Hi, First post. I'm helping a neighbor get his forklift started. It has a Kubota D1402 in it. I was running a few days ago, but now it won't start. I saw the note elsewhere here (Thanks!) on how to do that properly, but all I could get was a puff or two. It has fuel, and I read 9 volts on the glow plugs. The battery is fully charged. A little backstory is, the exhaust was broken off over the engine. It wrapped partway around the top and pointed in the general direction of the full distributor (Is that what it is called?) I worry that the heat has killed it. It does leak a little fuel on the top. I can't figure out where it's coming from, but the fuel lines above it are dry, so it is probably the fittings. Even so, that sounds like a sign of trouble to me. There's a knob on what looks like a fuel return line. How should that be adjusted? Maybe I should loosen the fittings on the injectors to make sure each cylinder is getting fuel. So that's where I am at. It has fuel, coolant, I assume oil, the glow plugs seem to be working, and when I crank, it puffs, but only once in a while, not repeatedly, not predictably. Thanks in advance, Mike
If you posted a picture of the engine fuel pump, fuel solenoid, fuel filter area we could give better ideas to check. You could remove the air filter cover, blow out any excess loose dirt in the housing, then remove the filters. Blast heavily WD40 into the air intake while cranking and see if it fires up. You could shoot hot air from a heat gun in at the same time as the WD40. If it starts up good. If it dies instantly, you will know that the cylinders are not getting enough or no fuel. Maybe the fuel solenoid is not working properly, maybe you have a fuel line sucking air. Have you changed the fuel filter? It may have a small in-line one also. Could try blowing 1-2 psi into the fuel tank with a rag ball blocking the air from blowing out while the air blower pipe is inside the tank. If anything leaks on the lines with pressure on it, it will suck air with the engine running. Try starting also with the air on it. Need two people to do these tests. Any questions, fire away. Simon C
Thank you for the reply. I'm used to working on gas engines, and that experience is limited mostly to mine, the 1.9L CIH Opel motors. The lack of a distributor or any electronics other than gauges and the glow plug is novel to me. One of the first things I checked was the fuel pump, and I did this by removing the hose that came from what I was pretty much sure was the fuel pump (I followed the hoses back to the filter and tank.) and when cranking, I got little blips of fuel coming out of it. It didn't seem like enough, but what did I know? This was just a three-cylinder motor, so that was probably enough. The photos below show the situation I encountered, including one showing the broken exhaust pointing in the general direction of the fuel system.
Below the stop lever on the injection pump is a small round pump with 6 Phillips screws holding the diaphrams together. They are suspect to get weak over time. Did you put air to it while cranking to see if it would fire. Power at the glow plugs does not mean some are not burn't. Try some of the suggestions and see if you can get one more picture furthwer left of you 2nd picture. Simon C
I'll try that, if I can. The forklift is pretty far from my compressor. What kind of flow should I normally get?
After the fuel filter there should be a good steady flow of fuel if the fuel line out is disconnected. should squirt out if air is put to tank. Those transfer pump diaphrams are prone to fail. Depends on how many hours on unit. Need to start somewhere. Simon C
Fuel flow to the pump is fine. Flow out of the pump is pulses that look like only a drop or two.
Some of those style pumps have a screen inside that can plug off. The diaphrams also rupture and no more output. Buy a kit for it and you will have a good starting point. Simon C
Thanks. I'll let you know what I find.
Put a squeeze bulb on the fuel line before or after the fuel pump, it will help in the future and now. No distributor or anything like that on that motor. you can take the lines off the injectors to help bleed but you will see only little squirts of fuel. The knob on the return is to help bleed the system, righty tightly. Open to help the fuel and air bleed through the injectors. The squeeze bulb makes it very easy to bleed through the system.
Squeeze Bulb is good addition. Simon C
I couldn't find either a pump or a rebuild kit locally. I found a pump on Amazon. Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CRP6TD88/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A999B29KSB41W&psc=1 I'm not looking forward to replacing the pump. It will be difficult to get my hands and tools in there.
What does a squeeze bulb for this application look like?
Just go to local hardware store. It’s a marine squeeze bulb for pressuring a fuel tank. I keep spares around, for when I have problems priming anything. Usually under 10 bucks. Amazon.com
Welp, it pumps better, but will not fire. The diaphragm on the old pump was okay, but a little plastic part was broken. See the photo. Suggestions?
The only other hint of trouble I see on this is that after cranking, a small puddle of fuel appears at the base of where the injector lines come out the top.
Is it still not running? The fuel leakage is a problem but shouldn’t keep it from running. The knob is use to help bleed fuel. You can disconnect the injection lines, on top of the pump and check for little squirts of fuel. If no fuel, take 4 10mm head bolts off of Stop plate and verify stop arm is in proper position and check for rail movement, while turning over.
I was unable to loosen those caps. The owner will get a diesel guy out here. I'll look over his shoulder. I hate not being able to fix something, so I have a thing or two to learn.
Not sure what caps you mean?