MF 230 diesel won't start

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Bought a MF 230 diesel a few months back. Started and ran fine. Parked in shed for a month, now turns over fine, doesn't start, and I have no experience with diesel engines. Tank has fuel, air filter ok. I have ensured shut throttle and shut off are positioned correctly. Any advice appreciated.
 
Might have a tiny diesel leak and got air in the fuel system that has to be bled out. Does it smoke at all when you turn it over? That would indicate it's getting fuel.
 
Well it"s December and it"s a diesel. Are you cold-starting it correctly?? Thermostart or whatever?
 
It has been 70 degrees here, no cold weather yet. I have tried by ether priming. Ether burns, then nothing.
 
Don't use ether. It can damage your engine if not used properly. You could pump the fuel primer/lift pump a few times and see if it will start. The lift pump could be the problem as well. It should have resistance and you be able to tell it's pumping when you pump it. There are other's on here that can help you a lot more than I can.
 
As long as you have compression and fuel to the cylinders and your battery is trog enough to tuern the engine over it should dtart. Assuming your battery is capable of turning the engine over and you have adequate compression(no stuck valves, etc) I"d say your problem is fuel supply. Make sure that you have adequate fuel flow from the tank to the filteri inlet. Crap and corruption can clog the tank strainer and associated lines to the filter. Make sure the fuel lines are tight so thsy can"t suck air. Bleed the sytem starting at the filter , through the pump, and finally at the injectors. Just crack the fuel nut at the injector open one at a time or all at once when you get all fuel to the injectors than tighten them up and try a start.

i have some general instructions for bleeding a diesel if you need them, let me know.
 
Jerry,

Thanks for the help. Your instructions would be most helpful. I have enough in the way of shop manuals for this tractor that I can probably follow the steps.

Pat
 
First identify which pipe leads from the secondary fuel filter to the injection pump....remove it at the pump end and hand prime the tractor at the fuel lift pump on the opposite side of the tractor. If the fuel does not flow the full of this pipe then you have issues with dirt in either the tank strainer, or the filters...or you may have a problem with the lift pump (valves sticking) Providing you have a full flow , reconnect the pipe. The next issue is bleeding the injector pump, loosen both bleed screws and hand prime . Next loosen one fuel pipe, loosening it at the pump is sufficient, now crank the engine...you should be getting a good 'squirt' of fuel each time the pump injects on that pipe...If not the rack inside your injector pump may be stuck, usually a few sharp blows with a block of wood on the side of the pump will release this. Once you get fuel 'squirting' keep on cranking at about half throttle with the pipe still loose until it fires up, then retighten the pipe with the engine still running,
WARNING...Diesel fuel can be harmful to your skin, wear adequate protection and keep away from direct sprays of fuel.
That is about the best I can do from my side of the Atlantic....Sam
 

Here you are Pat.

Bleeding a Diesel Fuel System


Start at the fuel outlet of the tank (inlet to the filter). Shut the tank valve, remove the line at the filter inlet and holding a suitable container to catch the diesel fuel, open the valve. You should have a CONTINUOUS rush/flow of fuel out of the line. If it dribbles or is intermittent, check the fuel cap for a blockage of the fuel vent or the strainer upstream of the valve for clogging. The strainer/screen is attached to the shut-off valve, and is positioned up inside the tank. You will have to drain the tank and pull the valve to clean the screen.
If you have good fuel flow at that point, reconnect the line and open the bleeder screw at the top of the filter. Turn on the tank valve and wait till you have a steady flow of fuel with no bubbles at the top of the filter, then close the bleeder screw.
Your pump may have a bleeder screw. If so, open that until fuel streams out with no bubbles, then close it. If you cannot identify the bleeder screw, loosen the inlet connection at the pump and purge air at that point.
Go back and make sure ALL the fittings in the fuel delivery system are tight so they cannot suck air.
Make sure the battery is fully charged. Loosen the fuel fittings at the injectors, either one at a time or all at once. Crank the engine till you see all fuel at the injector fittings and then tighten the fittings. If you do indvidual fittings, the engine will usually start before you get to the last fitting.
Alternatively, you can "tow-start" it to save wear and tear on your starter. Leave the injector lines cracked open at the injectors at first to purge the lines. Then tighten them up and she should start.
Your injection pump puts out a very small amount of fuel (high pressure/low volume). BE PATIENT. If the lines are totally empty, it takes a lot of cranking to fill them up.
sixbales & Jerry/MT
 

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