JCB 1400 ,Think I ran out of fuel, now won't start.... any tips?

[puma1973]

I have a 1987 JCB 1400 with turbo Perkins. I think I was an idiot and ran it out of fuel. I was pushing some dirt and she just shut off, like right now, no sputtering or anything, just stopped. I knew it was time to fuel up but just wanted to get finished..
I will start by saying , I am a novice and this is for home projects and I do not know much about the machine.I added fuel, bled the screw on top of filter, bled the bleeder on top of inject. pump, bled 2 lines at injectors. She does not even act like it wants to start, just cranks.
I would like to add, the pump lever never really felt like it was doing a lot, i bumped the engine numerous times, would feel some better resistance for about 2 pumps then the only real resistance was at the bottom of the stroke of the lever. Not even sure if my bleeding was correct, the bleeders would just kind of seep fuel out of them, not a good squirt, but did not see signs of air when i closed them. The only good air bleed was at the injectors while engine was cranked.
One manual i have says bleed the "start assist screw", i think that is what it was called. I am not certain where this is and whether it could be the problem.

On another note, being it never even acted like it wanted to fire, I wonder if it could be a switch or wire or something that popped loose. Any way to determine if it is a fuel problem for sure or if it could be a switch of sorts?

Appreciate any help.

 

[jcb jeff]

You might need to replace fuel filters and clean out lift pump if you have dragged up dirt into the filters and sediment bowl down on the chassis .
when you bleed it up you should feel the lift pump change as you said to feel as its not pumping anymore which is correct if you have bled the inject pipe at the injectors do you have air and bubbles or nothing if air you will need to slacken all the injector pipes at the injectors and crank the engine over on the key be careful you dont use your finger to do them back up if running only spanner until a good flow of diesel spits out and then nip the injector pipes back up and hopefully its alive.
You could also check that you have the stop cable in the correct position.

 

[puma1973]

when i bled the pipe at the injectors (only bled 2 of them) while cranking engine, there was bubbles at first then fuel.
what do you mean when you say " be careful you dont use your finger to do them back up if running only spanner..."? I am a little confused here.

 

[thepumpguysc]

depending on the pump model.. the bleed screw is the one by the name plate on the inj. pump..
Its a double bleed screw 5/16" that goes inside a 7/16" body.
It helps if you loosen all the inj. lines.
Hold the throttle WIDE OPEN.. MAKE SURE the shut-off is in the RUN position.

 

[jcb jeff]

As the pressure in the injector lines can penetrate your skin whilst doing up the injector lines.

 

[Delmer]

when i bled the pipe at the injectors (only bled 2 of them) while cranking engine, there was bubbles at first then fuel.
what do you mean when you say " be careful you dont use your finger to do them back up if running only spanner..."? I am a little confused here.

Don't get your fingers near the known leaking injection line, oil injection is a NASTY injury. I think that's what the spanner/wrench is about.

It seems like you know you ran it out of fuel, confirmed by the bubbles in the injection lines. It doesn't make sense that it doesn't start when you're getting fuel out of the injection lines. You want the injector line nuts cracked a half turn or so at the injectors, then tighten them when there's no more air, just good squirts with no bubbles. Take your time, don't fry the starter, use a charger to keep the battery charged up, and plugged in to keep it warm if needed.

To figure out if you're pumping anything with the priming lever, take one side off and use a can of fuel to see how the lever feels in different pumping scenarios, ie pumping air, pumping fuel, pumped up with the outlet blocked, pumping against a vacuum. The lever PULLS the diaphragm back against a spring, that spring pushing back on the diaphragm produces the pressure. If the lever moves easily except has resistance at the end of the stroke, the pressure is holding and it's only moving a little fuel, letting the spring move just a little bit of it's stroke, the last part of the lever's stroke. That's a good thing, but with a bleeder open, it should squirt and you'll get RESISTANCE the full stroke of the priming lever (unless the engine stopped with cam in the way)

 

[Billrog]

You can pressurize the fuel tank with air to help bleed the system then keep it pressurized when you turn it over to get it started. I had to do this once with a Timber jack skidder after it had been ran out of fuel and nothing else was working.

 

[hookedondiesel]

Some may disagree but a "small" shot of either while cranking it over ( in the air intake) may give it that extra boost it needs. It's worked for me in the past.

 

[puma1973]

First of all, thanks for all the help/tips.
I did get it to almost start yesterday, which confirms the ran out of fuel thought. I was frustrated and cold and gave up on it yesterday. Tonight I am going to bleed it all again, if I get a helper. Assuming that when I bleed, I need to do it kind of like bleeding brakes on a car, pump until air free fuel flows and tighten right away. As opposed to trying by myself and pumping on one side then running to other side to tighten.
For the injector lines, what is the best way, one at a time or all at once?

 

[Delmer]

It's not as bad as a car, the car doesn't have any way to get rid of air in the brakes. With this engine, you just need to get most of the air out of the system, and then it will start and stumble for a bit as it pumps the rest of the air out. The problem comes if your fuel line is plugged somewhere, then the line and transfer pump can't supply enough fuel to keep the engine running and it sucks more air in and you never get it bled.

Pumpguy said to loosen all of the injector lines and have the throttle wide open. That's what I'd do. I suppose you could check the bleeders to see if any air comes out, you don't need to keep pumping fuel through if no air comes out of the bleeders. Ether won't hurt any either if you know how to do it carefully.

 

[Jonas302]

agreed I would bump it with either and it probaly would have took on the tow cylinders you had bleed If there is fuel spurting out of the lines that is all that matters you can have them all loose and tighten down as fuel comes a helper or a remote start switch can be helpful
The lever type hand pumps dont give much feel not like the plungers on a cat

 

[xgiovannix12]

charger on the battery and a remote start is the best way I ever found doing it alone. shot of either would help it prime but I really dont like using either unless I really need too

 

[puma1973]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the tips. I got it started. Just had to crack all injector lines and crank with pedal to the floor until fuel was good out of all. Then tightened them back up and got er going.

 

[thepumpguysc]

KOOL, Thanks for posting back and letting us know..

 

[old-iron-habit]

Glad to hear its going again. Lesson learned to I bet. We like pictures>

 

[Billrog]

Sure makes you feel a lot better when your machine is up and running happy it worked for you.