Ever since I put this back together I have had a hard starting issue with it. I did a head gasket, lapped the valves. It as a David brown engine. I know it has blow by. I haven't done a compression test yet as my compression tester wasn't working right so I still need to do that. When turning it over and once seeing smoke, If I give it a little shot of ether it fires up fine. Without ether it just won't fire. I did a pop test on the injectors and my pop tester was reading around 4k psi. The injectors all had good fine mist from all the orifices. From what I find online that pressure should be more like 2500-2700 psi. Could the high pressure be partly to blame for the hard starting? I also know there is supposed to be a timing retard thing on the bottom of my injection pump that doesn't seem to do anything. Looking for suggestions TIA
Have u tried adjusting the timing on the inj pump.? Does it have the CAV DPA pump.? Just loosen the 3 bolts/nuts and twist the pump a degree or 2.. OPPOSITE THE ARROW ON THE NAME PLATE. (A dimes width) That opening pressure seems VERY HI.. r u confident in your pressure gauge.??
I have not tried adjusting the timing. The pump says Lucas CAV on it. I am not totally confident in the gage but, when I have used it in the past to test brand new stanadyne injectors they measured very close to what the spec told me they were supposed to be. The tractor does smoke a good amount when it's running. I have really no history on the pump or really the rest of the tractor however, when I got it the PO had bypassed the lift pump and put in an electric fuel pump that didn't work. I replaced the lift pump and put it back to original.
Does it smoke blue? How many hours on the oil and how does it look? I would expect low compression but I have also seen older diesels addicted to either if constantly used. How is it turning over and how are the batteries. When my batteries start going south, it starts hard. Recently just found my batteries almost empty and was able to recover them. My Case smoked pretty good when I bought it and though the compression isn’t great, it has cleaned up pretty good from actually working it.
It has a brand new monster battery. It turns over like I would expect although I am wondering if they make a gear reduction starter for the David brown engines. That made all the difference on my case 350 dozer starting. I should change the oil but there is no signs of fuel in the oil. It smokes more blackish than blue. There is evidence the po used ether because they cut a hole in the side panel where they could spray it into the aircleaner
Then that actually sounds more like a timing issue. Try using WD40 instead of either. See what it does.
I did adjust the timing yesterday. It still wouldn't fire on it's own but it does seem to run better. Also seems less smoky. I moved it twice actually. The first time I went the wrong way and it was even smokier and ran crappier so I knew that was the WRONG way! I turned the pump so the line moved ~ a dime thickness per pump guys recommendation I will have to try the wd40 and see if it fires off that. David brown has a intake heating element that is fed with diesel from a small reservoir on the return line. I have the element and the reservoir. I need to get some fittings and hook that up to see if that makes a difference
Sounds like a classic case of low compression. I would test that with a good gauge.
That's what i am afraid of. But it runs sooo good once it's started
I’d get that thermostart hooked up and operating.. The pump could have some wear in the starting circuit and still run fine once started.. especially with the CAV pump. Didn’t u say it has a CSD device on the bottom of the pump.?? What that does is either advances or retards the timing for easy starting.. but you didn’t think it worked.?? It should have a “cage” around the CSD PIN..& operates with the throttle.. I can’t remember if it pushes or pulls the CSD pin.?? To see if it’s working, once the tractor is running, reach under the pump and operate the pin (push or pull).. you’ll hear a noticeable change in rpm..
The csd on the bottom of this pump is just a pin with a roll pin through the side to make it like a t. It doesn't move in/ out it just can be turned. There is no linkage on the pump that looks like it would have moved the t. I have messed with it and all it does is spin endlessly. It doesn't tighten or loosen. I have not tried messing with it while it's running yet.
U pull AND HOLD the pin towards the steel injector lines.. throw the throttle to wide open..engage the thermostart and crank the engine..