Ok I've got a 6V-53TA in a 125B Michigan loader and I need some explanation on how to set up the fuel rack and govenor assembly. Ive followed the books I was able to get but it's gone full bore twice on me. I can't find anyone around that knows how to work on the old 2-strokers from the '70's. I've worked on all the new 4 and 6 cycle stuff but that pesky detroit set-up is a bear to deal with. The first time i set the gov. up, I started it and to the moon it went, 3200 rpm+! The second time I didn't let it wind up before I shut it down. I had to pull the heads off and change a sleeve and piston in it and I tried to leave everything the way I found it so I wouldnt have to fool with the gov and fuel rack too much but my plan backfired. So any help will be greatly appreaciated!
Can't help specifically but you should be aware those engines go to full throttle automatically when shut off. They stay there when cranked and then depend on the governor system, springs etc. to pull them down to running speed after firing. A good place to look for a Detroit expert is around marinas as a ton of those are still running in boats.
That's a complex question for us V16Cat, as we don't know all the details. I assume it was a, at least somewhat, operational engine when you took it down? When you removed the injector control racks, you didn't loosen any of the flat head adjusting screws, just removed the 12 point bolts that secured the shaft brackets on the end of the rack and lifted rack free? Now, you have those rack control rods that come through the side of the head and connect to the governor control in the governor housing. If memory serves me correctly, at least one of those control rods can't be removed because of the levers in the governor housing. Did you have any problems at this point?
Detroit Sounds like a stuck injector. Did you take the injectors out, before removing the head? Or the kickback spring is hooked up backwards ( I think the 53 has this spring like a 71) I just rebuilt a 6-53 2 years ago, but I forgot if it has a spring. It will be on the fuel rake at the end bracket. Work the rack back and forth and see if you can feel anything binding. If you took the injectors out, make sure you didnt over torque them. You can take the fuel rake off and work the plunger on each injector, if you feel it binding, thats probably the problem. If you didnt pull the injectors, you could have messed up the end of one of the injectors, causing it to dump full fuel. This could have been done, re installing the head. Use a vise grip with rounded jaws and put it on one side or the other on the fuel rack, position it where you can control full travel/movement. This is like a safety thing we use to prevent them from running away. This wont correct your problem, but you can control the engine RPM's. If you cant move the rack, through the cycle (engine not running) freely, then something is binding. If you removed the governor, then the forks is not positioned correctly with the fly weights This system, is fairly simple, if you dont get too involved with the governor, then it gets tricky. To recap, check the system for binding, free movement. You should be able to move the rack by hand and it should pop back to the other position, if it doesnt, something is binding. You just need to start checking things. As someone stated, all 53 & 71's start full throttle (wide open) and the governor pulls them back to idle, or throttle setting. Keep us posted
detroit Should have read you question better. Did you mean, you set the governor up, as in, you adjusted something with the governor? If you took anything on the governor apart let us know. You could have several types of governors, so its hard to try to explain what to do. First you have a buffer screw on the side of the governor. It has a flat headed slot and requires a 9/16 wrench to back off the jam nut. If this is run in too far, it will stay at full throttle. You can back it all the way off and after you get it running correctly, turn the screw in, just enough to stop the hunting/loping. This is a final adjustment, after everything else is done. Did you get the governor top back on correctly, it has to fit in the slot at the end of the governor arm. There is a spring on this arm also and its kinda tricky to get it hooked up. This is the arm that the throttle cable hooks to. Can you take a picture of the governor and post it. Tell us if there is free movement and kickback
That's what I'm wondering Willis Bushogin. It could be something as simple as a stiff injector rack. But we know he went through the process of removing heads and reinstalling them. It's been a few years since I've done a V Detroit, but I remember the throttle control links that go through the side of the head have to be removed to allow head removal. Theres something in my memory that tells me at least one control link can't be removed until you back off the governor spring to allow sufficient movement of the levers in the governor. I'm just wondering what he did at this point of removal.
Ok so what I did was a top end rebuild kinda, all new injectors and tubes, plus a piston and sleeve on 3 cylinders really ( 1, 2, and 5 ). Yes I did pull the heads right appart and checked the valves also. The customer came in with 1 broken sleeve but wanted the engine gone through before winter. I put all new Reliabuilt R-5229360 / C60 Injectors in it, new valve guides, and injector tubes. Valves got faced and seats got cut. I started by setting the rack movement with a dial indicator to get the proper travel for the injector pins, but the govonor is what was giving me troubles. I did get the engine running tho, i found an old skool logger that has only owned Timberjack 200's with 53 series engines in them, so he helpped me set the govonor and rack up. I had the rack set for the wrong injectors ( set travel for a N series injector not a C ) and the spring was missing on the rail ( I must of dropped in when I tore the heads down on the bench because I found it still on the bench ). He did the vice-grip trick on the rail before we started in and held the rack at idle and showed me how to set the gov control rods and engine speed. She runs like a top now. I can't believe how simple, but complex engine these 2 strokes are. I would rather work on a Cummins KTTA50 or 3616 Cat than a Detroit. Thank you for the help with my question, just got frustrated with it too easily i guess.