Hard Starting Universal - Any Ideas ?

[Chief Engineer]

Glow Plugs new

Cranking speed good

Must start with almost full throttle

Temperature 85 degrees

Engine runs well....no smoke

Fuel lines tight

New Filters

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

Glow Plugs new

Cranking speed good

Must start with almost full throttle

Temperature 85 degrees

Engine runs well....no smoke

Fuel lines tight

New Filters

Dang.....You know the fault tree better than most any of us..... Maybe small air leak in the fuel line prior to high pressure pump somewhere. All okay when lines full of fuel but cavitating on air when starting.

[Ex-Calif]

- Are the glow plugs actually operating? i.e. bad circuit?
- Is it first start or every start?

You seem to have it covered.

The next suspects seem to be compression and fuel control. Is it burning any oil?

[daddle]

Since surfmachine didn't need my idea earlier today maybe I can sell it to you

My injection pump fuel rack, on a Universal, got a wee spot of rust once. Wouldn't start or run well because the spring couldn't pull it very far. Max fuel is usually delivered at start....so said the manual.

[Hyprdrv]

Chief,
Is the fuel pump (electric?) energized when the ignition key is in the on position only? Mine does the same thing but the electric fuel pump doesn't start until the engine starts running. I also have a booster pump do to a long run between the tanks and the motor.

Steve in Solomons MD

[Chief Engineer]

Has mechanical lift pump

Today I checked voltage at glow plugs....8.4 volts.

I will be checking the circuit to find the voltage drop culprit

Arrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!

[never monday]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

Has mechanical lift pump

Today I checked voltage at glow plugs....8.4 volts.

I will be checking the circuit to find the voltage drop culprit

Arrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!

should be about a 10a draw for each GP.

I'll lean to low compression

[CTSailor53]

Preheat the plugs for 30 seconds before cranking and put your hand on each one. If the glow plug is good it will be hot to the touch.

[djmarchand]

I had a hard starting problem with a Yanmar 3gm similar to what you describe. Replacing the injectors solved it. The poor spray pattern was making it difficult to fire initially.

David

[Steve W]

I fought something similar on my Universal M-18. Turned out to be the engine shut-down cable had partially seperated from it's base at the back of the engine control panel causing unpredictable no-starts. It occasionally prevented the engine from starting, even though the cable knob was pushed in all the way. Replaced the cable, problem solved.