Cummins engine

[Quattromike]

We have a 5 ton terex dumper, had her a few years and apart from the odd flat battery been trouble free. However, the other day she got very down on power and stalling on idle. Checked the fuel filter and found it choked full of crap. Ordered a new one and stuck it on. Even gave the tank a clean out. But she is still not running very good and gives a bit of smoke. Could the injectors be blocked? Could it be piston rings? Could the lift pump be goosed? Can't see why this would make her smoke a little.

 

[Shovelhands]

What colour is the smoke?

 

[Quattromike]

What colour is the smoke?

It's a grey blue smoke, it's not bad for smoking more just when you give it some welly. Never smoked before.

 

[Stubota86]

If the fuel filter was bad it may be worth seeing what the air filter is like

 

[Quattromike]

Yes it was full of dust. A complete lack of servicing I’m affraid .

 

[V8Druid]

Yes it was full of dust. A complete lack of servicing I’m affraid .

I'd try yet another fuel filter too ..... if there was that much tish floating about, it could well be bad again or ..... saturated with water ... that'll really make the old girl struggle .... Cummins do not like dirty filters or fuel

 

[craig]

Where the fuel pipe enters the injection pump, is there a gauze filter in the fitting? Quite often these are over looked when they have been serviced in the past.

 

[V8Druid]

very often a gauze in the lift pump bowl too and gets choked very easily, especially from your description of the fuel

 

[Quattromike]

That's the problem with using 5 gallon drums. To much opertunity for crap to enter the system.

 

[doobin]

That's the problem with using 5 gallon drums. To much opertunity for crap to enter the system.

All you need for trouble free operation if you have to fill like that is a strainer on the tank filling point, and be prepared change a £2 filter more than every 5000 hours. ...

If the lift pump is suspect just blank it off and fit an electrical one. They either work or they don't, they prime on the key, they are a tenth of the price of a mechanical one and far simpler. God only knows why mechanical lift pumps are still fitted.

 

[V8Druid]

That's the problem with using 5 gallon drums. To much opertunity for crap to enter the system.

what's needed is one of @Grahams special filtering funnels .... can't recall what they are called, but awesome filtration .... sure Gra will have a spec. / link / etc. ........... IIRC they're cyclonic type filtration and will filter out water apart from tish

 

[Grahams]

As Druid says I bought a Mr Funnel filter funnel ( http://www.mrfunnel.com/Mr._Funnel/Home.html ) when I had a lot of fuel stored in old Jerry cans. Cleaned it up great. I tested it and it genuinely removes water, so other larger contaminants will go as well.
Good investment of you don’t have a decent inline filter on your bowser or use cans.
Can buy them on Amazon, etc.
Graham

 

[Quattromike]

As Druid says I bought a Mr Funnel filter funnel ( http://www.mrfunnel.com/Mr._Funnel/Home.html ) when I had a lot of fuel stored in old Jerry cans. Cleaned it up great. I tested it and it genuinely removes water, so other larger contaminants will go as well.
Good investment of you don’t have a decent inline filter on your bowser or use cans.
Can buy them on Amazon, etc.
Graham

I think I I’ll order one up. What size did you go for? I’m thinking the F8 model.

 

[Grahams]

I have F8 size. I wouldn't go smaller as a lot of reviews for the smaller ones say great product, but wish I'd bought bigger. I don't think you need F15 for cans, but would work if you were pumping from a bowser you were not sure about. If I subbed on building sites where they supplied the fuel from a bowser I would use an F15. Some of those site bowsers look in a terrible state.
Graham

 

[Quattromike]

Ordered up a mr funnel, wasn’t cheap but hopefully be worth it .

 

[Grahams]

Unfortunately very few good bits of kit are cheap, but it is all relative. Compared to a breakdown, repairs and hassle of it breaking the price of the funnel doesn't seem too bad to me.
Graham

 

[Quattromike]

A little update on this, changed all filters and cleaned out tank, was a bit messy, cleaned all the gauzes we could find. Bled her up and she fired and run fine, for about 1 minute then back to the smokey down on power same as before. Decided to try an electric lift pump and bypass the mechanical pump and hey presto runs good. Sorted out the pipes a bit and wired the pump in with the ignition and she now goes good again. Success

 

[V8Druid]

A little update on this, changed all filters and cleaned out tank, was a bit messy, cleaned all the gauzes we could find. Bled her up and she fired and run fine, for about 1 minute then back to the smokey down on power same as before. Decided to try an electric lift pump and bypass the mechanical pump and hey presto runs good. Sorted out the pipes a bit and wired the pump in with the ignition and she now goes good again. Success

diaphragm gone weak or the cam lever worn and not producing enough 'pump' possibly ... nice to have it fixed though

 

[Grifferr]

diaphragm gone weak or the cam lever worn and not producing enough 'pump' possibly ... nice to have it fixed though

My 9 ton dumper was running a bit like this. It turned out the link from the leaver to the diaphragm was broke so in effect was running with no lift pump.

 

[Quattromike]

My 9 ton dumper was running a bit like this. It turned out the link from the leaver to the diaphragm was broke so in effect was running with no lift pump.

Sounds about right. Everyone says if the mechanical pump is in need of repair, don't bother. Fit an electric in line jobbie