The Universal M25 is winning the battle

[donradcliffe]

I am usually pretty good with diesels, but I have been unable to get a friend's M25 to run in her 1983 Catalina 30.

The fuel gauge reads half full, the batteries are on the shore charger and the starter cranks the engine well, the glow plugs were suspect, but I have replaced the two easiest ones, and the glow plug circuit draws 25 amps.

It turns over, then sounds like it is catching, but just doesn't accelerate into running. I have let it turn with the starter helping for 10 seconds, but it just dies when I stop pushing the starter button.

It helps to hold the glow plugs on for longer times, but up to a minute and still no joy. I even hot wired them on an external battery to no effect.

The electric fuel pump is clicking when I turn on the ignition.

I have cracked injector lines and they spurt fuel when cranking. There doesn't seem to be any different response when cracking different cylinders.

The engine was hard to start cold 5 weeks ago, but ran smoothly and started hot which no glow plugs. It did die when I throttled it all the way back, but I adjusted the low speed stop and that solved that problem.

I loosened the wire to the kill lever and ensured that it was in the off position.

I squirted WD40 in the intake when it was cranking to no avail.

And yes, I closed the thru hull after the first 15 seconds of cranking.

I have eliminated a bunch of culprits, but I am down to a stuck rack in the injection pump or water in the fuel. Access is terrible and the IP will be a bear to remove.

I am tempted to use a shot of quick start to verify the the problem is fuel, and perhaps shake the IP rack loose.

I am also considering replacing both fuel filters and bleeding the hell out it, but access is terrible. There should be a bleed valve on the engine, but I have not found it yet.

I was even considering going to church today, but I have a race, so it will have to be the Church of the leeward Mark.

What would you suggest??