Calling jdemaris and other deer experts

I have a straight 350 dozer that I have not used in three months. We decided to sell the dozer and I had someone come look at it this morning. The dozer would not start and I am looking for some advice. The dozer is a straight 350 with reverser on the dash. It has a rebuilt injection pump with less that 200 hours on it. The last time I used the dozer was in mid october and I used it for three hours. Since that time it has been sitting in my barn and has not been ran moved or anything. The dozer has a mechanical shut off on the fuel pump. I got my book out and checked the troubleshooting section. I went through all of those processes. I bleed all the injectors as good as I could by myself. I pulled intake hose off and used some ether sprayed directly in the intake. The batter was not spinning the dozer as fast as normal so I hooked up a booster and still am getting no fire. It will smoke a little wight smoke. I have never had an issue with this dozer starting. We have had some cold weather recently and it has sat a decent amount of time. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to check or do?

I have also moved all shifting reverser and throttle linkages incase that was causing it. I could not fine a neutral safety wire that I saw in other posts.

Well, I'm certainly no "expert" except maybe when it comes to BS.

Let me get this all straight. You got the injection pump repaired and afterwards - it started and ran fine. But since the pump-repair - you've never had to start it in cold weather, correct?

If I'm correct so far, my understanding is . . . now that you HAVE tried it in cold weather - it's not starting like it used to (in the cold).

My first guess is the person in the pump-shop turned down your pump's fuel delivery and now it's an awful cold-starter. Seen it happen several times. How was the power and visible black smoke when you tried it after the pump repair? Did it seem the same as before?

The screw that adjusts max-fuel delivery, if turned too far out - even by 1/8th turn - will let your 350 run and start OK warm and be worthless when its cold. I'm not saying that's your problem but it's one thing to consider.

If you are convinced the pump is still actually turning and getting fuel to it - I'd either install a engine-block tank-heater - or run point a salamander-type space-heater towards the engine and get it warmed up. Then try to start it.

That injection pump is self-bleeding. It's not going to get air-bound from sitting and even if it did a little. Some good cranking would clean it out unless the fuel-flow is a obstructed.

I doubt the mechanical shut-off has anything to do with the problem. That assuming the linkage is moving on the outside. On the inside of the pump - all there is to make it work is a push-on clip. If it fell off, the machine would start fine but would not shut off.

Yes I have never ran it in the cold since I have had it. When running and pushing there is very little black smoke. How do I turn the fuel up to it? Also I am not sure in difference before and after rebuild as I bought it at dealer who rebuilt the pump.. y linkage is working properly.

OK. You're saying you've never owned this machine in cold weather so you don't know if it ever started well in the cold, correct?

Some 350s started well down to 30 degrees F and some wouldn't start unless it was 45F or above. That's for new ones. Then there's the case of an engine that started well unless a motor-job was done on it and the heads got ground too deep in the head.

When you first posted, I misunderstood. I thought it once started well for you in the cold, but then got hard-starting after pump work.

By the way, if the fuel was gelled - it would start right up and then die. Not quite the same symptoms as you're describing.

ya I have never had it in the winter..

can you try pull starting it with another machine? That has worked sometimes when you would think it wouldn't.

That happened my Case a couple of years back I had left the stop pulled out and when I went back a couple of weeks later it would not start,had to get a mechanic and what he said was the metering valve was stuck in the stop position in the pump,he took the top off and freed it and it started right up so when parking up now I make sure the stop is in the run position and the throttle on full.
P

If it has a hydraulic reverser you can't pull start it.

Make a jumper with some 14g connector wire and alligator clips from battery pos+ to the injection pump screw where the wire connects. You should here the injection pump solenoid activate, It will be very quiet. Try jumping the starter terminals at the starter with a screwdriver once pump is activated. Dozer should start and run. Leave the jumper wire in pace while running machine.

How 'bout a little squirt of starting fluid in the air intake while it's turning over.. I don't like to use the stuff, but in this case just a little whiff might do it.. Beats standing around in the cold scratching your head..

I wondered about that. My straight 350 would pull start. I ran a 350 with a reverser but we never had to pull start it.

Jim, Email me--my email's open