Ford 10 series 3 cylinder engine question

[sawtooth]

I’ve asked this before with no luck but wanted to try again. So I’ve owned 7-8 Ford 2810-4610 tractors since 2007 and have come to realize that many develop a strange engine vibration from around 1500 rpms- 1700 or so. I do have a 2810 and 3910 that don’t have this issue however. So my question is what could cause this? Over heating at some point damaging something internal to the engine? A fuel pump issue? Other? Just seems strange to me that it always happens at the same rpm range with all tractors. Also both of my 3910’s have under 1000 hours and one is very smooth while the other has the vibration issue. Thoughts on this as I would love to correct the problem if I could just figure out the issue.

 

[Texasmark]

I noticed it too on a newly purchased '88 3910 (900 hrs) and I thought it had a bad vibration damper on the flywheel. Not a show stopper, but you can feel it. Inspection revealed there is none, front pulley is solid cast. I'm going to say that there is a resonance somewhere that oscillates around that speed. The 3 being half a 6 cyl, said to be the most naturally balanced of the IC reciprocating engines. Well 6 into 360 is an even number as is 3....I dunno???? Since you say you have one that does and one that doesn't and with those low hours one wouldn't expect it to be the result of wear and tear. What could be out of balance? Crankshaft counterweight?

If one were to disconnect the fan belt for a test it would eliminate several things that might be the cause; ps pump, water pump, fan blade.....since the blades are riveted at an angle other than 90 degrees, or alternator. Next time I fire mine up I might do just that.

I have a 3000D with the 4.2x4.2 engine and it's smooth as silk at 5700 hrs with 1 inframe I did years ago. If you figure it out would you post the results?

Thanks,
Mark

Just had a brain pfart: Every thing is common but valves and injectors. I did the exhaust gas pressure test with a piece of paper and it passed with flying colors, so I have no bad valves to cause me to lose a cylinder. Acceleration is outstanding, can't believe how fast that sucker revs up with the foot throttle pedal so I really don't expect any combustion problems. However, there may be a cruded up injector from sitting so many years without adequate running and it's misting but maybe not quite enough.

I run Power Services snake oil in my diesel, as I do with all my engines. Maybe I'll just work it some and limber it up and see if it goes away.

Gee pfarted again: They probably use the same crank as the 3000, 4.2 stroke. Maybe loading up that crank with the added torque of the 4.4 bore makes it unstable for the counterweight molded in it. On why one does and one doesn't ??????? Production tolerances?????

 

[thepumpguysc]

Hi guys, I just ran across this thread & might be able to shed alittle light on the situation..
Depending on what style of inj. pump is on your machine.. theres a service bulletin on it..
Its for Ford 3cyl. w/ "Irregular Exhaust Beat".. It causes no problem other than customer complaints..
There is a fix but it requires the injection pump to come off & the transfer pump rotor to be PHASED..
.. indexed w/ a tool that a fuel shop will have.
I hope this helps.. TPG

 

[sawtooth]

Hi guys, I just ran across this thread & might be able to shed alittle light on the situation..
Depending on what style of inj. pump is on your machine.. theres a service bulletin on it..
Its for Ford 3cyl. w/ "Irregular Exhaust Beat".. It causes no problem other than customer complaints..
There is a fix but it requires the injection pump to come off & the transfer pump rotor to be PHASED..
.. indexed w/ a tool that a fuel shop will have.
I hope this helps.. TPG

Wow thank you for that info. This sounds to be our answer. Can you forward the thread to us? I plan to jump on and try the fix this fall. Thanks

 

[Texasmark]

Wow thank you for that info. This sounds to be our answer. Can you forward the thread to us? I plan to jump on and try the fix this fall. Thanks

I have the CAV distributor type pump, same is on my 3000. I don't understand the term "Phasing the pump"? Is that something internal or timing the pump to the engine crankshaft......changing the tooth to tooth relationship.

Edit: You talking about something like this: ResearchGate

I'd think Ford figured out the right timing and with 900 hours, I really doubt the timing has shifted due to what?????? Gear wear? What else would be since the dissertation is talking about the gear train relationship between crank, pump, and camshaft. But obviously i know nothing about it or I wouldn't be on here wondering???

Edit #2: Upon purchasing the tractor the tranny safety switch required jiggling the range lever to get it to activate so I put in a new one. Upon removing the tranny top cover, I observed the gears of the tranny. Not to my surprise (at 900 original hours), the machining marks on the teeth of the gears were clearly visible except for a small area in the center of the teeth where mesh had taken place over it's 900 hours of operation. With that observation, I don't see how gear wear could contribute to the problem and by 1988 Ford ought to know how to set up the timing on it's 3 cylinder engines with CAV pumps.

Sooooo. In googling this subject Sea Foam popped up several times for injector cleaning. I'v used it for years in my outboard motor and in all my gas engines on the place. It is marked on the can for gas and diesel, 2 and 4 strokers. Normal maintenance ratio is 1 oz per gallon of fuel. My fuel tank is 13 gallons and a pt. can is 16 oz. Sea Foam is light mineral oil, naptha, and alcohol.....nothing terrible. I'm going to dump 3 cans into a full tank and run things awhile before I start getting all excited about this.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Its a SB from CAV/Lucas concerning the "irregular exhaust beat" on Ford 3cyl engines w/ a CAV DPA pump..
The inj. pump has to come off & sent to a fuel shop to, "phase the transfer pump rotor"
I'll see if I can find the service b..
I've been rebuilding inj. pumps for a living for 30 years.. its just something we're taught in the beginning..& its taught at the factory training schools.
You might be able to google it?? DPA transfer pump phasing..
The procedure isn't anything YOU can "jump on"..
..it requires special tools & the know-how to use them properly.
Like I said.. the pump HAS TO COME OFF.

 

[sawtooth]

By the way this gets me to thinking also. So I had a 1971 or 72 Ford 4000su that had this issue. But after putting 15-20 hours each year for about 5 years it went away. Never knew why but I was running a opti-lube additive with cleaners. Now I wonder if something finally came out or cleared up in the pump. No idea though.

 

[Texasmark]

The older you get the more you subscribe to the axiom: KISS and I don't mean the rock band!

I put the Sea Foam in the fuel and oil and was running it around just letting the cleaner do it's thing. While doing so and searching the mental archives for what's making these vibrations, I remembered something the estate sales guy said: "We were mowing some pasture around the implements so potential customers could get to them and we RAN IT OUT OF FUEL!!!!!!!

Hmmmmmm. Took it back to the shop, got out my ⅝ open end and a rag, raised the hood, swung the battery out of the way, positoned the rag and commenced to bleed the injectors and listen for the engine response to the loss of ⅓ of it's power. Didn't notice anything odd, things worked as you'd expect, except for one thing.

After locking the last one down, i got on the throttle and ran her up to max rpm.........smooth all the way up and down. Wink!

Could be that the one of your tractors that's acting up needs it's injectors bled! Wouldn't hurt.

 

[sawtooth]

So are you saying they will not bleed out on their own once tractor back running? And now yours runs perfect again? Sorry for my ignorance but learning as I go. Thanks

 

[RickB]

So are you saying they will not bleed out on their own once tractor back running? And now yours runs perfect again? Sorry for my ignorance but learning as I go. Thanks

He is pretty much saying he did not know it was running on two cylinders. If there is enough air in a particular injector line it may not purge because air compresses (unlike fuel) and the pump will not build enough pressure.