So uh... I got a buttload of dirt in my turbo

[cruiser_guy]

I assume this is what you mean Enviro-Safe, Inc - Product Details - 6 ounce Refrigerant w/ Dye Can but in reading it my take is that propane does NOT fit the bill. For my vehicle, I'll wait till this stuff is in common use before I play "guinea pig". I'm told that the R404 that was in one of my previous vehicles was touted as the next up and coming refrigerant and I know where that went...

 

[Dougal]

I assume this is what you mean Enviro-Safe, Inc - Product Details - 6 ounce Refrigerant w/ Dye Can but in reading it my take is that propane does NOT fit the bill. For my vehicle, I'll wait till this stuff is in common use before I play "guinea pig". I'm told that the R404 that was in one of my previous vehicles was touted as the next up and coming refrigerant and I know where that went...

That is one of them. Hychill is the most common HyChill Refrigerants - Manufacturers of Hydrocarbon Refrigeration Gases, HC's, HR12, ER12 - CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs, hydroflurocarbons, R12, R22/502, R290, R600a, and R134a Replacements
You are correct that propane is a poor substitute for the correct hydrocarbon mix, but it's still far better than R12 or R134a.

I've been playing ginea pig for almost a year (aren't they called Hamsters in the US?) and I'm still quite happy.

There seem to be some very strange laws in place in the US regarding this. The EPA say it's illegal to replace R12 with hydrocarbons, but not R134a.
So people in the US seem to sell converters to R134a fittings, then call it a R134a system and legal to fill with hydrocarbons.
Loophole? I have no opinion, but the R134a quick connects are soo much easier to use.

 

[joshoisasleep]

3) using something other than R134a/R12 WILL render your system unservicable once you get home (I've been there with my truck which had R404 in it). If the system is deemed contaminated you may not find anyone willing to fix it right down the road (at least not with a guarantee).

The guy who did my engine swap will. He's a really cool guy, plus he installed the system and now it's not working...

Trust me, getting the A/C going again in Latin America is not that expensive, just find a good shop. Likely the parts to do a 1/2 ass job yourself will cost more than simply paying someone to do it right!

Yeah you're probably right there. Although I do like to fiddle, it'll probably be a cheaper, better idea not to attempt it. Still if I DID manage to do it, it WOULD give me the ability to vent my AC refrigerant any time I wanted, use it as a compressor, and then recharge it! It's a tempting thought...

I've been playing ginea pig for almost a year (aren't they called Hamsters in the US?)

No, they're a totally different animal. A guinea pig is much larger. Hamsters are small and squishy and very soft and stupid. They bite fingers and fall off tables. In many places here in South America guinea pigs are called "cuy" (pronounced like "cooey" or sometimes "quee" depending on your accent), and they are roasted on a spit and eaten. Street vendors even sell them like chicken or hot dogs in some places.

 

[lumpy70]

Josh,
Not sure if you have found your air leak yet, but I know the Cdn 60 series are prone to the fuel pickup cracking due to rust and vibration over the years.

You could be introducing air into your system right at the tank, and that's why you are always finding air when you are bleeding it.

The tell is to fill up a bucket/can with diesel, and prime your fuel pump from that with a brand new line. Get the truck running off of that source. If it works great, then you know you have a air leak somewhere back.

You will need to bleed the filter and crack the injection lines every time though.

It sucks, and I have done it...it works.

Craig.

 

[joshoisasleep]

Haven't found it yet... have been lazy in a place with nice weather so snowy has been sitting there patiently resting.

One problem is it does not noticeably run rough (that or it just always has so I don't know the difference). Although I could still try the above idea with a jerry can of fuel (that I have ready! ), and leave it out tonight to see whether it needs bleeding in the morning again or not. That would certainly tell me.

The "good" battery has taken a beating as predicted from all the charging/discharging and does not seem to be holding a good charge anymore, so I will try my idea above to crank the engine by hand to bleed the injector lines.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Josh just catching up on these posts. Good stuff here and glad you have it running.

