Author Topic: Strange Problem No Start-Fuel or Oil? (Read 12592 times)

burn_your_money · « **Reply #30 on:** March 20, 2008, 08:35:47 am »

put it under one of the 2 (or 3) bolts that hold it to the engine/tranny. The bigger the better. 6 or 8 gauge is probably good

dieselweasel · « **Reply #31 on:** March 20, 2008, 09:56:06 pm »

Quote from: "drshoebocks"

One more thing I thought of
Once the car turns over and runs, it will start no problem until cold. Could this still be timing or compression?

Yes. When the engine is warm, it will start much easier because there is more heat available to ignite the fuel. Remember the whole idea of the diesel's high compression is to generate enough heat for combustion. When cold, poor compression may not generate enough heat and if the timing is off, say retarded, the fuel won't have enough time to absorb enough heat to vapourize and burn.

When you try starting cold, is there a lot of white smoke?

drshoebocks · « **Reply #32 on:** March 23, 2008, 07:57:02 am »

Not sure what you mean by a lot of white smoke, but there is white smoke present.
I'm going to try the ground to the starter today, and will post back after that.

Ltsmash · « **Reply #33 on:** March 23, 2008, 07:47:08 pm »

well is there a massive white smoke screen laid behind your car when you try to fire it up? or just a slight amount of puffing? any amount of white smoke will show improper combustion in the cylinder...dead cylinder/glow plug...

drshoebocks · « **Reply #34 on:** March 24, 2008, 06:58:39 pm »

Put the ground strap from the battery to the starter. No Go...
There is a little white smoke, but not a ton.
Next Step?
Check the IP Timing-
Check Compression-

?

drshoebocks · « **Reply #35 on:** March 24, 2008, 07:44:29 pm »

Ok this is going to sound kind of dumb
Before I spend money on an injection pump timing gauge, can I just check to see that the marks are aligned?
Take timing belt cover off and check from that point?

burn_your_money · « **Reply #36 on:** March 24, 2008, 09:22:37 pm »

Yes you can check the timing of the cam/crank as well as the general timing of the pump. You won't know for sure though. If it fires up and runs pretty smooth with very little smoke when it does start it probably is not a timing issue (at least not a serious one that could be detected by looking at the belt)

drshoebocks · « **Reply #37 on:** March 25, 2008, 06:37:03 am »

Yeah it runs real smooth, basically no smoke (it is a diesel) when I push start it.
I'm going to check anyway.
Wouldn't low compression be the same situation, wouldn't run real bad with low compression?

Should I go ahead and buy the timing tools, or is there something I am missing?

burn_your_money · « **Reply #38 on:** March 25, 2008, 08:51:40 am »

I still think it's a problem with your starting circuit but I've been wrong before.

Every diesel owner should have at least one set of timing tools

drshoebocks · « **Reply #39 on:** March 25, 2008, 11:20:00 am »

I agree
Should I take the starter off? Anything I should look for? I went ahead and put new terminals on the battery, and ran a 4 gauge ground to the starter. I attached it from the battery to the bolt connecting the starter to the engine.
I'm going to get the tools regardless.

drshoebocks · « **Reply #40 on:** March 25, 2008, 02:45:07 pm »

OK
I went ahead and pulled the starter off (much easier then my Toyo by the way) and it looks pretty corroded. I'm going to clean all the connections up. Noticed that the shaft doesn't spin very well, could the starter be shot. Got a quote for 80 remanufactured bosch with a lifetime. Maybe I should just get that.
Also checked the timing marks and everything seems to be lined up ok.

Hmmm

drshoebocks · « **Reply #41 on:** March 25, 2008, 03:21:54 pm »

Change of plans
I cleaned up the starter connections.
Then I started looking at the positive 4 gauge that goes direct from the battery to the the starter, and it is really corroded, and almost seems burnt out. Going to get a new one now, and will try that. Looks like a very possible culprit.
I will update again.
Ordered all the timing tools anyway, got a good deal from prothe on ebay for everything.
On my previous post I asked about the actual starter. Just curious, should the gear/shaft be hard to turn?

burn_your_money · « **Reply #42 on:** March 25, 2008, 07:46:27 pm »

I have 4 of them in my room :roll: just checked them all and none are what I would call "hard to turn" 5 lb/lbs (just a guess) would be able to turn them over. I was turning them from the gear on them. BTW they are $5 each if you want any...

drshoebocks · « **Reply #43 on:** March 27, 2008, 07:26:45 am »

Burn Your Money,
I can't thank you enough for helping me on this.

Turned out the positive wire going from the battery to the starter was toast. I cleaned up the starter, attached a ground, and ran a new positive from the battery to the starter.
Brooooommmmmmmm started right up. She ran a little rough to start, but once she pushed all the air through, she started to purr. The synthetic oil makes a noticeable difference. Drove around town all night, and she was running great.
Now she needs a tail light, shifter bushings, leaf spring helpers (my GF is a contractor), and fresh diesel. I'll probably do the timing belt as well, since I just bought the tools.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #44 on:** March 27, 2008, 08:45:33 am »

Sweet. That's good news.

Before you take your timing belt off it's a good idea to practice checking what your timing is currently set at so you get a feel for using the dial gauge. If you are getting crazy numbers that aren't around 1.0mm +-0.15mm then you most likely are doing something wrong.