Water in my diesel fuel ?

[DTCOOPER]

well, I removed the filter assembly, drained the tank and lines. Removed the lines that go from the (distribution) block to the injectors, blew them out. I reassembled the filter assembly (after filling the jar with fuel), and I can not get any fuel to come out to the distribution block. I removed the filter assembly again, and took the filter out. I put it back together without the lines running from the block to the injectors, and I can still not get any fuel to come out of the block. Does this mean my fuel pump went to toast, or is the priming process a very lengthy one? HELP !!

Anyone got any ideas ?

 

[RobJ]

Okay, then what? (I promise I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) So it gets bound with the fuel. How does this help? Does it distribute it enough (like dilution) to minimize problems? What happens when this water/fuel goes through injectors? Gets ignited?

Correct... Most of these additives are 99% alcohol. the alcohol mixes with water, those 2 with the diesel, and your engine gobbles them up.

This Racor I dug up from from circa 1979 works fine. I can still get the parts. If you look just below the sticker you see 2 bumps..I filled these in because the screws were lost, but this is where you can fit 2 wires to turn on a light (when the water makes the contact) to alert you to water. I just give the drain a twist and the filter a tap a couple times a month.

Rob

 

[RobJ]

Anyone got any ideas ?

The distribution block is your injection pump($$$$$)

To be brief...Do you have a mechical lift pump? Or gravity feed?

You need to loosen the line at the injection pump that comes from the tank (the large line....tank, filter, injection pump). Get a solid flow there then close everything up. If you have a lift/transfer pump it may have a manual lever to operate it.

It make take 60 seconds of cranking to get the fuel to the injectors. I'm not a fan of cracking the injectors but if you leave those lines loose you'll know when fuel has arrived up there. Tighten and another 5 seconds of cranking and your engine should be running.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[RobJ]

ps The best thing to do is keep a full tank with additives during the cold weather !

Is this additive and diesel antigell thing? If you keep the tank full condensation should not be a problem.

I just hate additives about as much as water.

Rob

 

[LoneCowboy]

Your name sounds familiar. Are you the guy that hijacked that airliner, extorted $200,000, and then bailed out over Oregon, or wherever, never to be heard from again?

that's DB Cooper, not DT Cooper

 

[radioflyertoo]

Okay, then what? (I promise I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) So it gets bound with the fuel. How does this help? Does it distribute it enough (like dilution) to minimize problems? What happens when this water/fuel goes through injectors? Gets ignited?

Yes you are correct, it basically allows the water to be diluted in the fuel, so when it gets into the combustion chamber you have a mix that will burn/ignite. Depending on the initial quantity of water sitting on the bottom of the fuel tank the engine either run ok or occasionally stumble. Run the tank "dry" refuel and all should be ok. Obviously if the water separator and such are water full those parts needs be drained and the injectors cleaned/flushed. I hope I explained it ok (and wasn't pompous) it's been awhile.

Bob

 

[DTCOOPER]

The distribution block is your injection pump($$$$$)

To be brief...Do you have a mechical lift pump? Or gravity feed?

You need to loosen the line at the injection pump that comes from the tank (the large line....tank, filter, injection pump). Get a solid flow there then close everything up. If you have a lift/transfer pump it may have a manual lever to operate it.

It make take 60 seconds of cranking to get the fuel to the injectors. I'm not a fan of cracking the injectors but if you leave those lines loose you'll know when fuel has arrived up there. Tighten and another 5 seconds of cranking and your engine should be running.

Good Luck,
Rob

Rob,
The only pump I have is the one that is fed by a large line, which runs up to it from the filter housing. The fuel is gravity fed to the filter jar, and then comes thru a large line to that distribution pump (injector pump). From that pump, it is split into 3 lines, and runs up to the individual injectors. My Case only has 900 hours on it.. Is that injector pump something that should have failed by now ? Is there a way to back prime it without cranking on it for 60-90 seconds ?Am I going to harm anything trying to get it to prime, while having the injector lines disconnected from the pump and injectors ?
When broken down, it is not that complicated of a system.. I am just concerned that the pump has gone out.. And being stuck here at the office, 40 miles away from the house and tractor, is even more nerve racking.. I want to get home and FIX MY TRACTOR !!

 

[Asymtave]

Because a diesel is so efficient the injection pump only puts out a very small amount of fuel every cycle.

In other words, depending on your tractor, load, engine speed, etc it may take quite a while for a droplet of fuel to make it from the injection pump to the injector itself. That droplet just "pushes" the fuel ahead of it. This time frame may be minutes at idle.

So - having said all that - if you blew your ejector lines out with air it's going to take awhile to get them full of fuel at cranking speed.

I am not familiar with your tractor at all, but loosening (cracking) the injector lines at the ejectors to let the air out will speed the process.

In any event, you'll likely need to crank for a little while. Just give the starter a break once in a while.

I personally don't like cranking for long and I'm impatient. I might be inclined to crack the lines at the injectors and use a turkey baster or something to fill the lines with fuel from the injection pump end, if at all possible. But then you have to make sure everything is super clean if you do this.

 

[RobJ]

Rob,
The only pump I have is the one that is fed by a large line, which runs up to it from the filter housing. The fuel is gravity fed to the filter jar, and then comes thru a large line to that distribution pump (injector pump). From that pump, it is split into 3 lines, and runs up to the individual injectors. My Case only has 900 hours on it..

Is that injector pump something that should have failed by now ?

No, should last a long long time unless you are running a lot of water and dirt through it. Water is a problem because it lacks lubrication, very hard on the plunger and barrell. Dirt the same thing.

Is there a way to back prime it without cranking on it for 60-90 seconds ?

Not really, on larger Bosch style inline pumps there is a cover you can remove and pump the injectors manually, no can do on this type. You can crank for 15 seconds then stop to keep the starter cool. The fuel wil NOT back flow. Just make sure you have fuel going into the pump, and coming out the return line side.

Am I going to harm anything trying to get it to prime, while having the injector lines disconnected from the pump and injectors ?

Nope. Blow some compressed air sealed with a rag in the fuel tank filler tube to help push the fuel through the filter and to the injection pump. Just have the fuel tank about 1/2 full. But on a gravity system it should flow on it's own, allbeit probably at a slow rate. If you have the fuel lines (the three) disconnect at the injection pump, you'll just see a little spitting when it is primmed. Not a lot of fuel coming out.

When broken down, it is not that complicated of a system.. I am just concerned that the pump has gone out..

I still say not, just make sure the fuel shut of is NOT on and the throttle is full position.

And being stuck here at the office, 40 miles away from the house and tractor, is even more nerve racking.. I want to get home and FIX MY TRACTOR !!

I feel your pain, mine is 120 miles away in Elkhart, TX.

 

[scott_vt]

Is this additive and diesel antigell thing? If you keep the tank full condensation should not be a problem.

I just hate additives about as much as water.

Rob

Afternoon Rob,
We use Performance Formula Diesel additive from TSC. Antigel, lubricates injector pump, and eleminates water buildup supposedly ! Kind of pricey stuff but it seems to do the job ! We do have some pretty drastic temperature swings up here and that can cause a lot of condensation problems. I hope that answers your question Rob ?

Any luck with the overheating problem ?