Diesel is hard to start.

[Raquin]

I have replaced the fuel lines and the fuel filter. Before I go to start it. I have pushed the little pump on the side of the motor and there is plenty of fuel pressure. So I dont think it is back pulling the fuel out or sucking air. Frustrated. It is killing the life of my starter. It takes a good two to three min to start if it hasnt been running. Fuel is good, No water. Once it starts it runs fine. At full throttle it looks like it is dumping a little fuel. Black smoke.

[ghostrider]

I open a couple of valves, and prime the pump until it cranks over. Then close the valves.

[DeepFrz]

Not much to go by here so why not try a "google custom search" of the forum. Lots of fuel/hard starting/bleeding threads here.

[Vasco]

Is it a Volvo?

[Raquin]

its a westerbeke four cyl

[Raquin]

when you say open a couple of valves are you talking injectors

[Vasco]

Hows the compression?

[Cheechako]

Bleed the engine at the injectors until no air bubbles come out. Fill the fuel filter full of fuel when you clean it.

[brankin]

Originally Posted by Raquin

I have replaced the fuel lines and the fuel filter. Before I go to start it. I have pushed the little pump on the side of the motor and there is plenty of fuel pressure. So I dont think it is back pulling the fuel out or sucking air. Frustrated. It is killing the life of my starter. It takes a good two to three min to start if it hasnt been running. Fuel is good, No water. Once it starts it runs fine. At full throttle it looks like it is dumping a little fuel. Black smoke.

Have you tested the glow plugs? Easy to do, just pull one out and hit the glow plug switch and the tip should glow red. If all glow red, you have some other problem such as ring or valves (ie compression ) Also, you could have a small air leak in the fuel lines. One way to find the lead is to get the engine running and then spray a little wd-40 over the fuel line connection and listen for an increase in the rpm's
You could also have dirty injectors. Just pull them and have them pop tested at a diesel injection shop.

[Raquin]

Originally Posted by brankin

Have you tested the glow plugs? Easy to do, just pull one out and hit the glow plug switch and the tip should glow red. If all glow red, you have some other problem such as ring or valves (ie compression ) Also, you could have a small air leak in the fuel lines. One way to find the lead is to get the engine running and then spray a little wd-40 over the fuel line connection and listen for an increase in the rpm's
You could also have dirty injectors. Just pull them and have them pop tested at a diesel injection shop.

I didnt even know it had glow plugs. My neighbor told me to turn the key for 20 sec but that didnt help. Where are the glow plugs. If each cyl has them I dont see them just injectors
Thank for the help

[Raquin]

[QUOTE=Cheechako;1372321]Bleed the engine at the injectors until no air bubbles come out. Fill the fuel filter full of fuel when you clean it.[/QU

Wouldnt the injectors be bleed after it has run for hours

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Bleed the engine at the injectors until no air bubbles come out. Fill the fuel filter full of fuel when you clean it.

Filling the filter... ..I have filled the filter and then blowen air into the end forcing the fuel into the injector (body?)

[sailorchic34]

Your going to need to bleed the system up to the injector pump using the lift pump (cranking the engine) with the bleed screws on the filter. Once bubbles stop coming out of the bleed screw, that is your only getting fuel out. Close the filter bleed screw.

Now open the bleed screw on the injector pump and repeat using the lift pump till only fuel comes out. Stop and close the bleed screw.

THEN:

Take a wench an break open / loosen the nuts that connect each injector high pressure line to each injector. Crank the engine for 15-30 second (close the raw water first). Tighten the nuts, open the raw water sea cock and try starting the engine. Most likely it will not start. Repeat the sequence with loosening all the injector hp connections at the injectors etc. You may need to do that 3-6 times depending on how much air is in the lines.

I put a bit of paper towel down under each nut to see if the fuel drips out, you only loosen the nuts about a 1/4/1/2 turn. It can take 30 minutes or more to get the air out of the lines.

BTW, never blow air into a diesel line. All of the air has to get out of the HP lines before the diesel will start. On my 3 cylinder, air in one line will keep the engine from running, as the compression is too high on the non firing cylinder when its cold.

[brankin]

If the engine will start, the air is gone from the fuel lines. The glow plugs are about the size of a felt tip pen with a small stud on top with a wire attached. You will have one on each cylinder somewhere near the injectors. The reason your friend told you to hold the switch for 20 seconds was to activate the plugs but like most advice it was misguided. Holding it for 20 seconds, probably burned them up. As a rule of thumb on a marine diesel, 5 to 6 seconds is all you need. One test you can do is to blow hot air into the intake with a heat gun and have someone crank the engine. If this works, the glow plugs are burned out or the circuit is bad. If not, turn to compression.

You can buy a cheap compression tester at harbor freight and test the compression on each cylinder. Check the specs on your engine but it should be around 340 psi on each cylinder. If it is low, you might have stuck or bent valve(s) or a ring problem. If it is low, you might want to have a mechanic take over unless you a not afraid to tear into an engine.

[bmm32005]

Is it a 38B4 if so advance the throttle all the way. Hold glow plug for 20 seconds and push the start button. It might be a 2 pipe system where you don't need to bleed it. Mine is. I have had a problem with the engine kill lever not being pushed all the way in and caused some hard starting.