First start attempt after 2 years: Any advice ?!

Following recent purchase of a 1962 Series IIA 88" diesel, any advice prior to firing it up for the first time in a couple of years ? (LHD, if that makes any difference).

Thought I'd clean filters, drain tank, reconnect wires (are they in the right place - close to starter and alternator, surely they go onto starter ?):


Also slight rear suspension worries, see photos. Any thoughts ? Is that collapsed/ wrong-size spring/ chassis bend/ anything else ?

Good side:

Fresh battery, fresh fuel, fire her up. See how she drives!

As above but I would also hand prime at the lift pump first then maybe crack the injector pipes off a bit to bleed air.
Good luck, let us know how it went.

Rafe Dent said:

Following recent purchase of a 1962 Series IIA 88" diesel, any advice prior to firing it up for the first time in a couple of years ? (LHD, if that makes any difference).

Thought I'd clean filters, drain tank,

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When you say clean, you mean change?
And after that, open the bleed screws on the pump, and pump lift pump to get new fuel into pump,do them up, then crack a injector unions and spin over a few times. Then do up fuel pipes.
If it does start, oil change might be good after.

i'd turn it over by hand a few times to make sure it's alright and not tight

obvs after changing/checking oil and other fluids.

OK, great, thanks, will do all that. By clean filters I meant undo them in case there's any water, reassemble and change later.

But what about those 4 loose wires - where do they go ?!!

Starting tomorrow morning !

Rafe Dent said:

OK, great, thanks, will do all that. By clean filters I meant undo them in case there's any water, reassemble and change later.

But what about those 4 loose wires - where do they go ?!!

Starting tomorrow morning !

Click to expand...

There might be water drains under the filter housing. If you take the filters apart, better to use new elements and rings for re-assembly.

Rafe Dent said:

OK, great, thanks, will do all that. By clean filters I meant undo them in case there's any water, reassemble and change later.

But what about those 4 loose wires - where do they go ?!!

Starting tomorrow morning !

Click to expand...

can't really see them.. they not from the alt/dynamo.. is it still a 2.25 in it?

trax said:

can't really see them.. they not from the alt/dynamo.. is it still a 2.25 in it?

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Yep, still original diesel. Just can't quite see which wire goes where

Rafe Dent said:

OK, great, thanks, will do all that. By clean filters I meant undo them in case there's any water, reassemble and change later.

But what about those 4 loose wires - where do they go ?!!

Starting tomorrow morning !

Click to expand...

c
what colour are the wires and have you any on the rear of alt

jamesmartin said:

c
what colour are the wires and have you any on the rear of alt

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As in picture, seem to have one spade type connector and 4 other loose wires to connect to bare starter. As in nothing connected to starter

Rafe Dent said:

As in picture, seem to have one spade type connector and 4 other loose wires to connect to bare starter. As in nothing connected to starter

Click to expand...

ps alternator is wired ok

Rafe Dent said:

As in picture, seem to have one spade type connector and 4 other loose wires to connect to bare starter. As in nothing connected to starter

Click to expand...

if they are brown they will goon the battery lead terminal on starter as they are the live feed for the vehicle electrics

Anything I've had standing (usually motor bikes I've removed spark plugs and put oil down the bores and turned over by hand before trying to start. Just incase rings etc are stuck or the bore is dirty and dry

1. One wire was live feed from battery - so I attached it to live side of starter solenoid.
2. Two other wires went to either side of solenoid (pos and neg from starter button ?).
3. One other wire came from alternator, so attached that to the positive side of solenoid.
4. Re-attached dangling earthwire from starter to suitable chassis earth point

At this point the dashboard lights all lit up, whereas before nothing.
So pushed starter control: nothing happened. But did check with meter - and had good 12v constantly across solenoid (starter control pushed or not)
I was warned by seller that starter was 'blocked'. Surely at this point it should have been turning ?!

So am ordering new starter motor.

Now I'm getting a bit better (long way to go) with meter, should I be checking other places (fuel pump springs to mind, is that located on fuel tank) ?

Solenoid should be heard to click if it is try a jump lead from battery to starter motor side of the solenoid.
This will prove whether starter motor works or not.
Even if it does not work might just need stripping and cleaning up.