My Major - starting issue (i think)

[Nick]

As some of you know i replaced the liners/pistons etc in my majors engine last year. I understand that a major engine should fire on the first compression, mine doesnt and i thought it was because the engine wasnt run in, so ive now run it in working etc and its still no different.

Back in the summer, if i tried to cold start it, it would turn over and over and eventually start and missfire and smoke alot and then run fine. It would also start fine if left for an hour or two. Its worth saying that it would start pretty much instantly with the excess button pushed in.

Now its got colder it takes longer to start even with the button pushed in (im talking 10 seconds of cranking).

Even when the engine is hot, at lower revs it smokes blue but doesnt use ANY oil at all, but if at top revs it doesnt smoke hardly at all.

Also worth saying it had this problem before i did the engine and i just thought it was warn.

I have never checked the pump or timing on the tractor, but i have had the injectors serviced.

Im not sure whether i should worry or not, but i think it should run better than it does, the fuel pump also makes a clicking noise aswell, is this normal?

[JC]

I have a well worn Major that took a lot of cranking to start it. I set the timing and adjusted the valves, now it starts really easily. Those are the first things that I would check.

The clicking noise is the pump coupler and its a normal Major sound.

[Nick]

I did wonder whether it was a timing issue, we will see, it will be a christmas project! So having not ever looked at the timing on one of these, what is the best way of going about it? I have never attempted it mainly because im scared im going to mess it all up!

[Brian]

The timing is so easy to do. Open the inspection hole under the right hand side channel at the back of the sump. Turn engine on to Number 1 cylinder, clamp bolt on pump coupling under shaft, then line up the marks on 23 degrees BTDC.



The marks on the pump should line up as shown exactly, there is no "a little out" or "I can tweak this a bit to improve things".

[Nick]

Oh, as simple as that! I (very stupidly it seems) thought i would have to take the front timing cover case off etc, but that sounds easy enough. I will attempt it, and report back with the results!

[Nick]

Ok may have a problem here. There is no inspection cover on the sump, so i looked for a spike on the front, near the crank pulley, but there isnt one of them either, so how can i check the timing without these two? Also, as it is a truck engine, is the timing still 23 degrees or is it 26 degrees?

[Brian]

Have you got a wide front pulley? If so there will be a notch in it for the pointer which fits on the two dynamo bracket studs. You can make the pointer.



If it is the later narrow front pulley and you have the early sump fitted you are snookered.

You may need another sump as the timing indicator is a groove in the sump casting.

The engine will determine the timing, if narrow front pulley it will be 23 degrees no matter what it was in.

[Nick]

I fear i may be snookered! I have a belt that is about half an ince wide, so i reckon i need a different sump . Reason i think this is because the serial number on my tractor is just shy of the engine change over point (sep 54) so i reckon its got its original sump but not engine.......very annoying

[Brian]

OK, try this,

Turn the engine until the marks on the pump line up, then slacken the clamp bolts on the coupling and slightly move the marks a VERY small distance apart. Against the direction of rotation of the coupling should advance the timing, with the direction will retard it.

Do it in small steps, carefully, no more than 1mm at a time and do not overdo it. Unlike a petrol engine which will run with the timing a little out, a diesel will not.

Check running after each adjustment.

[Nick]

Good idea brian, i will give that a go in the morning, hopefully it will improve things a bit. I will be able to tell instantly if it does, will save replacing the sump though!

[Nick]

Ok, have just adjusted the timing by 1mm, the two bolts werent very tight. I could only adjust it one way though because it was all the way to the end of adjustment. It started a hell of a lot easier than before and didnt missfire and without pressing the excess fuel button but i still think it may need a bit more.

When you say 'start on the first compression' does that mean pretty much instantly?

Also, on the fuel pump coupling there is about 1mm of movement in the fiber couplar bit, does this matter?

And, where the timing mark is on the coupling, there is an 's' either side of the mark, is this common?