13BT Hard start, smoke

[FJBen]

Newly rebuilt 13BT, as in 15 miles maybe?

Anyways, the first start sputtered and required me to step on the pedal to get it to start. Smoked and sputtered away for a minute until it settled right into smooth running. Started and drove a few more miles and bumps over instantly and runs.

I tried to start it yesterday afternoon, 70 degrees, and it was hard starting, whiteish smoke and missing. I also had to depress pedal to get it to start. After about 45 seconds it was clear and driving fine, only black smoke (fuel) when driving.

This morning I tried to start (40 degrees) and it did the same thing. Have to crank, depress pedal and then its sputtering and missing and smoking.

Here's whats been done.

Rebuilt Injection Pump
Rebuilt Injectors
Fuel tank drained/cleaned
Fuel lines clean
Fuel pickup filter new
Fuel filter new
Soft fuel lines replaced
New fuel

I spill timed the engine, so it's possible I"m a little off on that, but it appears I got it VERY close. I'm leaning towards air in the system, but I (wrongly?) assume air gets purged once it's running fine?

 

[Greg_B]

The 13BT's do not have a cold start advance feature so you have to idle up the engine with the hand throttle. I leave mine idled up and and after the 1st few shifts (stop sign shortly down the road from the driveway) I can idle it back down. Unless it's in the heat of summer I have to throttle it up slightly with the hand throttle after a few hours of sitting. When it's really cold I have to throttle it up more.

The factory glowscreen will not come on till around 0C (32F) and only for a short time at that temperature. It's not enough glow. There are a couple threads on wiring in the override.

Make sure your fuel primer is no leaking (Bosch makes a good replacement and this is one of a number of threads).

Timing will certainly effect cold starts, as no cold start advance.

Good idea to make sure you have no air leaks with the new lines, as you've mentioned.

Nice rebuild thread BTW, congrats. If it's not air and it's running well after the initial start then continue the break in and as things seat it may improve as well, but without a cold start advance they need that idle up.

hth's
gb

 

[FJBen]

The 13BT's do not have a cold start advance feature so you have to idle up the engine with the hand throttle. I leave mine idled up and and after the 1st few shifts (stop sign shortly down the road from the driveway) I can idle it back down. Unless it's in the heat of summer I have to throttle it up slightly with the hand throttle after a few hours of sitting. When it's really cold I have to throttle it up more.

The factory glowscreen will not come on till around 0C (32F) and only for a short time at that temperature. It's not enough glow. There are a couple threads on wiring in the override.

Make sure your fuel primer is no leaking (Bosch makes a good replacement and this is one of a number of threads).

Timing will certainly effect cold starts, as no cold start advance.

Good idea to make sure you have no air leaks with the new lines, as you've mentioned.

Nice rebuild thread BTW, congrats. If it's not air and it's running well after the initial start then continue the break in and as things seat it may improve as well, but without a cold start advance they need that idle up.

hth's
gb

Greg,
Thanks for the insight. I think the best info you are giving is to continue break in and see how things play out. I'm not 100% sure the pump is set right. It was just rebuilt but I"m sure there are some tweaks to get it adjusted just right.

It definitely runs and idles great after a minute or so.

I also didn't think about that is has no cold advance.

Im still leaning towards air, but we will see what happens.

 

[roscoFJ73]

You almost cetainly have air in the system. Check all your fuel line fittings. Did you use new gaskets with the injectors?

 

[FJBen]

You almost cetainly have air in the system. Check all your fuel line fittings. Did you use new gaskets with the injectors?

Yes, all new gaskets with injectors. The fuel system was dry since I pulled the tank and all lines so I'm not surprised I have air in there. I'm just not sure how to get it out and why it seems to run fine after a minute.

 

[roscoFJ73]

just not sure how to get it out and why it seems to run fine after a minute.

If the problem is air, its a sure sign the air is coming in slowly. Once you start it and the fuel flow overcomes the rate of air entering the lines, it will run normal. Most diesels are sucking 20-30 or more litres of fuel an hour, so it would have to be huge air leak to stop the engine from running all together.
When you turn it off, the air is leaking back in and the fuel is running back to the tank making for hard starting.
You could isolate it by getting a short piece of clear hose and fitting it in between sections of hard and soft line and look for bubbles while it runs. Sooner or later you will determine whether the air is leaking in before or after the fuel filter.

 

[FJBen]

If the problem is air, its a sure sign the air is coming in slowly. Once you start it and the fuel flow overcomes the rate of air entering the lines, it will run normal. Most diesels are sucking 20-30 or more litres of fuel an hour, so it would have to be huge air leak to stop the engine from running all together.
When you turn it off, the air is leaking back in and the fuel is running back to the tank making for hard starting.
You could isolate it by getting a short piece of clear hose and fitting it in between sections of hard and soft line and look for bubbles while it runs. Sooner or later you will determine whether the air is leaking in before or after the fuel filter.

I think you are on the right track. So this morning, 50 degrees, I decided to pump the primer (it's new) a few times before starting. It felt normal like it was pushing fuel. Hopped in and it fired instantly then died. Did that 3 times then started, but sputtered/smoked and then smoothed out. It smoked like this (I only idled for about 30 seconds while I closed the shop, then by the time I had driven about 500 feet it was clear and no smoke.

 

[speycaster]

MY 13BT smokes like that when it is cold. There is no air in my system, if I use the pre heater for ten or so seconds it does not smoke as much, but still has a blue haze for at least five or six hundred yards. My old BJ 42 smoked like a forest fire until it warmed up.

 

[roscoFJ73]

If you could add a bit of heat to that much of it would clear up as it seems to be running smooth enough.

 

[FJBen]

It still smoked like that this morning but fired and caught pretty much instantly even though it was only 38 degrees this morning. The idle is VERY low but as I understand thats because there is no cold advance on the 13BT.

I'm going to keep an eye on this as the engine breaks in more.

 

[FJBen]

Updating this.

It was timing. I had the timing too retarded which caused white smoke and stumbling and a general sluggish feeling.

Now it fires/catches instantly and runs pretty smooth, no missing. Faint white smoke for about 30-40' in <40°F, quite the nice power bump.