Construction and other equipment - Starting the old diesel after a rebuild

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Starting the old diesel after a rebuild

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Construction and other equipment
Forum Description: everything else with orange (or yellow) paint
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=42857
Printed Date: 15 May 2025 at 1:14am
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Topic: Starting the old diesel after a rebuild

Posted By: donw
Subject: Starting the old diesel after a rebuild
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2011 at 1:00pm

So about 2 years ago I started a major rebuild on my '63 HD3 diesel because I spun a bearing on the #4 journal. The rebuild consisted of new pistons, rods, liners and of course turning the crankshaft. When I took the head in to have it rebuilt, it was checked and found to have 7 small cracks so I located a rebuilt head that must have been made out of gold.

In the last couple of weeks, I installed the engine and changed all the fluids in everything else. I also bought some new guages and re-wired everything because all the old wiring was brittle and spliced together in several locations.

I still need a tach cable but for some reason these are hard to find for the diesel.

Now to the question: I can't get this old girl to start. It turns over just fiine with the new battery and little puffs of smoke come out the exhaust as it's turning over but nothing more than that. I bled the injector pump and lines and can smell a mix of raw and burnt fuel when I crank it over. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas I can try.

I did adjust the rocker arms to specs and don't think they're too tight. I know the injector pump has a little adjustment to assist in timing but I haven't messed with it. How do I check compression? Do I have to remove an injector?

I'm out of ideas...

Don in WA

Replies:

Posted By: orangeman
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2011 at 3:40pm

Don: I am not sure I can help you much, but is there a specification for the output pump pressure from the injection pump and if so do you have a way to measure it?

Posted By: andytutd21
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2011 at 4:38pm

Do you have fuel coming out of injectors when you loosen the lines to them? If not, crack them open, prime the pump, and crank it until you have fuel coming out of them. Then tighten and try to start. If it won't start then I think you have a timing issue. When you timed the pump did you line the marker up on the pump head(located where the lines come out of the pump under a cover or plug) with the timing marks on the engine timing gears at the prescribed timing point? This should have an Ambac pump that turns at engine speed, not half speed like a roosa.They can be timed 180 degrees out. Bring it up on number one compression(take the injector out and use your finger to check for compression as you bar the engine over or watch the valves) then check the timing pointer on the pump. It should be near the timing point for the engine on the balancer. If not you are 180 degrees out. Correct the timing and try again.

Posted By: donw
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2011 at 9:54am

Thank you! Your responses pointed me in the right direction.

Since I had fuel at the injectors, I went with a timing issue. I pulled #1 injector and the valve cover then verified I had a piston at TDC after the intake valve closed. I do have the Roosa pump and when I removed the little cover to verify the timing marks on the governor, they weren't lined up. Looking back, I remember that after I put it together it was on TDC and the timing marks on the pump were lined up. However, before I put it back in the dozer, I took the pump back off. Once the engine was bolted in the machine, I turned it over without the pump attached...

To anyone else reassembling a diesel engine, make sure it's at 24* BTDC and that the timing marks on your pump line up and leave the pump bolted in.
Don in WA

Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2011 at 3:07pm

when you put roosa pumps on, make sure you line up shaft dot to dot inside pump as well. I've never heard of an AMBAC pump on an HD3. I would like to see one.

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210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers!

Posted By: donw
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2011 at 6:40pm

Update: IT RUNS!
I got the pump put on right with the dots lined up on the shaft/pump and after bleeding the lines again, it started within 4 revolutions and purrs like a kitten.

Thanks for everyone's help. It would have sat for another 2 years without the help of this forum.

I am curious though, is 40 psi oil pressure good? It has 20 at just over idle and 40 mid throttle.

Don in WA

Posted By: Ages Cat
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2012 at 7:13pm

If the oil pressure remains in this range once the engine warms up, you should be in good shape.

Posted By: B26240
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 4:14pm

For you experts on these little diesels does he need to retorque the head bolt and then readjust the valves? I would think so--( after engine has been warmed up)

Posted By: Ian Beale
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2012 at 3:41am

FWIW

From my 45 grader experience (limited but growing) the manual has hot torque the cylinder heads at assembly, then at 10 hours and then at 100 hours. And do the valves. Not sure if this fits with yours.

On ours it is a pain as you have to remove the rockers and if you didn't wake up and do some grinding on the water manifold then that too.

Posted By: catskinner
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2012 at 11:00pm

Long after your problem was solved, we realized after cranking and bleeding injectors and scratching our chins we had forgotten to open the return to tank from injector pump. Fire in the hole!

Posted By: WD45
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2012 at 7:38pm

Do you have your HD3 running. I have put air pressure in the fuel tank to get a diesel going after changing the fuel filters.

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Fred Dunlop, G,B,CA, WC,WF, 3 WD45`s,gas, diesel and LP,U,D10 series III, D12,D14,D15 SERIES II,D17 Series IV in Gas and Diesel ,D19 GAS and D21,170 185,210 ,220 an I-600 8070 fwd, 716H and 1920H