Starting issues YM2000

   / Starting issues YM2000 #1  

YM200inGA

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Mar 3, 2011
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So I have a YM2000 with no back history that I am trying to get to run.

It has had all the fluids replaced including fresh deisel. And the filters have been changed.

It turns over and sounds like it has good compression once you let of the decomp (I have a cheap harbor frieght diesel comp tester but can't figure out how to get a good reading with it)
But it will not start.

I have bled the fuel lines and flipped the injectors upside down and it seems like it has a good spray pattern.

Also the key seems to have issues if you rotate it to the start position two of the dash lights come on but it is hit or miss whether or not the starter will engage I have had to do most of the testing with a screwdriver across the the solenoid terminals.


What else should I be checking?

Is there a good way to verify the timing, I think it may be off because during starting it does seem to eject aerated diesel out of the intake.

Thanks for the help.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #2  
So I have a YM2000 with no back history that I am trying to get to run.

It has had all the fluids replaced including fresh diesel. And the filters have been changed.

It turns over and sounds like it has good compression once you let of the decomp (I have a cheap harbor frieght diesel comp tester but can't figure out how to get a good reading with it)
But it will not start.

I have bled the fuel lines and flipped the injectors upside down and it seems like it has a good spray pattern.

Also the key seems to have issues if you rotate it to the start position two of the dash lights come on but it is hit or miss whether or not the starter will engage I have had to do most of the testing with a screwdriver across the the solenoid terminals.


What else should I be checking?

Is there a good way to verify the timing, I think it may be off because during starting it does seem to eject aerated diesel out of the intake.

Thanks for the help.

If you can go across the starter terminals and it works every time you have a loose wire to the switch or a bad switch. That diesel out the intake could be an intake valve with no clearance, a bad intake valve, a blown head gasket and I doubt out of time. Aaron with Hoye says it is not unusual for these 2 cylinders to have a little puff back toward the intake. My 3 cylinder does not. Might try pulling it if it hasen't been cranked in a few moons.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #3  
Welcome to the forum. You said you have no back history of the tractor, but a little more information may help. Is this a "ran well when parked" tractor, or did you get a bucket of parts like I did, and have to reassemble it? Something else?

Does it blow any smoke, of any color, out the exhaust? Is it smoking out the intake?

The starter switch issue, while annoying, won't keep it from firing. Mine used to have that problem too, and a cleaning of terminals on both ends of the wires and a shot of WD40 fixed it.

Good luck. There is an amazing body of knowledge here on the board, it will get figured out if you spend the time.
 
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   / Starting issues YM2000
  • Thread Starter
#4  
It was a ran well until parked. But no specific time frame on when it was parked.

It does giving a small white/grey puff while turning over.
Same white/grey puffs coming out of the intake ever other revolution it seems.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Any tips on what to check would be greatly appreciated. Also if I am unable to resolve the issue any recommendations on who I should have look at it? I have done some calling around and maybe I am asking for the wrong thing but I can't seem to find a "diesel Tractor Mechanic"
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #6  
It was a ran well until parked. But no specific time frame on when it was parked.

It does giving a small white/grey puff while turning over.
Same white/grey puffs coming out of the intake ever other revolution it seems.

I changed my fuel filter and thought I had it back on right but the tractor was hard to start with a lot of bluish/white smoke from the exhaust. When it did start it was only running on one cylinder and would hardly pull itself. Tracked it down to sucking air around the fuel bowl even though it was not leaking.

If that proves to not be the case, I would pull the valve cover, keep the throttle shut, crank the engine and watch the valve train to see if a valve could be stuck or anything else not looking to be moving the way it should.

Since you have confirmed the injectors are spraying, seems to have compression (how much is unknown) and it's getting air you are going to have to start eliminating the causes one at a time. The injector pump is run off lobes on the cam shaft so unless someone has had the injector pump out or messed with the governor it should not be out of time on the injectors. You could have stuck rings dropping the compression just enough to keep it from firing. After checking the valve train and fuel again, you might try pulling the injectors again and squirting some diesel in the cylinders and let it sit overnight. Make sure to crank it a few revolutions before putting the injectors back in. If the rings are stuck it may loosen them enough to start. Once it starts they will free up on their own usually. It may run a little ruff at first but should smooth out.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #7  
I had to replace the ignition switch on my YM240 (US version YM2000) before it would send power to the starter. The internal contacts were burned and useless.

Finding a mechanic: are you in a town near farms? Farmers go to specialty shops such as starter/alternator rebuild shops, hydraulic shops, etc. That sort of relevant, hands-on specialty shop might refer you to a generalist mechanic who they trust. Or a rural propane/fuel delivery driver might know every farmer in the county and hear all the gossip. I wouldn't trust some mechanic's own Craigslist ad until I verified their work independently. But you could ask on Craigslist for farmers' recommendations. Use caution but this might give you some variety to choose from.

