Low hour diesel engine failure.

[ORCM]

Putting around idling, light loads, low coolant temps and winter starting without using a block heater will all crud up an engine. Using a low ash post 2007 highway truck oil or a high ash engine oil?

I don't do this. Not sure on the oil, but the bottom end of the motor looked good.

 

[jd110]

I am wondering if you could have a failed air filter, filter housing, or intake hose. If an engine eats enough dirt, it will wipe out the rings and wear the valves prematurely. Were the intake valves in worse condition than the exhaust? Was there any sign of dust in the intake? Also, did the engine ever overheat?

 

[scrappy isb67]

Does anyone know what would cause a low hour motor (330hrs) to have stuck rings, and leaky pitted valves? The tractor was running fine, and then it just wouldn't start. The dealer is telling me that it's due to fuel contamination, but it seems like it would run bad when that happens[/QsUOTE]
Are both valves damaged, only the intakes, or exhaust?

Stuck rings and burned valves I would look into just how much gas has been put in tank.
ken

that would be detonation and I would think that only the intakes would be burnt.

A diesel engine has a certain amount of delay from the time injection starts till the fuel ignites, when you add gasoline the mixture ignites early and it gives you increased cylinder temperature and white smoke. There is a dramatic loss of power. Carbon, sticking the rings, could be from lack of air, or retarded timing. both would give reduced power.
The pitting of the valves, with the hours of the engine that is a quality issue. There is absolutely no reason for a valve to pit at that low of hours.

Retarded timing would make it burn only the exhaust valves. I know of no reason it would burn BOTH valves other than maybe dusting the engine.
might also be a good idea to have the oil analyzed, dusting will show up as High silicone in the oil.

 

[ORCM]

I am wondering if you could have a failed air filter, filter housing, or intake hose. If an engine eats enough dirt, it will wipe out the rings and wear the valves prematurely. Were the intake valves in worse condition than the exhaust? Was there any sign of dust in the intake? Also, did the engine ever overheat?

I wonder this too. However, when I was trouble shooting it myself I checked the air filters. The inter filter looked new, and the intake pipe passed the filter was clean. All the hose clamps were tight from the filter housing to the block. If it was leaking, wasn't leaking very much.

 

[ORCM]

When was your transfer tank last filled? Possible they started a gas fill and OOPS! then changed hoses and filled with diesel. I am not a chemist, so I don't know if gas and diesel would mix or which would go to the bottom of the tank if they do not mix. I would have this tank sampled and tested for gas contamination. I do not see the dealer having anything to gain (you are not in warranty correct?) by lying about the cause or spiking your tractor's tank with gas.

I fill 50gal transfer tank at a local fuel distributor, and I watch them when they fill the tank. They use the same pump that they fill their trucks, and I don't even think they have gas there.

 

[ORCM]

I took my sample out of my transfer tank tonight, and I will mail it tomorrow. Hopefully I will get the results back within a week.

 

[Zebrafive]

I fill 50gal transfer tank at a local fuel distributor, and I watch them when they fill the tank. They use the same pump that they fill their trucks, and I don't even think they have gas there.

Ok, I was thinking you had fuel delivered, maybe filled when you were not around. So that can be ruled out.

 

[Johnp33]

An engine taking on a load of dust does not affect the valves, it does not stick the rings it works like lapping compound and wears the rings out it will also wear the rod bearings

 

[ORCM]

An engine taking on a load of dust does not affect the valves, it does not stick the rings it works like lapping compound and wears the rings out it will also wear the rod bearings

The bottom end/ bearings looked good, so I must be using good oil. The cylinder walls looked good, and still had some hatching. The pistons had this weird goo on the top, and upper sides. I have never seen rings do this before, in fact you could hardly tell were the split was in the ring it was stuck so tight.

I'm thinking that they may be some what right, It wasn't gas, but bad diesel.

 

[ORCM]

Well got the call, $3K to fix my tractor. Guess I won't be upgrading any time soon.