Priming Perkins 3cyl diesel

[MarshallPowerGen]

Doesn’t have a lift pump.

What do you think is in the bottom left of your 4th picture?

 

[ColdBlackWind]

What do you think is in the bottom left of your 4th picture?

Correction. The gentlemen were discussing it having an electric lift pump which it does not. I should have said it has a mechanical lift pump which you can’t run to prime the system. It has a Delphi primer bulb.

 

[thepumpguysc]

If u wanted to keep a primer bulb, get a Yamaha bulb, sold in most boat yards/parts houses..
DO NOT USE AN ATWOOD.. sold at Walmart..

 

[ColdBlackWind]

Ok. So far here is what I found. Mower is 18 years old. Only 800 hours. Engine began to surge and die last time out. It would immediately start but acted fuel starved. Suspected fuel filters. Pulled filter/screen before transfer pump was full of junk, more on that later. Changed cartridge filter and installed an inline filter in place of the bowl/screen that it had before. Primed system. Would not start. Continued to work on getting fuel to engine. Found a loose fitting on cartridge filter, blew out the supply lines back to tank. Would not start. Couldn’t hear fuel shut off solenoid cycling. Found no voltage at connector. Pulled the solenoid. Started but still acted fuel starved. Found the primer bulb check valve was not working and junk I found in screens was largely guts of bulb. Changed bulbs. Primed up and got a tight bulb. Started and it won’t idle. Runs at wide open throttle but throwing clouds of smoke. White at wide open and black at lower speeds. Ran for several minutes and will not clear. Air filters changed and I checked cold air tube between filter housing and manifold. Clear. Installed fuel shut off solenoid and hot wired it to actuate. Starts but smokes like a tar kiln. Stuck again.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Do u think some of the old line got sucked/pushed into the inj. pump and is now sticking the pump causing the run away and or poor performance.??

 

[ColdBlackWind]

Do u think some of the old line got sucked/pushed into the inj. pump and is now sticking the pump causing the run away and or poor performance.??

It would have to get through the cartridge filter but a strong possibility. I took the three injector lines loose at the pump and cranked it. I am getting a 1-2-3 pulse and good stream. Could an injector be stuck open? I went from no fuel to a flood and really hadn’t touched anything except filters, shut off solenoid and I did remove #3 fitting at the pump where the line fits. I was careful and got the spring back on the seat and everything lined up. I was using a magnet and the seat the spring sits on did come out. It had a splined type arrangement and went back in easily.

 

[cfherrman]

Does the lever you have circled on a pic before (it's the manual shut off) pull the throttle down to off/idle, doesn't matter if it's funny or not should still do it

 

[thepumpguysc]

Anything is possible.. but your talking about something getting caught by the filters..it’s a stretch thinking it made it thru the pump..

 

[ColdBlackWind]

Does the lever you have circled on a pic before (it's the manual shut off) pull the throttle down to off/idle, doesn't matter if it's funny or not should still do it

Without the shut off solenoid I used that manual shut off to kill the engine.

 

[cfherrman]

The rack is not stuck then

 

[ColdBlackWind]

Grasping at straws. Been all over the forum and found one thread that discussed air leaks up stream from pump affecting timing and misfiring. Most of the things I have worked on have been in that area. Maybe I am missing something around the cartridge filter or lines. Thinking about sitting a clean fuel jug with fresh diesel above engine with an inline filter plumbed directly to pump just as a test.

 

[thepumpguysc]

You’ll need “something” to push the fuel to the pump inlet..
It requires about 6 psi to fill the fuel gallery to feed all 3 cylinders..

 

[MarshallPowerGen]

Correction. The gentlemen were discussing it having an electric lift pump which it does not. I should have said it has a mechanical lift pump which you can’t run to prime the system. It has a Delphi primer bulb.

I'd recommend picking up a low pressure inline electric pump to get it primed. They're not that expensive and will properly push all the air out of your system so you can diagnose what issues you're actually dealing with. There are no shortage of engines that are a nightmare to prime with just a bulb or lever, so I always have one on the truck.

 

[ColdBlackWind]

So I will go to inlet side of lift pump and bypass filters? I have an in line pump ordered.

 

[MarshallPowerGen]

I would just put the electric pump in place of the priming bulb if it is held in by hose clamps, but I know how Perkins sometimes loves their crimp fittings...

 

[ColdBlackWind]

I would just put the electric pump in place of the priming bulb if it is held in by hose clamps, but I know how Perkins sometimes loves their crimp fittings...

I am knee deep into this whole thing. Old wiring and relays are fighting me just to be able to start the engine. I have a plan for that once I get the demons exorcised from the engine. All the fuel lines have the wire type clamps. I am replacing them as I go with stainless worm gear clamps.

 

[ColdBlackWind]

Ran fresh fuel through an in-line filter into the lift pump. Replaced all the fuel line clamps. Basically just isolated the cartridge filter. Same outcome. Starts and runs rough and fogs white smoke. I am down to pump and/or injectors. Dunno why as it was running fine between shutting off due to fuel cut off not staying retracted. I have had my daily diesel bath. Will have to regroup and read feedback.

 

[ColdBlackWind]

I would just put the electric pump in place of the priming bulb if it is held in by hose clamps, but I know how Perkins sometimes loves their crimp fittings...

I am knee deep into this whole thing. Old wiring and relays are fighting me just to be able to start the engine. I have a plan for that once I get the demons exorcised from the engine. All the fuel lines have the wire type clamps. I am replacing them as I go with stainless worm gear clamps.

 

[cfherrman]

The pump running my smaller Perkins is a $11 cheap electric one, has a spin on filter on it too

 

[ColdBlackWind]

Next step is removing the pump and injectors. Sending them to TPG for tear down and inspection.