Timing is way down the list at Near Impossible. It can only be adjusted by changing the shims between the injector pump and the block. But if somebody had the tractor apart then all bet are off - the camshaft could be 180 degrees off, wrong camshaft, whatever.

Note when checking timing: Yanmar says the cylinder nearest the flywheel is 'Cylinder # 1". (I assume because they are mainly a boat and industrial engine specialist).

There is a TDC and also a 'Injector #1 fires' mark on the front pulley. THINK SAFETY. Turning that pulley can start the engine, or fire once and make the tractor move or spin the fan, no matter that throttle, key etc are off. And it's a tight spot to get your hands into. I would wire the compression release (open) before trying to stick my head in there to see that mark.


Maybe try a tow-start to persuade it? When it is running it should be easier to notice what is going on. Not fast! Top speed is only 8 mph @ max rpm in 8th gear.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #8  
The cavalry is arriving. Gary Sweat, California, and others helped me turn a bucket, milk crate and coffee can of parts into an operating tractor. I'm confident it will turn out ok.

I'm not an expert, or even particularly knowledgeable in this area. But recently I've gathered up a whole pile of these small diesel Japanese tractors, and all have needed work. The good news is that they all work fine now! You'll get it resolved.

I think it's good news that you're getting white puffs of smoke out the exhaust. That means it's trying to run. If it ran when parked, it will run again. The advice Gary gave about checking, very closely, on the fuel filter bowl is good. I've seen that on my tractors. You have to be careful to make sure it's square and sealed correctly. The gaskets and o-rings like to get crooked. It doesn't take much (any) air in the system to make it tough to start. Try re-bleeding again, just to make sure, from filter to injectors.

After that, get either your battery booster or jumper cables. Crank the booster up, or connect it to your car with the engine revving a bit. Really get that thing spinning with the compression release activated, then close the release and let it spin for several revolutions. Try it with the throttle in about the middle of its range to start, but play with it. If the smoke gets heavier as fuel is added (toward you on the throttle) everything is working, and is close to the right specification, at least.

If it won't start after cranking it for 15 seconds or so, don't despair. Go get a hair drier or heat gun. California had a thread around here somewhere that showed how he did it. (Can't find it at the moment) Basically, you want to run hot air into the engine's air intake, and warm up the cylinders and intake manifold. Add a bit of heat, and I'll be surprised if it doesn't fire. It worked like a charm on a little Mitsubishi.

Do yourself a favor and DO NOT spray ether down the gullet. Don't use ether. If you do, the way I was taught was to give the engine "a smell" of it. See how much it takes to be detectable to your nose? That's what you want to give the engine. The quickest possible burst, outside the air filter box, is enough. All you need is a tiny bit of added heat, and that's all it will take. Don't use ether. I'm not condoning or approving it in the least, and the last time I ever got spanked was when I went to use a can of starter fluid on the diesel crawler. I deserved it. :laughing: I was taught that way to use it though, and the stuff we used it on still works. Use the hair drier. If the engine is going to run, that will work.

Pull starting it is a good idea, but I would be almost certain that you'll need, at the least, an implement on the back of the tractor, or some other weights, to get the engine to turn. The gear reduction on these is so much that even in 8th gear (4th gear, high range) when I tried to pull start my girlfriend's YM2000 it would skid before the engine turned.

Gary's tip that it may be some stuck rings bleeding some compression is maybe useful too. Blast some diesel, WD40, or penetrating oil in there, let it sit. Then spin it over a few times with the injectors out to clear the cylinders. It's the right thing to do, but I'm impatient and would probably just borrow a hair drier, masking tape it to the air intake, and then never hear the end of it once she figured out what I was doing....:D

If you're handy enough to get this far into it I bet you'll get it running soon. Any tractor service place should be able to diagnose and work on it for you. They're really simple and all pretty much the same, based on the Kubotas and Mitsubishis I've looked at or own.

California's point about safety is important, too. A diesel like this needs electricity only to spin the starter motor. If your luck is anything like mine, the first time the tractor will start will be if your hand, head, or other important part of you is somewhere it will get pinched or chopped, as soon as you halfway turn the engine. Shut the fuel lever off, and wire open the compression release before you do anything involving spinning the engine over by hand.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #9  
I found the recent 'hair dryer preheater' photo. And Related.

Comment - I finally killed the second hair dryer, stuck directly into the intake like that. It overheated before I could get up in the seat and crank the engine. I recommend set it up to blend heated/unheated air.
 
   / Starting issues YM2000 #10  
That's the one I was looking for. You can find a picture of his apparatus on page 8 of the thread, about 5 posts down, here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/yanmar/189638-thermostart-vs-magnetic-oil-pan-8.html

I re-read my post this morning and wanted to apologize if I sounded too authoritative or like a know-it-all. I'm not an expert, but there are those here who are. It can be frustrating to not have enough information or steps to try before asking for more help. I think if you tinker with your starting procedure, boost the battery power, and/or run some hot air down the intake it will run. At least try it all before mucking about with the injection pump.
 
 
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