Builds Another OM617 in an FJ40 thread (1 Viewer)

[daner]

This morning I took the fuel lines off systematically and made sure fuel was getting to the injector pump. The pump is getting clean, air-free fuel. As a footnote, the little hand primer puts out a fair amount of fuel for its size. I'm impressed.
I took off the two lines (#1 and #2) that weren't getting any fuel and primed them from above with diesel fuel from a small bottle.

The motor belched a little black smoke, almost started...then I saw a puddle of oil and a puddle of water on the ground growing quickly and shut her down.

A quick inspection shows that it is not as bad as it could have been: the water is coming from the thermostat-likely just the gasket. The oil is coming from a small line from the filter that simply was cut and not plugged (that I didn't notice).

The skinny little black plastic line that was cut and crimped is where the oil is leaking. Anyone know its function?

 

[AirheadNut]

Sounds like your OM617 has great compression.

I pumped and pumped the primer. it is getting a little fuel to the rear cylinders, but nothing to the front two, just a drip at the middle injector. BTW, Does your OM617 have the clear fuel line that returns fuel from the injector pump to the filter assembly? I have air bubbles in that that I cannot get out.

Yes, it does. Here is a photo of my engine bay. It is a little hard to see, but the clear line running behind the IP is the return. When the engine is running there are little bubbles shooting through it, and after sitting overnight there is generally a bubble sitting right at the top where it goes into the filter housing. I don't think that air bubbles there are a big deal, as that is just heading back to the fuel tank.

When you cracked the injector lines did you crank the engine to prime them, or just pump the primer? I believe that in order to prime the hard lines the engine has to be turned over.
Hope this helps.

 

[AirheadNut]

Unfortunately I can't provide any information about the black oil line; there is nothing like that on mine.

 

[daner]

Three hours later, she is starting to puff more and more black smoke, but still not starting.

I have been cranking the motor while the #1 and #2 injectors are cracked open. #3 seems to be getting more fuel than it did three hours ago, but still nothing at #1 and #2. it is beginning testing my patience. arg.

 

[daner]

 

[daniel.watters]

Nice. Congrats! Details. Videos..

 

[daner]

Thanks, would love to post a video or pics, but i seem to have placed my phone in one of my "special places".

I let her run 3-4 minutes as I know that it will be low on oil after the filter and cooler fill. It sounded a little rough, seemed to be getting better as it worked the air out. Didn't smoke that bad, just black smoke at first, no oil smoke. After I check the oil level and fix the leaking gasket, Ill get a better feel for how healthy the motor is. There weren't any bad noises, knocking, ticking etc. I do feel a huge relief as I bought the motor without hearing it run.

 

[daner]

For the last few months, I've worked the better part of every weekend hoping to get this thing running in time to enjoy summer. I'm feeling burned out, and I really haven't done anything else all summer. As I get closer, I've noticed that the quality of the work I'm doing is going downhill as I just want to get it on the road. So, I think I need to take a weekend or two off and slow down.

Maybe Ill clean up the mess a bit:

 

[daniel.watters]

Yup. Step away from it for awhile. You've done well so far. It's not all for nothing!

 

[daner]

Thanks, I appreciate the support. It has been 27 years since I lost my 1968 FST FJ40 (the red one in the avatar). Since then I have owned dozens of classic 4x4s; Scouts, Power Wagons, FJ45, Patrols, Willys and more. I loved them all, but none put a smile on my face as much as driving an old FJ40. Cant wait to get it running!

 

[warpdriv]

Thanks-I have a question on that you may be able to answer: So just one wire to the 3 watt bulb and then ground the bulb?

So it goes from the alternator to the 3 watt bulb and then to switched 12 volts. I hook mine up to the coil wire.

 

[warpdriv]

I was just looking at your engine picture and was wondering what you're doing with the crankcase ventilation coming from the top of the valve cover. Thank you

 

[daner]

I was just looking at your engine picture and was wondering what you're doing with the crankcase ventilation coming from the top of the valve cover. Thank you

Nothing yet-haven't got that far. It is near the top of the list. I suspect the oil pressure is good as I put a screw into a piece of fuel line and clamped it to the plastic oil line for a temp fix, and she shot out like a champagne cork. Except messier. much messier. The driveway is really a mess now. I have the oil puddle covered with cardboard so the wife wont notice...

 

[daner]

This is the easy solution for the crankcase ventilation- we'll see if it is a long term solution:

Its hard to photograph it, but the crankcase vent hose feeds back to the intake, basically like it does on a stock OM617. We'll see if it works, as if there is a lot of blowby, the oil may pool as the hose drops below the intake. "Plan B" would be to place the intake (on the aluminum tube behind the air filter) on the top of the aluminum. Plan C would be to run a canister that would need to be emptied.

 

[daner]

And my attempt to rig up a cable operated shut-off may be the "FAIL" of the day:

The original Mercedes shut-off is operated by a vacuum switch. It appears that I am missing parts, and it seems to be more complex than needed, so I fabricated a cable shut off that the stock FJ40 vacuum lever for the transfer case:

clearly, I didn't think this over before fabricating it, as the shut off prevents the throttle cable from operating. As Homer Simpson would say; D'oh!

 

[daner]

And, figured out why the water intake was leaking: The P.O. evidently did not put a gasket on the intake. Easy fix, but makes me wonder what other surprises will pop up.

 

[warpdriv]

Keep an eye on the blow by. The donor car I have, has the CCV tube going into the air cleaner and then a drip tube going back into the oil pan. I'm going to route mine into an angled exhaust bung. The angle causes the exhaust to pull the gas from the engine. Although I may need to add some catchment so I do not loose a lot of oil.

I used this for my shut off. A-MB110 Fuel Shutoff Kit

 

[daner]

Will do. I've only ran the motor about 10-15 minutes, but it seems pretty tight. The oil pressure starts at 90, after five minutes it stays above 60. No visible smoke or blowby. Starts first turn of the key with or without the glow plugs, but it has been above 90 degrees.

I like that shut off conversion, may have to order one, thx.

 

[daner]

I have to wonder how this truck handled before it was taken off the road...There are no bushings in any of the springs. The rivets that held the rear mount of the drivers leaf spring were broken, only gravity held it in place. The rear axle and springs move side to side 3/4", and the top two rear passenger leafs are broken. I suspect it was a handful to keep this old FJ40 in one lane.


(not going spring over-just put the axle there to clean up the driveway a bit)

 

[daner]

Haven't posted as most of the things of being worked on are neither exciting nor related to the diesel. I have been starting the motor every couple of days just to hear it run (and give me hope that this project will be roadworthy at some point). I do have concerns about the motor as it starts and runs great-except at idle when it has excessive vibration. The idle is set very low. Don't have a tach on it but I guess around 600 rpm. The easy fix is to raise the idle a tad to where it smooths out- but I do worry that something is out of balance.

Played around with the wiring yesterday. The last tag on the license plates says "1981", so it clearly has been off the road for a while...but on the bright side the Koito headlights work. No idea if they are original or not.