As you know you have two fuel systems here, the low pressure fuel-suck to your engine system, that people are saying there may be an air leak in. And the high pressure (metal lines) to each cylinder from your main diesel injection pump.

The purpose of having no air in the system is to eliminate air getting into the high pressure system. Absolutely no air can be in there otherwise it causes the rough running you are seeing. From the injection pump, high pressure fuel is built up in the metal lines going to each injector. If air is in there, it compresses the air rather than injecting the liquid fuel into each cylinder. The injection pump adds a little pulse of diesel fuel to the lines, increasing the pressure and volume at a set interval. Each injector is basically a small pressure-set valve. As the injection pump adds more pressure to the metal lines (controlling your RPMs and power etc), the injector releases the same quality the injection pump adds. So you can see why air in the system messes with the system.

This is a Cummins technique that should work well with your engine as well. Start the truck and leave it running/idling. Use a rag or towel to protect yourself from diesel that will squirt out, loosen each injector one at a time while the truck is running. You will hear noticably worse piss poor idling, but you will clear any air out. Do this for about 10 seconds for each injector... Again, one at a time. Diesel will go all over the place and again use a large rag or towel over the injector to protect yourself from the spray. Once you have done this, rev 2-3 times and it should return to running smoothly.

If if does not, then bleed the Toyota method. Turn off turn, loosen all 4 injector lines. Turn over truck for about 20-30 seconds (it will not/should not start). Fuel will be all over the place again (you can use the towel method and place over the engine). Close injector lines, , and start it. It should also return your engine to normal running condition.

If it does not: then you have a bad air leak in your low pressure system, a constant air draw somewhere in the system.

If it corrects it but only temporarily and piss poor running and/or starting problems return, then you will need some new hose clamps and to go ahead and diagnose areas where you might have a leak in the low pressure system, as recommended by everyone else.


Other general thoughts:

I also do think it is a good idea to make sure (if you haven't already) to bleed bleed bleed that low pressure system considering you emptied your sedementer and air could be trapped there as well. Collect the fuel you bled and you can return it to the tank layer. You will also notice there is a nipple on the screw near the fuel filter where you bleed. You can slip a piece of hose on there to collect fuel that comes out from bleeding. It is possible to have a setup that will suck air into the system and not particularly leak any diesel fuel.

Once you have this resolved, you are good to go!

Also make sure you have plenty of air, fuel, and oil filters if possible just in case. (2-3 each!).

Cheers, Andre

 

[cruiser_guy]

The guy who did my engine swap will. He's a really cool guy, plus he installed the system and now it's not working....

A/C shops are not permitted by law to mix refrigerants so if you cannot guarantee the shop the type of refrigerant you have he has to refuse to service your truck (or break the law and risk a $20,000 minimum fine)! Also the place he brings the old refrigerant to will find out from records who the offending shop is and he'll be in trouble that way. If he doesn't do propane, not likely as the potential for a huge lawsuit is just too great, then you'll be on your own.

Yeah you're probably right there. Although I do like to fiddle, it'll probably be a cheaper, better idea not to attempt it. Still if I DID manage to do it, it WOULD give me the ability to vent my AC refrigerant any time I wanted, use it as a compressor, and then recharge it! It's a tempting thought...

I doubt your compressor would be very happy if you dump the charge and then recharge it each time, not to mention that you need a filter/dryer ($20-30) each time as well as they are succeptable to moisture in the air and are not meant to be reused.

Trust me, it's not worth it!!

I like to tinker too but A/C and diesel injectors and pumps are about the only thing I don't fix myself. A/C because I don't have the tools (lacking a vacuum pump) and diesel injectors and pumps because I don't have the tools or knowhow.

 

[panoramic]

Josh,
any updates?

 

[joshoisasleep]

Yes... I went and bought the valve as suggested. Could only get one meant for water in 1/4", but I think it should suffice since it only needs to stop the diesel flowing back, not the air. Have not installed it.

