Jump Starting a Universal Diesel

[Obi Wan]

I have my engine on a stand and need to do a compression check. I thought it would be straight forward to hot-wire a battery on the starter to turn it over but now I'm not sure. The terminal on the left (nearest engine block) has an insulated cover. Any advice?

[Lepke]

The terminal with the tab should be where the cable from the battery connects. The tab is probably where the wire from the key or starter button would go. The starter button circuit would go from the insulated terminal to the button, then to the tab.
Diesels have more torque, make sure it can't roll over. Have a plan in place to stop a run away. Rags, etc., to stop intake air. Have fuel to the injectors before trying to start. In other words, a proper bleed. I don't know where Niceville is, but if the engine has sat cold for a long period, it may need some heat to start. If you use ether, use it sparingly. It greatly increases compression and can crack rings. Don't try running the engine on ether to make up for an improper bleed. Have control of the injector pump lever.

[jimbunyard]

Kind of unsure from your description, but my guess would be that the big battery positive cable would go where the red arrow points, the starter/solenoid wire would go where the yellow arrow points, and where the green arrow points is the starter vent.

You can usually just jump the solenoid from the red pointer to the yellow pointer, but arcing is liable to mess up the terminal, so a short jumper wire crimped to a female spade terminal might be a better idea.

Before turning the engine over for the test, remove all the injectors, and don't spin the engine for more than 10 seconds at a time.

[Jim Cate]

Before turning the engine over for the test, remove all the injectors, and don't spin the engine for more than 10 seconds at a time.

Kinda hard to do a compression check with the injectors removed!

Jim

[Obi Wan]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Kinda hard to do a compression check with the injectors removed!

Jim

No, that's where the compression tester goes.

[Obi Wan]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Don't try running the engine on ether to make up for an improper bleed. Have control of the injector pump lever.

My thread title is a bit misleading but I thought I explained in the post. Not starting it, just turning it over for the compression check

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Obi Wan

No, that's where the compression tester goes.

Rats! You are quite right. My silly mistake!

Jim

[Obi Wan]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

Kind of unsure from your description, but my guess would be that the big battery positive cable would go where the red arrow points, the starter/solenoid wire would go where the yellow arrow points, and where the green arrow points is the starter vent.

You can usually just jump the solenoid from the red pointer to the yellow pointer, but arcing is liable to mess up the terminal, so a short jumper wire crimped to a female spade terminal might be a better idea.

Before turning the engine over for the test, remove all the injectors, and don't spin the engine for more than 10 seconds at a time.

Thanks Jim - that all makes sense.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

Kind of unsure from your description, but my guess would be that the big battery positive cable would go where the red arrow points, the starter/solenoid wire would go where the yellow arrow points, and where the green arrow points is the starter vent.

You can usually just jump the solenoid from the red pointer to the yellow pointer, but arcing is liable to mess up the terminal, so a short jumper wire crimped to a female spade terminal might be a better idea.

Before turning the engine over for the test, remove all the injectors, and don't spin the engine for more than 10 seconds at a time.