Replacing head gasket

[dripley]

Did you bleed the fuel lines all the way to the head and 2 or 3 of nuts loose while cranking?

[Tex_usa]

@Silverwolf2691yes sir that is what I ment/did still nothing. I don't know what the slight white smoke means. I couldn't find anything on it other then one post saying it could be a stuck open injector or leaking feed tube. Because I have the one injector that is beat up I'm hoping it Is that. The other thing I noted was that my fuel  gauge on my lift pump never stays above 20 where I have it set.

@dripley yes I did do that.

[Dieselfuture]

1 hour ago, Tex_usa said:

 I don't know what the slight white smoke means

I believe ether air in fuel or too much timing, any codes?

[Tex_usa]

@Dieselfuture

Nope no codes at all. That is another thing that puzzled me. I did double checking the valve lash just to make sure that it was set right and even tried starting without the quadzilla on it. My thought is maybe the one injector is not sealing right and letting all the pressure out. If this were the case non of the other injectors would be able to pop as the pump would be sending all the fuel to that one injector that is leaking? I will try and post what I find this weekend. Pic is of the one messed up injector.

[dripley]

The injection pump sends fuel to each cylinder individually. If you have one bad injector it should not affect the other 5.

My #5 injector line broke in half right near the head. The truck still ran and I had to drive it for a day until I could get a new line the next day. The other cylinders worked just fine.

Edited August 12, 2021 by dripley

[Tex_usa]

@dripley well drat, that was my fear, I'll still try swapping out the injectors but now I'm guessing it is probably something else. I just don't understand how a new head with orings could have low compression.

[Mopar1973Man]

I was just talking to friend about this and it possible to have the o-ring pinch through the head gasket cause compression leaks. 

[dripley]

12 minutes ago, Tex_usa said:

@dripley well drat, that was my fear, I'll still try swapping out the injectors but now I'm guessing it is probably something else. I just don't understand how a new head with orings could have low compression.

Did I miss you doing a compression test?

[Silverwolf2691]

As much as I hate saying it, disconnect the grid heaters and give it a snort of ether?   Last resort before taking it all the way down again at least.

 

Your starter might not be turning fast enough to purge the lines of the remaining air.. From what I've read, the delivery valves have an orifice in them that allows pressure to bleed down after injection. The delivery valves are in the part that the injection lines screw onto (with a vp44).

 

The white smoke you are describing, is it rolling really lazy out of the exhaust? My thought was like a sub zero cold start with big injectors..

 

The other thing is make sure it isn't sweet smelling. Sweet smelling and white is coolant. Means the gasket isn't doing its job for some reason. 

 

     

Edited August 12, 2021 by Silverwolf2691

[Mopar1973Man]

51 minutes ago, dripley said:

Did I miss you doing a compression test?

Somewhere back a page or two the author mentions that compression was like 320 PSI IIRC... 

[Dieselfuture]

On 7/13/2021 at 11:02 AM, Tex_usa said:

Well I just ordered a new head with orings from DK motors out of GA. The owner was really nice and gave me a deal on the head.

Not trying to start anything, but how much do you trust these guys. Good deal doesn't always mean it is. 

[Mopar1973Man]

2 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

Not trying to start anything, but how much do you trust these guys. Good deal doesn't always mean it is. 

Be aware there is China made Cummins heads running around out there and poor quality. 

[dripley]

I think shot of starter fluid would be enough to at least see if it will fire off. Might still be some stubborn air stuck in the system. 

When I replaced the head gasket and the last VP all I did was reassemble, couple cycles of the lift pump and it fired right off both times. Replaced the pump head on my AD and it 2 hours to get the air out. That **** is stubborn sometimes.

[Mopar1973Man]

I remember back a few years I did a intake gasket replacement. I tried for quite awhile to get it to fire up and it was pumping fuel out of 1, 3, and 4. No dice on starting. I disconnected the grid heater at the battery and gave it a small shot of starting fluid and it fired right up. They are right if the starter is tired and not cranking fast enough it will struggle to fire up with air in the lines. 

[Tex_usa]

Wow thank you all for the advice! @dripley I have not run a compression test due to the fact I do not have the equipment and would have to have it shipped in. I saw one guy pull an injector and turn it over with a rag over the empty hole to see if it had any at all but I didn't know if that was a good idea or not. @Mopar1973Man I was not aware that they were this hard to start after a head gasket replacement. Last time I did injectors I bled it and started right up. I'll bring some starter fluid and see what happens. Would I disconnect the air horn and spray it in there? @Dieselfuture The head was not that good of a deal, as far as I saw most new heads are all made over seas at this point 🙃 but it was not a Chinese one.(Wanting to say Taiwan) @Silverwolf2691 As for the starter is seems like it is turning it over fine but when I work on it this weekend I'll get a video and upload it to YouTube then link it here. The smoke is lazy and isnt sweet. I didn't see the lines being bled last time so this time I will watch while GF cranks.

[Mopar1973Man]

8 minutes ago, Tex_usa said:

@Mopar1973Man I was not aware that they were this hard to start after a head gasket replacement.

 

They could be... I've done several truck where your just changing injectors and having problems getting started because of weak starter, bad starter cables (positive or negative), bad starter brushes, bad starter solenoid contacts, etc. Speed is key to re-priming the system with the starter alone. Yes I'll admit I've had to dust the mouth of the turbo with a bit of starting fluid to get the truck started. 

10 minutes ago, Tex_usa said:

I have not run a compression test due to the fact I do not have the equipment and would have to have it shipped in.

Must of been another member I just read about compression being low so that is my mistake... 

[IBMobile]

1 hour ago, Tex_usa said:

I'll bring some starter fluid and see what happens. 

CAUTION

Disconnect grid heater relays when using starting fluid to avoid explosion and fire .

[Tex_usa]

@IBMobile 10-4

[Silverwolf2691]

21 hours ago, Tex_usa said:

Would I disconnect the air horn and spray it in there?

 

Just need to see into the turbo.. but make sure your grid heaters are disconnected. Dont need a cummins blowing up.

 

Sorry @IBMobile beat me to it.

[Tex_usa]

Ok guys sorry for the long absence. I finally got time to get out to it and was able to swap the injectors out for my old stock ones that I know work and are fine. 

I also replaced the fuel return line washers just to make sure no air was getting in there.

I tried cranking and made sure I was getting fuel all the way to the feeder tubes then snugged up the fuel lines.

After cranking for another 15 min I finally tried to spray some ether and it would fire up as long as I sprayed the ether but as soon as I stopped it would die again.

I checked a few of the injectors and there was diesel in the hole when I pulled them back out so I think it is getting to the injector.

 

My main question is can a cummins turn over and run on ether with low compression?

Could it be to low to run with the diesel but then with the ether it still can?

 

Any info I greatly appreciate and thank you so far for all the responses 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Tex_usa