Bleeding a diesel engine - mini digger

abnormalnorman

HI,

Hoping someone can help.

Mini digger wont start. Its an old machine.

Turns okay, and tries to start occasionally, but no joy. Good bit of white smoke .
Was going okay a few months back before I parked it.

I put a small diesel tank in the cab , and fed directly (green pipes), but still the same. So diesel coming grand to injector.

Just wondering where the best place to bleed is - do I open where I have the red circle, or where I have the green circles in the attached picture?

And where is the bleeding screw?

Any help much appreciated.

_Brian

abnormalnorman wrote: »

HI,

Hoping someone can help.

Mini digger wont start. Its an old machine.

Turns okay, and tries to start occasionally, but no joy. Good bit of white smoke .
Was going okay a few months back before I parked it.

I put a small diesel tank in the cab , and fed directly (green pipes), but still the same. So diesel coming grand to injector.

Just wondering where the best place to bleed is - do I open where I have the red circle, or where I have the green circles in the attached picture?

And where is the bleeding screw?

Any help much appreciated.

I would start bleeding at the stud that faces towards the camera where the green and black pipe meet in the pump. It has a hex head and slot for a screwdriver. Once pure diesel is coming there move to the top of each injector where the diesel pipe attaches.

Loosen each in turn and crank until again the air is gone, this is a bit of guess work as the pressures diesel will foam a bit.

Make sure that the system isn’t drawing in air, it’s something that happens at worn joints or fractured lines.

abnormalnorman

Thanks Brian

_Brian wrote: »

I would start bleeding at the stud that faces towards the camera where the green and black pipe meet in the pump. It has a hex head and slot for a screwdriver.

Iv done this - all is good

_Brian wrote: »

Once pure diesel is coming there move to the top of each injector where the diesel pipe attaches.

Is this where I have the green circles marked on the photo?

_Brian wrote: »

Loosen each in turn and crank until again the air is gone, this is a bit of guess work as the pressures diesel will foam a bit.

Make sure that the system isn’t drawing in air, it’s something that happens at worn joints or fractured lines.

patsy_mccabe

Is it using water? White smoke would seem to indicate water leaking into the engine.

abnormalnorman

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Is it using water? White smoke would seem to indicate water leaking into the engine.

would most diesels not have white smoke on start up?

patsy_mccabe

abnormalnorman wrote: »

would most diesels not have white smoke on start up?

There would. I thought you were saying there was a lot it.

Is there bleed screws on the pump? From your photo, they should be down further from the red mark, more on on the pump body itself. Usually a low pressure one, feeding the pump and a high presure one. Work on the low first.

Is there a manual lift pump?

abnormalnorman

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

There would. I thought you were saying there was a lot it.

Is there bleed screws on the pump? From your photo, they should be down further from the red mark, more on on the pump body itself. Usually a low pressure one, feeding the pump and a high presure one. Work on the low first.

Is there a manual lift pump?

Hi
see attached front view of the pump. i cant tell where the bleed screws are - any ideas?

Photos shows manual pump button.

patsy_mccabe

Hard to tell from that view but could it be the bolt shown by the yellow arrow? It seems to have been opened a few times.

_Brian

abnormalnorman wrote: »

Thanks Brian



Iv done this - all is good




Is this where I have the green circles marked on the photo?

Yes.
Where the green circles are

I Am The Law

Lossen the connection at each injector, swing engine until wet diesel at each connection, (no bubbles) tighten up each connection , plenty glow plug before trying again.

BENDYBINN

Sounds like glow plug problem...........I have old mini digger that needs to be heated twice before it starts.

Count Mondego

How old is the starter motor? Always had difficulty with our old 3CX, would only start on a warm day etc, until we changed the starter to a new one. It's like a new machine since.

djmc

I Am The Law wrote: »

Lossen the connection at each injector, swing engine until wet diesel at each connection, (no bubbles) tighten up each connection , plenty glow plug before trying again.

I would always bleed by loosening the injectors too and bleed one at time if that doesnt work check fuel intake line for cracks or blockage could be drawing air or **** blocking pipe at the bottom of the tank.

Donald Trump

abnormalnorman wrote: »

would most diesels not have white smoke on start up?

That's be the new pope with the white smoke

abnormalnorman

BENDYBINN wrote: »

Sounds like glow plug problem...........I have old mini digger that needs to be heated twice before it starts.

thanks. it turned out to be the glow plugs - one blown.