Restored 1972 Series 2 Diesel not starting

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bcolins

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A neighbor of mine recently had his 1972 Series 2 diesel restored. The vehicle has been beautifully restored,....but will not start. The engine will spin/crank very nicely, but does not fire or run. It appears to be getting fuel as when he is cranking it,...there is fuel vapor coming out of the tailpipe,....and the smell of raw diesel fuel is in the air. I attempted to test voltage on his glow plugs by applying my voltmeter probe to a few of his glow plug terminals and the other probe to an engine ground point while he is "glowing" the engine,....and I do not see voltage at those terminals,....however, I am not sure that this is the correct way to test his glow plugs.
One thing I have noticed, is that he is constantly pumping the accelerator pedal while trying to start the engine much like we often did on old carbureted petrol cars back in the day,...and I have suggested that this might not be correct for a diesel.
Thoughts?
 
Timing.
Just one tooth out on the camshaft sprocket and the engine will simply not fire, no matter where you adjust the pump to.
My engine was absolutely dead, slight diesel smoke but wouldn't fire at all.
Put the camshaft timing right (one tooth too retarded) and it fired up immediately.
 
Has it been running since he got it back?
I presume so if it's been restored, all the same speak to the people who restored it would be my first port of call.
 
He has managed to get it started a few times,....but this was after cranking the engine repeatedly for 20-30 plus seconds while constantly pumping the accelerator pedal.
 
20 or 30 seconds of cranking without glow plugs isn't hard to believe, especially if its cold.
 
Tell him to stop pumping the pedal, it does no good with a diesel. Just hold open a bit.
There is an orange lamp in the instrument cluster next to the blue main beam on that should be glowing if plugs are working. Test for voltage at plug one [ first plug power wire comes to]
When starting mine from cold I first turn over engine for just 2 seconds, this injects a bit of fresh diesel into the combustion chambers. Fifteen seconds [more if very cold] of heat and it goes after a couple of turns.
 
Last edited:
Anaconda said:
Has it been running since he got it back?
I presume so if it's been restored, all the same speak to the people who restored it would be my first port of call.
Click to expand...
I recommended that ,.....but for some reason, said he has not bothered to call them.
 
bcolins said:
I recommended that ,.....but for some reason, said he has not bothered to call them.
Click to expand...
Bit odd, if I had paid for a fully restored vehicle I would atleast expect it to start!
I have found on some old diesels to run the glow plug sequence twice, if it's on a timer, to get it going.
I should imagine there is a recommended starting sequence in the owners hand book, maybe it is user error?
 
It might have the old pig tail series wired glow plugs or a later upgrade of parrallel plugs
The early ones if one faulty none will work as it breaks the circuit they also need earthing from plug 1 at front of engine to earth. There is voltage drop from back to front on these whereas the
Later parallel plugs all get 12v and earth into the block
I started mine 20s of glow pugs then crank over foot to floor until it started , don’t try for 5s stop wait and try again just keep going
 
On your first post you describe fuel vapour coming from the exhaust and a smell of diesel in the air. This to me is odd.
You should at least be getting some sort of white smoke from the exhaust if the engine is timed properly even without any glow plugs working. Have a look on you Tube at the vintage tractors starting from cold for an example.
Did the engine receive any work during the restoration? If so, I'd be going back to the garage as all you're doing is hurting your starter and battery.
 
Rangieman123 said:
On your first post you describe fuel vapour coming from the exhaust and a smell of diesel in the air. This to me is odd.
You should at least be getting some sort of white smoke from the exhaust if the engine is timed properly even without any glow plugs working. Have a look on you Tube at the vintage tractors starting from cold for an example.
Did the engine receive any work during the restoration? If so, I'd be going back to the garage as all you're doing is hurting your starter and battery.
Click to expand...
I Agree, and told him that,..
 
Always started diesels with accelerator and clutch to the floor when cranking. Lift off gas as soon as it catches.
It turning over so mechanically ok and battery good ?
Next easiest thing to check is fuel, crack off the injectors one by one to ensure fuel getting through.
Work back or forwards through the system as required.
Next and possibly most likely, the glow plugs. Checking them has been described above but start be confirming 12v at regulator on bulkhead. If they are old pig tail type there should be Volts on each side of reg', if new probe type they just need a straight 12V.
Pig Tails need to be earthed at the final plug, probe do not. They can be removed and checked with a 12V feed. CAREFULLY !
Finally and possibly the most obvious check that stop cable is pushed in on the pump, assuming it mechanical and not electric ?
 
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