4010 Diesel won't start on diesel

Trying to start a 4010 diesel. The tractor belonged to my deceased, elderly neighbor (thought quite a lot of him - one of the finest men I knew), and I'm trying to get it running for his widow and son. Not a JD man by any means, but I know I should have fuel at the inj. pump when I crack the bleed screw. I've put 25 gal of fuel in the tank, changed the filter, bled it at the filter, and took the line off the top of the inj. pump. It's getting fuel there. The elbow going into the inj. pump is not obstructed (took it off and looked). Thought yesterday it might be the lift pump, but when you pump it by hand, it shoots a good stream of fuel. Also cracked the line at the injectors on #1 & 5, and when you crank the engine, a little fuel will dribble out & slowly run down the side of the engine. Batteries are up and crank strong. Is the metering valve hung up? I disconnected the shut-off cable from the arm and worked it by hand real fast several times, but made no difference. The tractor hasn't been ran in months. Not sure where to go. Hate to tell the family it may need injection pump work, but may have to. Could the lift pump still be suspect? I also drained some fuel out yesterday and it was trashy. Possible damage to lift pump? Have I missed anything?
 

May need a complete overhaul now after somebody hammered the engine with ether. Pistons would be cracked or rings broken.
 
Metering valve - been wondering about that. Tried freeing it by working the shut-off real fast. Didn't work. Can I take the governor housing off the pump and free it?
 
If it has not run for some time the metering valve, delivery valve and/or rotor plungers may all be stuck. A complete teardown and cleaning may be needed to get it working correctly again. Just got a Ford CAV pump in for the same trouble, even the weights were sticking in the gage from the stale fuel.
 
Buick,
A whiff of ether isn't going to make a diesel hammer and knock and bust pistons, rods, and valves. Modern ether isn't any where near as strong as when we were young. If you are careless yes you can hurt an engine but most experienced diesel operators know better these days. Unless he gave a steady stream to keep it going past just "roll it and yep it fires and quits"
Charles
 
b&d is in Canada where they might have to use hotter ether such as Deere's. As far as I know no other is as strong or dangerous.
I only use it to blow up tubeless tires.
 
B&D thinks ether is like nuclear waste. That being said I have started and moved more than a few diesels on acetylene. Have also used ether (intelligently) with no problems.
For what its worth on the 4010 try dumping the fuel filter, filling it with JD fuel conditioner and running that into the pump. Not a believer of "mechanic in a can" but what have you got to lose?
 
Yes, take the cover off the pump and free or atleast verify the meter valve is moving correctly. Meter valves have a habit of hanging up when the tractor sets way to long with crudy fuel.
 
Couldn't agree more, intelligent use being the operative word here. Propane will also work as a starting assist and it can not detonate as both acetylene and ether can and do very rarely when used in a decidedly unintelligent manner.

One 4630 had the intake manifold gasket blown out sideways when a puddle of ether in the intake manifold went off, can't even imagine the pressure needed to do that. I do know that the people present at that moment in time must have had a religious experience.

I would mix a good diesel motor oil in with the filter contents to be sent thru the pump as it has almost as much detergent in it these days as any other product and it IS oil, so it works great for lubrication while it's in there.

Interesting discussion here about freeing plungers:
Air timing with a twist
 
You cannot test the fuel pump with the hand-primer. It uses different linkage then the engine-driven part of the pump. Test by cranking the engine.

The injection pump is self-priming and has its own built-in delivery pump. It can draw fuel for 15 feet below itself. It cannot draw fuel through a blocked line though. A bad fuel pump can block fuel flow.

I'd suspect the fuel metering valve being stuck. Easy to get at once you pull the three-bolt cover off the pump. Make sure it can swing back and forth. A spring pulls it open and there is NO linkage that pulls it open. A spring pulls it open and linkage pushes it closed for shut-off.
 
The photo is the metering valve in a DB2 pump - but your DB pump is close to the same.
a159828.jpg
 
I hate to ask this. Did you ever start this tractor before?
Did you push in the fuel stop before you tried to start the tractor.
either will not hurt that engine. John Deere installed a either port by the operator.
Brian
 

A wiff of ether through a factory system by an operator using the system according to the operator's manual is one thing.
Bubba freehand spraying ether into the intake is another.
 
I've seen many Deere 300 series engines get destroyed by ether. The factory ether injector ports rarely work and many just spray into the air-cleaner intake. Deere pistons and top rings break amazingly well with a good shot of ether. At least with the "old" ether. Then new stuff now amounts to the force of half a flea-fart.
 
(quoted from post at 04:09:50 06/13/14) At least with the "old" ether. Then new stuff now amounts to the force of half a flea-fart.

Starting fluids contain a variety of components including potentially diethyl ether. It makes sense to evaluate the particular product that is being purchased. For example, John Deere part number RE556468 is 80%-90% Diethyl Ether according to the MSDS. However, for example, PYROIL® REGULAR STARTING FLUID PYSFR11 is 70%-80% SOLVENT NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM), LIGHT ALIPHATIC and 15%-20% ETHYL ETHER (which is another name for diethyl ether). There are many choices out there and I'm sure that every can of "extra strength" may not contain the same content.

So what one decides to purchase will have a profound effect on the content. The efficacy of the product would be another topic.
 

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