QuestionQUESTION: I have an '84 ford, 1910 3cyl diesel tractor I've owned for 12 yrs. Due to medical necessities I have to let the tractor set for the past 10 years. Recently I've decided to get it into shape and let someone else find use for it. I've had the injectors rebuilt, changed the fluids and fired it up with no smoke. However there is a knock in the engine (which appears to be in the first cylinder.) Possibly be a piston rod (solid type of sound.)I'm considering on pulling it into the garage and dropping the pan. Will I cause additional damage (if this should be the case) by idling it into the garage? Can you provide me with some info as to what I may find or something I should be looking for?
ANSWER: DUDE just push it into the garage and have at it. Running it might damage the block and then you wont be able to fix it. Once you have the pan off you can look at the rods and see if one if loose or hitting. You might end up having to pull the head so you can turn the engine off and check the piston and liners. Make sure it is not a fuel knock they can sound just like a rod. You are going to have to make the call on how bad the knock is.
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QUESTION: Drew,
Thanks for replying and thumbs up on pushing it into the garage. I’ll include you at the dinner table. My technical skills were well defined 10 yrs ago as a one-man show in a six-man band: although not so much on diesel engines. Refrigeration once was my toothpick. So, without all of the 8 x10's of my medical issues, do you know (prior to the pushing) of any way to check or determine if it is a fuel knock? Note: Rebuilding the injectors meant replacing the 3 nozzles. After bleeding the fuel lines the Dude started right up, but with a knock of course. Is it possible (prior to removal) to locate the PSI reading from the injector pump to insure proper operation?
ANSWER: Sorry for the delay in response Internet was down. If you already changed the injectors the knock is not fuel. Take the engine down and it is probably going to be a rod. If I lived close to you I would push it in myself. Hope all is well
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QUESTION: Thanks for responding and hope all is up and running again. Hope you'll over look my persistence with the fuel knock issue.
Out of curiosity and understanding ignition, I started the tractor up and began loosening the injectors lines. As I began (beginning from front to rear)the engine idle reduced speed (as if it would have stopped, had I not re-tightened the connection)on the the first and second injectors. However the 3rd injector line once loosened, did nothing to the engine idle. Is this possibly an indication of the 3rd cylinder not firing (possibly causing the knock?).
Is it possible the injector pump on this (3rd)cylinder, is forcing too much diesel into the injector? Is there a quick way to check the injector pump for proper displacement of fuel?
Thanks for offering to do the pushing.
Best Regards,
David
AnswerI highly doubt that the pump is the cause for number three no firing. Most rotary Injection pump will not just cause one cylinder to go out. It happens to all cylinders respectively. I have a feeling the injector is stuck even though it is new or the cylinder is low on compression. Swap the good one with number three and see if the test results are the same. A fuel knock usually comes from the injectors. There is no way to check pump pressure when it is installed on the engine. The only way I have checked it installed is by taking the line off pulling out the Injector and installing the injector on the outside and watching the spray pattern. When you have the injector out you might want to check the compression on that cylinder.
