Trouble Starting After Head Gasket Replacement

[allengentry]

Engine started and ran fine before tear down, now it won't start.

Full fuel tank.

New fuel filter, bowl, and o-ring fully saturated and primed.

Primed at the injector pump.

Cracked open hard lines and bled at the pump 3-5 times.

Cracked open the lines at the injector and bled what seems like 10-12 times.

Set valves at .008.

Double checked valves were at .008.

Still won't start, spit or sputter.

Engine is getting fuel. Exhaust manifold is moist inside, where as it was dry before tear down.

Little puffs of blue while cranking.

Have not tried ether. See no reason to and really don't want to.

Ideas?

Frustrated because it ran well before.....

 

[CharCur]

I don't know if it is the problem, but I never use ether in a diesel. If you have to use something use WD-40.
It works.
Good Luck

 

[js5020]

Did you run a compression test after changing the headgasket? Could it be a timming issue? I would double check the cam shaft timming. If you had the injection pump out I would also check it's timming also.

 

[zzvyb6]

If you are sure its in time and getting fuel, roll it down a hill and release the clutch or tow it with a truck to get engine cranking rpm up. This gets you compression and temperature in the cylinders and it will begin to run (hopefully). Use the glow plugs even though its not 'cold' outside.

 

[allengentry]

If you are sure its in time and getting fuel, roll it down a hill and release the clutch or tow it with a truck to get engine cranking rpm up. This gets you compression and temperature in the cylinders and it will begin to run (hopefully). Use the glow plugs even though its not 'cold' outside.

Pulled it behind my Jeep and it started right up.

Thanks.

 

[zzvyb6]

That's good news. You might now check the battery and cables. With its 'new' compression levels, the starter current and voltage demands are up. A dead cell in the battery, weak post contact or frayed cable will continue to give you grief. It might have been happy with 15:1 compression but now with 23, the starting rpm is down.

 

[allengentry]

That's good news. You might now check the battery and cables. With its 'new' compression levels, the starter current and voltage demands are up. A dead cell in the battery, weak post contact or frayed cable will continue to give you grief. It might have been happy with 15:1 compression but now with 23, the starting rpm is down.

A new battery and cables are most certainly in order. Bad battery and corroded cables.....