4100 wont start in cold weather

[coloradotrout]

Why do I sense I need to somehow cleanout the injectors?

 

[coloradotrout]

Why do I sense I need to somehow cleanout the injectors?

and how would I go about doing that?

 

[DFB]

Remove them and clean them in diesel. First see is fuel getting to the pump...is the fuel pump working? Does the fuel tank relay engage and flow fuel when you turn the key?

 

[coloradotrout]

Remove them and clean them in diesel. First see is fuel getting to the pump...is the fuel pump working? Does the fuel tank relay engage and flow fuel when you turn the key?

I"m a little green here. Can you give me some procedural info on how to do this? I have the service manual, but again, they assume some deeper knowledge of this than I have. And sub-freezing weather makes this all the more challenging.

Do I pull off a line ahead of the pump? After the pump? I see a note about very high pressure.

 

[coloradotrout]

Remove them and clean them in diesel. First see is fuel getting to the pump...is the fuel pump working? Does the fuel tank relay engage and flow fuel when you turn the key?

Can I just start removing lines? As I recall there is a short rubber line from filter to transfer pump and another form there to injector pump. In this sub freezing weather I've just been reluctant to start tearing it apart. Not sure I have any choice -- other than wait for March!

 

[RalphVa]

I'd more suspect the glow plugs rather than injectors. I've had 3 diesel cars and 2 diesel tractors and now also have a diesel generator. The first two diesel cars had lots of miles on them. I've never had to touch the injectors on any diesel equipment yet. The 2nd car had 2 of the 4 glow plugs go out at around 250k miles and over 20 years.

Get a voltage checker and put the positive contact onto one of the glow plug wires and the negative to ground. Check that you get voltage with the ignition key in start position and the PTO turned on.

If all 3 have voltage, then I'd remove them to see which ones are bad. If you have a continuity checker, you could put one side on the top terminal of the plug and the other to ground and see if there's a continuity to determine maybe which one is bad. The burned out one(s) won't have any continuity through the plug to ground.

Ralph

 

[coloradotrout]

I'd more suspect the glow plugs rather than injectors. I've had 3 diesel cars and 2 diesel tractors and now also have a diesel generator. The first two diesel cars had lots of miles on them. I've never had to touch the injectors on any diesel equipment yet. The 2nd car had 2 of the 4 glow plugs go out at around 250k miles and over 20 years.

Get a voltage checker and put the positive contact onto one of the glow plug wires and the negative to ground. Check that you get voltage with the ignition key in start position and the PTO turned on.

If all 3 have voltage, then I'd remove them to see which ones are bad. If you have a continuity checker, you could put one side on the top terminal of the plug and the other to ground and see if there's a continuity to determine maybe which one is bad. The burned out one(s) won't have any continuity through the plug to ground.

Ralph

Worth the check, but she's always started hard in the winter, just this time around I had ice in the bottom of the fuel filter and after warming up some with with a blow dryer on the oil pan for an hour and then blowing into the intake, I could still get no fire. All times before this would do the trick. The glow plugs may well be bad as well. I'll update.

 

[Egon]

Is the fuel solenoid opening?

 

[DFB]

Disconnect the short hose between the fuel transfer pump and injector pump and see if fuel flows. Should be 4oz/minute flow. If it doesn't meet spec and the fuel filter is clean and not clogged pump may be no good

 

[coloradotrout]

Quick update. About 50F today. Seems in part a battery issue. I pulled the Optima out, charged it up, and it held voltage. I put it in, it cranked once, and then I'd hear the clicking noise (relay not closing) and the starter would not fully engage. Then I swapped in another marine battery I had, but this time I completely removed the Optima. It cranked 10x stronger, and within 3 cranks, started up.

So I do not have a fuel issue. Good news.

Next I checked the voltage at the glow plugs- the middle one and the one nearest the front (to get to back, have to pull off air cleaner). Both have 12v -- ALL THE TIME (when switch is on, when cranking, when running). So I guess I have some kind of glow plug shut-off issue as I believe someone mentioned. My guess it those plugs are then burned out (is that possible?), and as such do not work in cold weather.