Lister Engine Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Craig_Lister83 on December 19, 2020, 05:20:17 PM
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Hello,
A month ago I bought a Lister LD1 engine as I wanted to have a wee project for something to work on over the winter. I’ve never owned any of these types of engines before so I am a newbie.
I collected the engine and it started ok I brought it home and I started it fine. But since then I haven’t been able to get it started at all. I’ve watched videos on line to check I am following the correct procedure.
It’s leaking diesel through the exhaust which I’m told isn’t a big deal. There is an injection creak and I turn the handle about 10 times and it doesn’t fire. I did this about 20 times and it still wouldn’t fire. I made sure I didn’t start it on a cold day either it’s about 7.c so pretty warm. Is anyone able to give me any tips on how to get this engine going again?
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if it's leaking noticeable amounts of diesel thru the exhaust - it's not going to build enough compression to fire. it may be overfueled and be dripping diesel into your oil - not the best practice for long term.
So, you need to work on sealing that exhaust valve. Either light tapping to bounce it up and down on it's seat, or putting some sort of gripper on the stem (not channel locks) and twist it slowly to grind out carbon that may be holding the valve open. And all that gunk you loosen, is going to the top of the piston, and will have to be blown out the exhaust when you get it started.
I have no opinion on which is easier or better for the engine, tapping or twisting. But be prepared to pull the head and have it cleaned, since it's not running now.
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Are you getting any kind of smoke out of it at all? White smoke would indicate partial combustion, and is a good indicator of low compression as Mike suggests. Definitely sounds like the exhaust valve needs cleaning up.
I have an LD1 here (in bits, right now) which needed spinning FAST to make it start; and when it did go, it produced some spectacular clag until it got up to speed. Chances are, if it's done service as a cement mixer engine, it's going to be pretty well worn. Nothing that some new rings, maybe a bore hone (if it's not a chromed bore), and some valve fettling wouldn't resolve.
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There isn’t any smoke at all when trying to turn it over. I’m draining the diesel out at the minute and putting in fresh stuff.
Going to take it to mates workshop next week and look to clean that exhaust valve up.
Cheers folks.
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Check the oil too - if the level's going up, then diesel's getting past the rings into the crank case - not ideal!
Can you roll it over compression easily? Can you hear hissing out of the intake or exhaust when you do so (the former would confirm poor compression, the latter would point towards the appropriate valve not seating correctly. No hissing could indicate stuck rings allowing compression to leak into the crank case.
No smoke could also indicate poor injection; if you remove the injector, and re-connect it to the high pressure line, do you get a fine mist when it injects, or a solid stream of fuel, or "blobby"/sputtering injection? (Be very careful not to have the tip of the injector near your person - it WILL inject diesel through skin, leading to all sorts of Bad Things happening...) You want to see a fine mist.
Something else to try, is to put your hand over the intake when cranking it. Can you feel suction on the intake stroke?
I'm pretty much out of ideas now :)