Injector Pump Removal

[SporkDog]

Howdy! New member here. Glad to meet y'all.

I have a problem with my tractor and I am hoping that some of you fine folks could shed a little light on it.

1989 Massy-Ferguson 383 Perkins 4-cyl diesel.

The RPM's will go up and down slightly and soon after the tractor will shut off, just as if I had pulled the fuel shut-off lever. Cracking open an injector at the cylinder head and turning the engine a little while usually allows it to restart (after spewing out some fuel, and I assume air as well). This vicious cycle of cutting off and cracking open injectors goes on and on.

This is the first and only diesel I have ever had experience with, but I am assuming that there is air being sucked into the fuel delivery system somewhere, and through quite a bit of brain-cramping thought, staring at the fuel system, and bleeding this and that, I have come to the uneducated conclusion that the air must be getting into the system through the injector pump itself. *Side note: There are 2 bleed screw on the injector pump. Fuel only comes out of the lower screw, none from the upper bleed screw. Shouldn't there be fuel from both? Could this be an indicator of the problem??

Anyway...I have about resigned myself to the unattractive option of removing the injector pump and taking it to a repair shop to be rebuilt. So my question is,
Does anyone know how to remove the injector pump?

I have a fair amount of automotive experience in the past (just not with diesels) and I think I may have an idea about how this should go, but I thought I might find someone here who has done a similar task before and could shed a little light on it for me.

Thanks for reading this long post from a new member.

 

[Bigdean]

I have pictures on how to remove and install the Perkins injection pump I can email you if you will send me an email address. My email address is daustin62@aol.com

Big Dean Shawnee OK
Big Dean's Massey Ferguson web site
Big Dean web Site

 

[wayne40]

I just ran into this exact same situation about a month ago. I was getting ready to replace my injector pump and a Massey dealer told me to change the fuel filters first. To my suprise..that was the problem.

I have no idea how the air got in the line and gave my tractor the same symptoms as yours, but changing the fuel filters cured it. No more air, no more reving up and shutting down.

 

[6sunset6]

The absolute last thing is to remove the injection pump. I almost did it once with a 3 cyl Perkins in a MF 30E. It was fuel starvation due to a solder ball in the fuel tank plugging the outlet. Also at the same time was debrie in the check valve flaps in the lift pump. $35 for a lift pump rebuild kit. There is a pressure number for lift pump output, If your engine has a lift pump. Check that out first. I have the same bleed valves on the injector, When I fixed the problem the one in the middle shot fuel 10 feet.

 

[SporkDog]

I just ran into this exact same situation about a month ago. I was getting ready to replace my injector pump and a Massey dealer told me to change the fuel filters first. To my suprise..that was the problem.

I have no idea how the air got in the line and gave my tractor the same symptoms as yours, but changing the fuel filters cured it. No more air, no more reving up and shutting down.

Thanks for the reply wayne40....but I am not quite as fortunate. The filter was changed when the symptoms first started. Tractor still cut off.

I bushhogged about 40 minutes a couple days ago. Ran fine. Started out today and it cut off after about 15 minutes.

Sooooo...I promptly got the tools and removed the injector pump. I made a couple phone calls and it should cost $450--$550 for a complete rebuild.

 

[SporkDog]

The absolute last thing is to remove the injection pump. I almost did it once with a 3 cyl Perkins in a MF 30E. It was fuel starvation due to a solder ball in the fuel tank plugging the outlet. Also at the same time was debrie in the check valve flaps in the lift pump. $35 for a lift pump rebuild kit. There is a pressure number for lift pump output, If your engine has a lift pump. Check that out first. I have the same bleed valves on the injector, When I fixed the problem the one in the middle shot fuel 10 feet.

Thanks for the reply 6sunset6. I replaced the lift pump less than 2 years ago, but I had checked it anyway. It is pumping fine. As you can see in my above post, I have decided to go ahead and remove the injector pump. Hope this fixes it.

 

[SporkDog]

I have pictures on how to remove and install the Perkins injection pump I can email you if you will send me an email address. My email address is daustin62@aol.com

Big Dean Shawnee OK
Big Dean's Massey Ferguson web site
Big Dean web Site

Thanks loads Big Dean. I thought I had a pretty good idea of how it should go and your pic verified that for me. As you can see from my posts here, I broke down and removed the pump today. I went into it much more confident after having seen your pic. VERY helpful.
Now putting it back on after I get it back from the repair shop....that might be different story!

BTW...your website is very informative. We also have a MF65.

 

[wayne40]

Thanks for the reply wayne40....but I am not quite as fortunate. The filter was changed when the symptoms first started. Tractor still cut off.

I bushhogged about 40 minutes a couple days ago. Ran fine. Started out today and it cut off after about 15 minutes.

Sooooo...I promptly got the tools and removed the injector pump. I made a couple phone calls and it should cost $450--$550 for a complete rebuild.

I would deffinately check out the lift pump first. They only run about $30 new. I bought a used injection pump from Leaders Tractor & Combine Salvage out of Indiana, they shipped it to me C.O.D and it only cost $250 plus the $24 to have it shipped. They warranteed it as well...The dealership wanted $1200 to have mine rebuilt. The number to leaders is (712) 643-2237...I would check them out, you might be able to save a few bucks.

 

[SporkDog]

I would deffinately check out the lift pump first. They only run about $30 new. I bought a used injection pump from Leaders Tractor & Combine Salvage out of Indiana, they shipped it to me C.O.D and it only cost $250 plus the $24 to have it shipped. They warranteed it as well...The dealership wanted $1200 to have mine rebuilt. The number to leaders is (712) 643-2237...I would check them out, you might be able to save a few bucks.

I replaced the lift pump 2 years or less ago....but I checked it again anyway. believe me, I tried everything I could think of before resorting to removing the injection pump.
Thanks for the lead on getting another injection pump, but it's too late. I dropped off the injection pump to be rebuilt today. Should be done Monday. The guy there said he would try to get me out of there as cheaply as possible. They are good ppl. My dad has dealt with them before and they seemed very knowledgable and cost concious to me as well in our discussions.
I will post back with the results after I get the pump back and reinstalled.

 

[SporkDog]

Ok..injector pump was rebuilt ($560) and reinstalled with no change in symptoms. I was really frustrated at this point. I talked with the guy who rebuilt it and he said it was full of rust and trash. Removed and dismantled the lift pump which I replaced leas than 2 years ago and it was full of water rust and trash. Turns out I had alot of water and trash in the fuel line from the fuel tank to the lift pump. This contamination fouled everything between the tank and the engine and was the root of my problem.
While rebuilding the injector pump may have not been necessary at this point, it would have been soon anyway, so I am not too disappointed in that expense, but the pump was not really my main problem right now. It was contaminated fuel.

Thanks so much to all who read and provided advice! I really appreciate that. Maybe someone else who has similar symptoms will read this thread and be helped by it.