Diesel Engine that wont start.

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spudster, Jan 19, 12:50am
I am looking at a vehicle that has a diesel engine that wont start. It was being driven and let out a puff of smoke and then lost power. New pistons and rings were put in. Now it wont start. Cam Timing seems to be correct. Turns over but wont jump into life. Is pumping diesel to the injectors. Does anyone have an idea of possible problems! Cheers
jash3, Jan 19, 12:55am
Hi mate have you bleed the diesel through! eg:Got any air out of the line! Air lock!
im_andrew, Jan 19, 12:57am
crack the nuts on the tops of the injectors, bleed it through.

Then start it on engine start spray and your foot hard down.
lyonruge, Jan 19, 1:02am
GlowPlugs
morrisman1, Jan 19, 1:03am
x1
Injector pump timing correct!
spudster, Jan 19, 1:09am
It is pumping fuel out of the injectors. The nuts have been cracked on top of injectors and is squiring out.morrisman, should there be a mark on the pulley for the injector pump! Cheers
lyonruge, Jan 19, 1:11am
It it runs, and or starts with engine start, go for the glow plugs!
terckon, Jan 19, 1:34am
There is some good advice there but you need to go back to basics here, puff of smoke does not sound good. New pistons and rings! either very high kms or not very good quality. Has it got compression because the puff of smoke sounds like damage. What is the make and model!
morrisman1, Jan 19, 3:40am
if you supply the engine model and what it is in then we can help you check the timing is correct.

Pump timing is a very precise adjustment, needs to be spot on.

Lyonruge is obsessed with glow plugs but the fact that the engine has been apart means there could be many issues other than that. Most diesels will start without glow plugs after a bit of winding over, especially at this time of year
spudster, Jan 19, 12:36pm
Hi, It is an 02 Mazda Bounty turbo. has done 220k.Has a full service history. I would of thought that the puff of smoke would of been the turbo going.
spudster, Jan 20, 2:20am
I have had a couple people say that it might be the injector pump timing.
mrfxit, Jan 20, 1:40pm
Depends on the volume /color & duration of the smoke & any noises when it happened.
ema1, Jan 20, 3:36pm
Main reasons for not starting.check these.
Injection pump timing.
Air in injection system, check for reason, might be a cracked pipe or defective union or other air entry point!
Glow plugs faulty or dead or glow circuit at fault!
Compressions low enough to cause no combustion.
Battery not up to the job of cranking or operating glow plug circuit=discharged, battery must be in peak condition particularly on cold weather.
Water in fuel or possibly partially blocking filters.

Most Diesels from cold require some degree of heating via glow plugs so I suggest you test them with an OHM meter for function/continuity or if you have a new/good set available .fit em!

Glow plugs are source of many starting problems as is air in system and followed by miss timed or defective injection pump or defective injectors!

What work has the vehicle had done on it!
ema1, Jan 20, 3:38pm
Turbo won't be doing anything positive until the engine is actually running and is under some degree of load
kngfhrt, Jan 20, 4:26pm
on-off solinoid on injecter pump not working should hear it clicking or placeing a finger over it u should feel it working
mrfxit, Jan 20, 4:48pm
As in "going POP" /bang /dead/ buggered/ shagged = (Austin Powers style if you want it that way)
carmedic, Jan 20, 5:09pm
The stop solenoid is clearly working.
ema1, Jan 20, 10:32pm
Another thing even though you say it's right, camshaft timing could well be out.
Definitely something isn't in sync!
It's got to be a timing issue seeing as you have had it all apart!
Are your glow plugs even linked up I wonder!
spudster, Jan 21, 2:25am
Thanks for the input. I am looking at purchasing the vehicle and I am trying to keep an open mind as to what might be the problem and money that I might have to spend to get it up and running. I have talked to the owner and what he has told me seems genuine. I am going to have another look this weekend and I will have another look at the cam timing etc. Thanks
ml6989, Jan 21, 2:44am
Go back to basics, you need : Fuel, air, compression and co-ordination (and maybe a bit of glow.) Somthing tells me that one of the above is missing.
mrfxit, Jan 21, 2:51am
Presuming you have .
Fuel pressure & supply
Air supply
Timing correct
All solinoids working
Fair to good battery of AT LEAST 600amps .
turning over ok with absoluting NO strange noises

Then I would be hoping it's a Manual gearbox & just tow the bugger.

Apart from that I would be runnig 2 x 600amp batterys to get it turning over at max rev's & max amps supply

It's blimin amazing how much juice the glow plugs suck up & ditto for the starter, combined is nasty on a slightly down single battery
rover79, Jan 21, 4:55am
seems strange someone would put new pistons and rings in a motor and decide to sell because they can't get it going. Guy may of found more of a problem than he bargained for and just slapped the pistons back in and plead ignorant. I would go for a compression test.
intrade, Jan 21, 1:14pm
most obvious reason these days for diesel not starting is ulsd =ultra-low sulfur-dieselthe problems wont go away for long google ulsd-problems . air gets in to the diesel injector system and no diesel will start with continues air in the injection system.
my advise is not to buy any diesel in this country unless you are willing to do your own work to modify the fuel sold at the pumps with expensive additiveslike winns-edt.etcor other tricks.
spudster, Jan 21, 2:57pm
I guy seemed pretty genuine when I talked to him the other day (his story didn't keep changing every couple of minutes). He has stripped the engine down 3 times and has given up now because he is sick or the hassle. I will have a good look this weekend when I go and have a look.
ema1, Jan 21, 4:02pm
I'd be looking sideways rather if I were you, it's possible you could be investing in a "Can of worms"!
Might possibly be a better option if you can get it super cheap to fit another engine the same that is in good order.
Somethings "smells" a bit here me thinks.
I mean 3 times .that's gotta tell you something surely!