Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure

   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #1  

mllud

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Messages
273
Location
Missourian
Tractor
Massey Ferguson / New Holland 3010/ Ford 3550 Backhoe
dettt5.jpg

dettt.jpg
I have a 1962 203 backhoe that I just went through cleaning the injectors and fuel lines.
One injector had both holes on the injector nozzle plugged. the high pressure line on that injector was also plugged up.
In the process of taking the injectors apart I lost the position of the nut that adjusts the spring pressure for the needle valve. Is there a initial setting for setting the spring pressure. A starting point!
I know injectors are adjusted by pressure on a special set up for that job but I'm not equipped with that equipment.
I'm looking for a starting point.

History
I put a seal kit in the injector pump and the tractor was running fine accept for the miss due to the clogged injector. I cleaned and repaired all the fuel lines on the tractor. The return lines to the tank were also plugged with gunk. I believe that high sulfer fuel had been used for years. Tank was also cleaned.
Right now I have strong fuel coming out of all three lines up to the injectors. Perkins A3-152. I just need a starting point on adjusting those springs pressure.
I have rebuilt several Lucas cav pumps and it ran fine up to me chasing why it had a miss. I found that and cleaned it up. Today I couldn't get it started. I was getting some intermittent firing. I really suspect the injector spring pressure.
All help appreciated

Sorry about the long path to the point. Trying to fill the gaps.
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #2  
No, there is no "initial setting".. U could measure the adjuster on another injector... BUT that's no guarantee..
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #3  
I have never worked on an injector. I have worked on other stuff. If you're up for suggestions and they're made this way take a working injector and begin tightening against the spring very carefully counting turns and partial turns. Note the number. Now turn it back out to where you started. Take the injector in question. Assuming they use the same type spring tighten it down all the way. Now back it out the same amount as the other one. Who knows? It may even work.
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #4  
I have a MF40 with the same engine, but I'm unfortunately not much help in that I've never done any injector work on it. I'd reckon one idea is to take that injector to any diesel specialist, ask them to clean, set and test it, and you then refit it (with a new seal of course). That's the minimum .... doing this with all three injectors is a much better idea - it's your tractor and it will last only as long as you want it to. It's a backhoe and loader ... what a useful machine! Keep us informed!
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #5  
Should not cost much to adjust them right, this adjustment is very critical as it has to do with timing and fuel distribution in the cylinders, bad injectors can kill a engine over time.
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #6  
measure the torque on a good injector with a torque wrench?..
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure
  • Thread Starter
#8  
The timing is in the injector pump is fine The previous owner is a friend. He ran the tractor for four hours the day before I bought it from him.
I replaced all the seals and o- rings in his lucas cav pump a month before I bought it. I didn't change the timing plates because if it was running when it started leaking .the timing is fine. I know what I'm doing with lucas cav pumps. My new Holland has one but the injectors on that are not adjustable like these.
It had one cylinder not firing because of a clogged line. I started with the fuel tank and cleaned the whole system. This is an old mechanical fuel injectors. I cleaned them after soaking in carb cleaner over night. They look good mechanically and the nozzles spray a straight stream when shooting carb cleaner through them.

This is what I did today. I was able to flex an injector line back far enough to install the injector with the nozzle end up. That allows me to adjust the injector by cranking the engine between each adjustment until I get a good spray pattern. I did have time to get all three spraying fuel. I tried that and got all three injectors consistent and it is trying to run. I think I have it giving a little to much fuel and not atomized enough I ran short on time today because of family dinner. Ill go through the same procedure tomorrow taking more time getting a more atomized spray. Only worked an hour today.
Unfortunately I don't have another injector to reference from. I'm gaining.

The diesel guys want me to bring the pump in to. I'm not pulling a running pump. Then he will find a fictional problem with that. It was running and working on 2 cylinders. When ken was using it but it was hard to hear the miss at high rpms. Its not good to run it like that. He wouldn't have used it if he had known. I'm fixing it.
I can buy new nozzles for 20 dollars each but they aren't damaged and the needles fit nice and this adjustment would still needs to be made.
There aren't any tractor dealers that have a test table to do this. All they do is sell you a new one. They threw out the test table and their REAL diesel mechanic retired or died. Now they just change parts
I haven't ever paid a mechanic. I'm 64 and do my own work. I don't usually spend money on loosing outcomes. I know this tractor. You have to make it work.

I would buy a new tractor with a warranty if I didn't want to do some work on it. I just replaced all the power steering hose by buying j.i.c swivel end hoses and bought brake lines and brazed up new ends. $ 125.00 for all new hoses. Dealer wants 75 for one. Some guys get satisfaction from doing this. My pockets aren't empty but not deep enough to feed the dealer. The guys that work on pumps like to put the fear of death if you work on a pump. The Lucas cav distributor type injector pump isn't anything like the old piston injector pumps. You do need to be careful with timing and be careful on assembly. You can disassemble and replace all the seals and O-rings and install a new front vane pump without changing anything on the timing.
Fix it yourself or buy a new one. Parts and labor can outweigh the cost of a 4,000 dollar tractor on the first or second trip to the dealer.
Ken the previous owner of this tractor just went and bought a 22,000 dollar Kabota. He doesn't want the repairs. He is 73. I love his new tractor but am happy to have his 203. He only had the 203 for six months. Ill get past the 30 years of lack of care. I believe the power steering hoses were 57 years old. One leak and a lot of flaking rubber.

I'm going to dig all the trenches to install the lines for a ground source heat pump with the backhoe. A tool can pay for itself the first or second time you use it.
 
   / Fuel Injector Setting spring pressure #9  
Send the injectors to a diesel shop where they are trained and equipped to to what you think you can do without proper tooling. The cost is negligible and you might possibly save yourself more serious engine damage caused by faulty injectors you have improperly repaired. Yes, tractor dealerships typically are not trained nor equipped to repair fuel system components. That has become a specialized field and not exclusively because all the old guys that used to do it are retired or dead.

Like I said before, you are tripping over dollars to pick up pennies. But they are your pennies. If you cannot bring yourself to write a check for diesel shop labor go out and find a pop tester with a good gauge on it and do a decent job of what you are currently guessing at.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2017 Ford F-150 (A46884)
2017 Ford F-150...
2 CONNECTIONS (A47001)
2 CONNECTIONS (A47001)
Skidloader Trailer Mover (A47809)
Skidloader Trailer...
2014 UTILITY 53X102 DRY VAN TRAILER (A45677)
2014 UTILITY...
2020 Sundowner 22' Aluminum Hours Trailer with Living Quarters (A45336)
2020 Sundowner 22'...
2013 C&M TRAILER INC SEPARATOR (A47001)
2013 C&M TRAILER...
 
Top