Massey 255 won't start after winter - help!

canoetrpr · Jun 8, 2014

My trusty Massey 255 with the larger Perkins diesel engine won't start after the long and cold winter.

This was the first winter it was parked outside (could not help it) and I typically start it every couple months in the winter to let it warm up and the battery charge. This year I didn't until Jan/Feb and after I got the block heater on her she started find but after 5 minutes, died like she ran out of fuel. Didn't start again in the winter.

I realized in the spring that it was probably out of fuel. So I charged up the battery with the trickle charger. Added new diesel and followed the fuel system bleeding instructions in the owners manual.

No go. Still won't start. Cranks but does not fire up. Out of battery again so I have to trickle charge it.

I put anti-gel stuff in my diesel tank that the tractors get fueled up for so I didn't think gelling would be a problem but who knows. I have not taken the fuel filter out yet. Figure that is my next step to see if I have any gelled stuff there.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on what I should check next to diagnose it before I hand in my man card and send it to the dealer.

pmsmechanic · Jun 9, 2014

There shouldn't be any gell anywhere now as summer diesel only gells in cold weather. If you have blead everything as per the manual them there should be fuel in the injection pump. Try loosening each injector line at the injector and cranking the engine till fuel appears at the injector. Tighten the lines up and the engine should start.

canoetrpr · Jun 9, 2014

I did loosen the injector lines and cranked a couple times. Had fuel come out of one I think. Maybe I didn't crank enough to have fuel come out of all before I tightened up? I figured a couple cranks ought to be enough but I guess I should have waited to see fuel out of all of them.

Of course the subsequent cranking after tightening has killed the battery so I must charge it up again :-(

When the battery is flat is it ok to turn the charger up to 50A setting and start cranking? I've only ever trickle charged before.

pmsmechanic · Jun 9, 2014

I don't think it will hurt anything but I don't think that 50 amps is going to be enough to turn over an engine with a low battery. You would have to charge the battery for a while to add enough to turn the engine over. I would for sure turn the charger up to 50 amps while cranking as that will only help out your battery.

canoetrpr · Jun 14, 2014

Worked perfectly! I just hadn't bled it enough. Went through the procedure again and had air bubbles at the injection pump. Pumped the priming lever till I got clear fuel, loosened the injectors and cranked quite a bit until I got fuel coming out of all 4. Tightened them and cranked. Took some cranking but she fired right up... runs like the top she always was.