Injector / Pump issues

crazyhorsemd · Oct 3, 2017

Have 4 cylinder Diesel with questionable fuel issue
1.Sluggish to start, more so recently...Now appears more white smoke from stack and case vent tube at start up and definitely more when warmed up
2. The smoke is not thick Blueish or black like oil or coolant it's white and I thinks smells more like fuel ...burns the nose and eyes after 5-10 minutes In past the odor was burnt diesel but now it really gets to you. Coolant level good no bubbles, oil level appears stable
3. Now a loud knocking has started , gets louder when warm Not a ticking but knock...knock very steady rhythm interestingly....rarely the knock goes away for a few seconds and the tractor runs smooth / sounds like old self
4. There is a small leak from the injector pump never saw previously can't see where it comes from but drips from pump every 10 seconds from somewhere

The knocking scared the **** out of me concerned about a major engine failure surely can't afford to replace at this time
After reading...could this knock come from injector / pump failure and would it explain slow sluggish start up increased white smoke when running (PS checked for blow by..not blowing filler cap off)

I know I need a new injector pump but before spending $600+ kind of want to know if my thought process is right
from my reading injector clogged / stuck open cause this ?

3Lfarms · Oct 3, 2017

For all fuel related issues, I feel it’s best (and free) to drain and flush the tank and lines. Water or gunk in the fuel can do strange things. Best to eliminate all that first.
Next, I’d adjust the valves and do a compression test (if you can). Then if it’s still making white smoke (which comes from incomplete combustion), I’d pull the injectors and have them tested. If they test fine and have a good spray pattern, then have the pump rebuilt.
People are too eager to pull the pump off without troubleshooting simpler stuff first.

The knocking you describe sure sounds like a rod bearing has failed. Inadequate oiling could have let the cylinder walls wear so badly that it just doesn’t have the compression to ever run right.
Your timeframe of “recent” is pretty vague. How long ago was it running great and how long did it take to deteriorate? Was it running fine last week, or 5 years ago?

Tx Jim · Oct 3, 2017

Knocking very easily could be a faulty injector. I'll suggest to loosen each inj line one at a time with engine running & listen for sound changes. CAUTION: keep fingers/skin away from spraying diesel.

crazyhorsemd · Oct 4, 2017

Thanks,
I always appreciate the advice I receive on this forum
I pulled fuel cell, drained,cleaned, replaced all filters, cleaned all screens
Love to do compression test Is there anywhere I could rent tester for this? where could I get one to fit this engine White 1370 with Fiat engine
Knocking just started a couple weeks ago. Once I heard it haven't run engine more than 10-20 minutes the intense nose/eye burning smoke started around the same time
All troubles started last fall...brief story tractor ran fine no smoke, good power then.... last fall, while running it would start to puff the white smoke and lose all power over 5-10 seconds (like starved for fuel) since then I have been trying to trouble shoot at time will not start though puffs white smoke from stack, other times starts runs for 10-20 minutes ( not under load) then smokes and loses power. The knocking was not present until a couple weeks ago Not present when symptoms started

3Lfarms · Oct 4, 2017

With that information, it does sound like injector and or pump issues.
Ideally, you’d pull all the injectors and the pump and have all of it rebuilt, but the reality is a lot of the time it’s too expensive. So, I’d still start with the injectors and if Those test OK, then have the pump gone through.