2 1/4 diesel difficult to start

Hi all, I have rebuilt top and bottom end of my 2 1/4 diesel replaced timing chain and gears set up timing replaced glow plugs with parallel type but engine still struggles to start when cold she turns over puffing out grey smoke for about 30 seconds then almost starts, I turn ignition off and try again and after about 10 seconds she eventually starts chucking out a lot of black smoke thins runs fine with no smoke at all any ideas

ou rebuilt you checked compression?

No I haven't I didn't really see the need to once running she really goes well no smoke or noise

mine was the same, i'd do 20 secs of glows, then try and repeat if needed.

it was also awful up hills, so i put it down to bad compression.

Rebuilt engines do take a while to bed in. How did you set the timing ? With a dial gauge on number one exhaust fully open the "EP" mark should line up on the flywheel, however you should chalk the timing pulley and pencil line the pointer mark when the dial gauge reads say 0.25mm (0.010") past the original point. Then go around again until the dial gauge reads 0.25 before your original zero. (Keep up at the back there) this check will ensure you are on the correct position of the cam, they can be 4 degrees or so out. When all this is done the service tool for setting at 13 degrees or what your engine requires can be used. Once set this gives a good start point but still be prepared to tweak the pump timing.

Are you sure your heater plugs are working...all the smoke will prob be un-burnt fuel.

Nick.

i would go with nick, much easier to check the plugs than compression check i would say, and also easier to fix!
out of interest, are they the series or parallell type, if its series, remenber, if 1 stops working they all do !!!

ben waine said:

i would go with nick, much easier to check the plugs than compression check i would say, and also easier to fix!
out of interest, are they the series or parallell type, if its series, remenber, if 1 stops working they all do !!!

Click to expand...

said he swapped to parallel

actually, the destructions usually say to keep the ballast.. if you listened then you aren't giving the plugs enough juice.

best off using a relay and giving them 12v

what;s it like going up hills btw? or even long elevated sections?

hmmm maybe i should read things properly then.... oops !!! and i agree with what you say about the ballast! on mine its not removed, just both wires are on one end of the resistor, so it doesn't actually work!

She goes really well once started no trouble getting 40-50 mph up hills with a good run up, I have checked voltage to each glow plug and getting 10v but haven't checked if end is actually getting hot, once engine is warm she starts straight away so doubt it's timing.

Have you buzzed each one to check they all work? This website has been helpful for me !

http://http://www.seriesdiesellandrover.com/Glow%20Plug%20Conversion.html[/URL]

I think you would see 10v on the plug even if it had burnt out, depending on where you but the neg probe, and also I think if the wires are still on, the circuit will read through another plug, then through the block, meaning you may see a voltage on the meter but not actually across the plug!
Hope that makes sense and helps