wont start

[jtfast]

Hi I just inherited a Kubota T1600 H lawn tractor with a 2 cylinder diesel motor and I cant seem to get it to start and run ?
I have it turning over and I've bled the injectors and checked the valve clearance. I've also checked that I have power going to the "new" glow plugs and that the oms are right. But I can't seem to get it to fire off ! I've also tried some starting fluid as well. Is there a way to check the timing ? This I don't know how to do and can't find it on the net no where. Can someone help me !

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

First NEVER use starting fluid with a Kubota diesel, You can so some serious damage to the motor!

When cranking do you get any smoke out of the exhaust or the valve cover breather pipe?

Did pull the full line off before the injector pump and make sure it's pumping fuel to the injector pump, it will be slight but it will pump with the key on?
There is an electric pump and one filter before the pump and one filter after the pump.
Then after doing that you need to bleed off the pump input, and at each injector and verify that you get flow to the injectors, it will be small but definite, if your unsure pull the line coming out of the injector pump and check there.
Have you verified that the stop solenoid is working?
If all that fails you need to pull the injectors and test for compression and have the injectors tested for proper operation.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I just did a head gasket on a d722 three cylinder
Ready to start, was cranking and cracked one
Injector line and away it went.i knew it was about to
Start, from the plume of white smoke coming out
The exhaust. No fuel= no smoke.
As far as starting fluid goes-get rid of it
And never be tempted to use it.

It still needs fuel to go. Does this have a decompressor?
Possibly stuck on. Or emergency stop pulled out?

 

[jtfast]

Thanks for the info about the use of starting fluid. Yes I am getting smoke at both places. no decompressor noticed.
Sounds like a timing thing to me ....... how do I check the timing

 

[ShaunRH]

Sorry, not in the 'never use starter fluid' camp. Used properly and in the correct situation it can fire a motor that otherwise cannot fire. It has literally saved lives and other vehicles for me and I haven't 'damaged' an engine yet. My D-17 won't start, even hot, without it due to lack of compression.

That said, if used improperly it can damage any engine, gas or diesel.

As to your problem, starting fluid wouldn't help. It would just fire the engine over a bit and it would never catch. Starting fluid cannot overcome air in the lines. The injector pump just pushes fuel against the 'air' and it compresses the air then releases it but the injector never opens because the fuel never reaches the pressure needed to open the injector... of course, that's mechanical injectors, I have no idea if yours are electronic or not. Smoke would indicate you are getting some fuel but 2 cylinder motors aren't easy to start to begin with, they generally need RPM's to start right.

If you have not disassembled the gear train for the engine, you should still be in time, but if the previous owner monkey'd with it, then you could be out. There is a procedure for each engine that must be followed to time it. Checking timing usually involves pulling the injector on the #1 cylinder and hand cranking it to Top Dead Center on the Compression Stroke.

Use new fuel, make sure your battery is at full charge (I'd have it tested too) and your starter is not lugging, run the glow plugs for half a minute to get it really hot and see if she'll go. I think you aren't getting enough speed on the start to get it going.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If no one has taken the motor apart it's not out of time.
If it sat for a length of time then it's possible that the fuel could have jelled in the injection pump.
#1 pull the lines off the injection pump and see if it's outputting fuel.
#2 bleed the injectors again, some times it takes a couple tries to get the air out.
#3 if it's got just as much smoke coming out of the breather tube as the exhaust then it's most likely got low compression and if too low it's just won't start.