The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Okay this isn't strictly a fordson related question ! The engine on our fordson still seems to be running okay. But our Ford 5610, it always starts on 3 cylinders. And it really struggles to start, chucks out white smoke. It'll run on 3 for I dunno, 5-10 minutes then switch to 4 cylinders then it'll burn clean and run fine. There doesn't appear to be any oil in the cooling system.

Any ideas? It's been running like this for a month or 2 now. We have a lot of field work coming up and really need to get it sorted out.

I guess it could be a bad nozzle. If you loosen one pipe at the time you will find the bad one when the sound does not change.

It might be that. But it'll only start running on 3 if its been sat around for a few hours at least. Is it possible it could be leaking water into one of the cylinders? Just enough to stop combustion until it warms up enough ?

Hello Ian,

What type of injection pump does your 5610 have?

Ours had a CAV distributor pump, which is, according to some specialists, is known for trouble like this. Very hard to get all the air out with bleeding and very sensitive on even the smallest unnoticeable leakages.

Ours had starting problems as wel, and would not pull in the first 1 to 5 minutes. When you first pushed the bleeding pump a couple of times it was better. After fitting a electric fuel lift pump between tank and filters the problem disappeared and everything was fine.

Best regards

Emiel

Ian wrote:It might be that. But it'll only start running on 3 if its been sat around for a few hours at least. Is it possible it could be leaking water into one of the cylinders? Just enough to stop combustion until it warms up enough ?

The water is not stopping the combustion because it is gone in a sec if the connectingrod stays straight. A dripping nozzle is a bigger problem when the engine is cold.

have you adjusted the tappets lately as they could be tight which when the engine is warm they open up and gives the compression back on that cylinder, and is there any leakages in the spill rail?

Regards
James

I don't know what type of injection system it has, but the tractor is, 20 ~ years old. We cleaned all the fuel filters and the lines and bleed the system, but it didn't fix the problem.

I asked google what white smoke means. It said

It often means that you are burning antifreeze.

Then goes on to say maybe just a gasket failure.

This a realistic possibility ? We were thinking about getting an entire new short engine for it, just swapping it out and selling the old one if possible because we need a quick turn around time for it. But haven't been able to find any. Found loads for 3 cylinder ford engines, but not 4 cylinder ones.

We have a Sanderson teleporter fitted with a new (2 years ago) 6610 engine. That is the same it will miss on cold start up although it fires on the other cylinders instantly, even in the cold. Soon clears and runs on four but these Ford engines seem to always smoke.

white smoke is lack of compression or injection timing retarded if it was anti freeze you will smell it if it smells a bit like parrifin i would say it is due to lack of compression valves, rings, head gasket.
black smoke is overfeuling timing to far advaced, or dribbleing nozzles.

you could put a repacement short motor in and its some thing simple on your current engine.

i would do the basics first like tappets then go from there.

Regards
James

Ian wrote:
I asked google what white smoke means. It said

It often means that you are burning antifreeze.

If it was a head gasket you would see air bubbles coming up in the radiator, and the tractor would overheat easily. Does not sound like your problem. Back to the pump and injectors.... Dandy Dave!

If it was a head gasket you would see air bubbles coming up in the radiator, and the tractor would overheat easily.

It has been over heating. Although water had been pouring out the radiator. I've ordered a new one already. Just waiting for it to turn up.

go here for diesel engine symptom diagnosis http://www.uniteddiesel.co.uk/diesel-engine-smoke.php
you should also check your cylinder head for cracks and warpage any sighn of a crack the head is scrap if you have no cracks i bet its warped which is giving you the symptoms you describe, my dexta did the same new head and all sorted.

Regards
James

Ahhh haaaahhh. See where more information leads. Continuious overheating will screw up a good head. These problems should be addressed as soon as it is noticed. I bet there are bubbles in the coolant then. Start it up cold, and look in the radiator right away and I bet you will see bubbles rising. I agree fully with what jambug123 has already posted. Dandy Dave!

well, we ripped the injectors out and got them cleaned professionally. Made quite a large difference to the running of it. However it is still starting on 3, and also randomly runs on 3. I think it might be the fuel pump.

I had a similar problem with my 4000. I checked the head and reseated the valves, this help a little. The main change and cure was when I got new injectors and had the pump refurbished. All is well now.