series 60 hard starting

[fastlap]

since I picked up my conversion one thing that changed big time is how the engine starts
it used to be that you touched it and it was running in any weather now 9 out of 10 times it requires 3 or more sets of cranking @ 25-30 seconds each to fire 1 out of 10 you touch it and its running !(even when warm)
I replaced filters, checked for air leaks and tightened fuel lines and tried a known to be good cam position sensor ! no help at all
dda suspects welding on the frame with out disconnecting the batteries to have hurt the computer ? anyone experience this situation
thanks t

[Wick]

How many miles on the engine? We had one doing a similar thing and hooked it to the laptop and found a couple of faults that were inactive and reset them and replaced the sensors and it was fine. Also had one that was increasingly hard to start and ended up replacing the main fuel pump. Start with the fault codes. It is possible that the ECM is faulty but hard to tell.
Wick

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

....we have welded on the frame and body on trucks and didn't disconnect the batteries(4) and haven't had any problems with engine starting.....using AC and DC current.....I think it is just one of those "safety issues".....we have not used high freq. or plasma mainly because they were not needed at the time.....MIG and TIG have been used some on some tube bu tnot a lot.....geofkaye

[fastlap]

wick , where is the fuel pump and is it electric?
also where do I find a trouble code list ?
196kmi thanks T

[fastlap]

Wick i found the fuel pump!

[Wick]

Does your dash panel have a meesage panel? where you can see various messages. If not you have to go to a dealer and have them hook the computer to it to read them. Call several dealers and get priced for this before going to one. I have had them charge anywhere from $50.00 (Lexington, KY) to $450.00 (Richmond, VA).

[fastlap]

If I turn the key counterclockwise then the check engine light will flash in a t code fashion but I need the list to look up the #s?
I also found that the only check valve for the whole fuel system is in the return from the back of the head ? this could be the problem
DDA said there was a power surge from welding with the batts hooked up !
I am not buying it yet although it is very possible , the conversion people say they had the batts unhooked !
And I do believe them to be good people and not liars !

[fastlap]

Update ,> the fuel check valve in the return T is intermitent & fails 7 out of 10 times on the bench! This can cause the problem !
I also replaced the fuel pump (the drive coupler was broken and in many pieces ) the fuel pressure was under spec a little !
thanks for the input T

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

...replace the fuel pump only after examining the pick up hose- strainer- foot for goop and rust....good time to check out the tanks for crap and crud also inspect the hoses....geofkaye

[fastlap]

I skipped all that stuff cause we just had the tanks out 4 months ago (I had to shorten them for the conversion) and at that time we went trough everything up to the pump !
I didnt do the return lines though and I didnt know about the check valve either! thanks T

[Toterman4(David)]

Fastlap, did you fix the problem yet?
The same thing happened to me after a service. I just cranked a long time to start, before service it started fast. It turns out the filter was missing an oring on top, righ out of the box. Changed it and made sure the oring was there and back to normal. I have found that when you are running great and someone works on it they have made the diffence somewhere along the way. JMHO

David

[Gary Atsma]

Details, details......
Good detective work, David!

[fastlap]

well When I disassembled the check valve that is in the fuel return , I found a sliver of aluminum caught in the seat !
I would bet that it is from when they drilled the top of my fuel tank to plumb the generator in
( I had already welded 2 bungs in for them to use for the generator when I shortened the tanks ) but to no avail , they just did it their usual way !
How the alum made it trough the filter , I do not know ? am I mad that it happened ? NO since the O ring in the check valve was hard and the drive coupler for the fuel pump was shattered ! Their incompetence has allowed me to learn the fuel system on this unit and perform preventitve maintenance that may have been overlooked otherwise !
Bullshit , I am pissed I welded 2 bungs in 2 tanks and had every thing perfectly clean and ready ( I had the ends off of both tanks and was personaly inside them ) never again will I try to make it easy for the builder ! t

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

...."NO good deed goes unpunished".....see what happens when you make it easy for someone else to get their work done?....happens in the construction trades all the time.....geofkaye