an inlet heater. With a serial number i can tell you if it has one or not. Most have both an inlet heater and ether injection. How many hours are on the machine. A quick check with ET will show the desired and actual injection actuation pressure. This will tell you if the pump or injectors are worn out. A cut out test will also show if it has a week injector if the duration numbers are too far apart.
Speaking of fuel systems I have been warned by several mechanics about aftermarket fuel filters causing premature wear and injector problems. They all preach to stay with Cat filters for the fuel systems. Oil, hyd and trans, aftermarket is fine they claim. Modern engine fuel filters are 2-3 micron, I have taken their advice.
Pete, your spot on about the fuel filters. When I was Field Mechanic at Cat, I saw the adverse effects of aftermarket fuel filters. One thing about the Cat filters is that they are 2 micron absolute, rather than just 2 microns. That means they catch all particles 2 microns and bigger, rather than just a certain percent of particles 2 micron and bigger like the aftermarket ones. I first noticed it on the last run of 3306 engines with the tighter tolerances in the fuel system. A customer had a loader that the barrels and plungers in the fuel service assembly were trashed after 2100 hours.
3rdgen, I have the wires that your described but it says air temp sensor. I had Cat mech tell me it would be a cable about the size of a pencil.
Lee, It has 5700 hrs. The serial # is aem134.
Pete, I agree with the cat filters, it has never had a filter put on it but cat. I change both fuel filters every 250 hrs. It was 32 degrees this morning and it started on the first turn.
Well, the engine does not have an intake heater. Those amount of hours are not a guarantee the injectors are worn out but i have seen plenty that are and even more with failed HEUI pumps. The system really needs troubleshot before parts are throw at it. Are there any codes? Are there any engine oil leaks? When was the last oil change and what oil weight was used?
Oil was changed 135 hrs ago. The only codes are granny codes. I use cat deo 15-40. The machine has started great the last two days.
C-9 Starting Issues Well you wont believe me but you need to change your engine oil. I have an 2004 D6RII that would spit and sputter and not start when it was cold out. After $3000 dollars of injectors and three days of a field service tech on the phone to his guru's the solution was to run a lighter weight oil. I too ran 15-40 in that tractor as well as every thing else i own, but not anymore. In your operators manual (who reads those anyway) there is a small paragraph that tell you its recommened to run a lighter weight oil in colder weather. So the solution is to run 10w30 or 5w30 when it is below 40 degrees. There also is a plug above the engine computer that needs to be changed when you switch weights of oil so the computer knows what it is running. I switched to a 5w30 when it gets colder than 40 and I run in temps down to 0 and it starts and runs smooth. I know it sounds stupid but it works. As for the intake heater it has one but it may be turned off in the computer, a service tech can check that. email or call me if you have questions.