Am going back yet AGAIN from thinking it was a leak to thinking maybe it was just massive amounts of air spread way out trapped throughout the system, and I'm still working my way through it. The reason I've gone back to this is as follows. Last time we parked for the night it would not start again in the morning, after many bleeding episodes and plenty of driving, so I figured it HAD to be a leak. However, when I FINALLY got around to bleeding it again to get it going it was about a week later (we are staying in a very nice $1 a night campsite, the weather is nice, and I'm getting sick of bleeding diesel fuel... procrastination ensued), and all I actually needed to do was to crack the four injector lines all at once, bleed for a couple cranks and close them up again. If it was a leak that caused it this time, I would have thought leaving it sitting for a week would have meant that there was at best a LOT of air in the fuel, and at worst not much fuel left in the lines!

Learning from my experience taking everything apart in Chile, I'm now of the "let's see what happens" frame of mind rather than the "fix everything that may or may not be broken" one.

 

[joshoisasleep]

OK, finally got this problem fixed!

So there was no air in the fuel. I have learned something here - Never doubt that it could be your glow plugs! I think I'm not the only one, it seems other people also never want to believe it's the glow plugs for some reason... it just seems unlikely. But that's what it was!

Annoyingly, one of the first things I did was carefully test the glow plugs with a multimeter... the glow system showed the correct resistance and all connections seemed ok. Of course, I forgot to check the REALLY OBVIOUS... the actual physical wire attaching the glow system to the battery was torn in half! All this time I thought it was an air leak... I drove all the way from Bolivia to the far South of Argentina where I am now with absolutely no glow plugs! Does anyone think I may have caused some damage doing this? Other than to my batteries that is... many times it took me a solid minute or so of cranking to get it started.



PS, Delco batteries are super awesome.

 

[canucksafari]

Just a little extra wear and tear on your starter is all. Glad you got it sorted.

 

[iron_giant]

OK, finally got this problem fixed!

So there was no air in the fuel. I have learned something here - Never doubt that it could be your glow plugs! I think I'm not the only one, it seems other people also never want to believe it's the glow plugs for some reason... it just seems unlikely. But that's what it was!

Annoyingly, one of the first things I did was carefully test the glow plugs with a multimeter... the glow system showed the correct resistance and all connections seemed ok. Of course, I forgot to check the REALLY OBVIOUS... the actual physical wire attaching the glow system to the battery was torn in half! All this time I thought it was an air leak... I drove all the way from Bolivia to the far South of Argentina where I am now with absolutely no glow plugs! Does anyone think I may have caused some damage doing this? Other than to my batteries that is... many times it took me a solid minute or so of cranking to get it started.



PS, Delco batteries are super awesome.

Josh,

The "wire" that was torn in half may actually be a fusible link, depending on where it is. If it is right at the battery and connected to a small plastic junction with two studs and nuts then it should be a link. I have replaced the link with solid wire in a pinch but over the long haul it's always better to replace it with fusible link. In this case it did it's job and protected the downstream electricals.

Good luck,

David

 

[joshoisasleep]

The "wire" that was torn in half may actually be a fusible link, depending on where it is.

Yes, actually I'm pretty sure it is. It was exactly where you describe... I wonder what could have caused it to go. I hope I'm not taking too much risk running without it (since it went I probably am). Is this a landcruiser specific part or standard auto electrics? I can't get landcruiser parts where I am but I would like to replace it asap.

 

[canucksafari]

If its a fusable link and should be no problem to source as long as you know the correct amps and the correct length.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I wonder what could have caused it to go.

Not having it won't hurt anything. It'll just make starting the truck a real pain as you've found out. Chances are, your first time WAS an air lock and in the bleeding process you shorted out one of the glow plugs to the block while the ignition was on or in glow mode and blew the fusible link.

Like John says, you need to know the amperage and then as long as you have the fusible link wire of the correct rating you should be fine.