PERKINS PROBLEMS

[way2deep]

my friend has bought a perkins3.9 powered rangie that won't start when cold..it only turns over for a couple of seconds and the battery dies.question is do these engines need two batteries to fire them up or do they need a high cranking battery.starts fine once warmed up.unfortunately he bought it while it was hot so we did not know it had this problem..

[hobbit]

First off get the battery checked out, see if its up to the job, no downed cells and strong enough

Check the glow plug circuit is working (if fitted?), and pull out and check the glow plugs themselves

If the starter works ok when warm, more than likely its ok

IF you have another vehicle there try putting jump leads on it and seeing what happens

[johnniep]

i got a 6.3 perkins straight 6 in a rangie classic and it used to startfine then the starter died and needed servicin and then after that its been fine, does smoke a bit on startup in the cold but does start sweet as anut,but does run quite a big battery but not huge,
j.p :twisted:

[Miniman]

My perkins starts off one battery. The Pre heater is on the manifold of my engine. I is supposed to glow a wire in the manifold whilst it is being cranked. The fuel line which goes to this drops a small drip of fuel on the wire which I have been told then causes a small explosion which is sucked into th engine.....Not sure about this method myself.

I personaly think it does this but its not a explision I think it sucks the vapor which is cause buy the fuel hitting the hot wire which is then sucked in and makes a better combustion. My engine will NOT start without this connected. My battery is not huge its a old Renault Van battery off a renault traffic 2.5 diesel.

[gtomo2]

got a perkins 3ktr in mine and i use twin batterys not big ones just normal car batterys if the glow plugs are coming on the same time as you turn the engine over it will kill the batterys pritty quick. I have my glow plugs on a manual button so i pre wqarm before starting up and had no problems doing it this way

[Miniman]

Who told you that if the glow plugs come on at the same time it will flatten the battery? first the 3 litre has a single glow plug in the manifold and that alone will draw may be 30 Amps. A starter motor may draw 250amps I very much doubt that the heater plug is going to flatten your battery that quick. But yes its a good idea to have it on a push button. I was toying with the idea of wiring it to the starter solinoid so that when you turn the key to crank it comes on.... Will try this at some point and let you know.....

[hobbit]

Who told you that if the glow plugs come on at the same time it will flatten the battery? first the 3 litre has a single glow plug in the manifold and that alone will draw may be 30 Amps. A starter motor may draw 250amps I very much doubt that the heater plug is going to flatten your battery that quick. But yes its a good idea to have it on a push button. I was toying with the idea of wiring it to the starter solinoid so that when you turn the key to crank it comes on.... Will try this at some point and let you know.....

Use a blow lamp down the inlet, should do the job, all the one glow plug is an igniter to burn diesel to take in warm air

[gtomo2]

mine has 4 glow plugs one for each cyl  :shock:

[hobbit]

I didn't read the whole thread
But
If they are not working you can still do it, all the glow plugs do is warm up the air anyway, or disconnect the glow plug circuit and try to start this way

[Miniman]

A flamestart consists of a narrow bore nozzle connected by copper tube to some pressurised part of the fuel system (usually uses a take-off pipe from the top of the fuel filter housing). There is a small valve built into the nozzle which I think is controlled by a bimetallic strip, although it may be a small solenoid valve. In front of the nozzle is a coil of resistance wire. There is a spade terminal mounted on the body, which is earthed via the manifold into which it is screwed.

When you feed power to the spade terminal, the coil becomes white hot, and the valve opens. When you then turn the engine over, diesel is sprayed out of the nozzle onto the coil, where it ignites. The whole assembly sits at the outer end of the inlet manifold, and hot air is drawn into the combustion chambers. When the power is cut, the fuel supply shuts off. Very simple - you need a flat aluminium plate welded to the inlet manifold somewhere near no. 1 cylinder, then drilled and tapped to take the flamestart.

Take a look at a Perkins 4.203 or 4.236 diesel to see the installation - these engines were used in various tractors, combines, Dodge 50 series vans and also turn up a lot in old Range Rovers. There is a tractor and combine breaker somewhere out near Haverhill - can't remember the name, but he's in the Yellow Pages.

A flamestart draws a lot less current than a set of heater plugs, which is handy. I have never had any trouble starting flamestart equipped diesels, even at minus ten degrees. The Ford Transit 2.5Di (which has no heater plugs as standard) offered a flamestart option for Arctic use.

[barmiebrumie]

Hi, i have a 3.9 in my Rangie, it also has one of them flame thingy's,

A while ago i had problems starting it, found out the starter was worn out, had it reconned & at the same time wired up twin batterys it now turns over faster than most petrol engines :shock: ,

The flame start on mine glows for about 5 seconds & then lets some fuel through & sets alight & is drawn in to the manifold, fires up a treat, just bought two new flame/glow thingy's of ebay only £10 each :lol: , fitted one in & one for spare ,

Mine is also on a push button.


Hope this helps  John.

[Miniman]

mine has 4 glow plugs one for each cyl  :shock:

OK you say its a 3L which engine is it.

[gtomo2]

mine has 4 glow plugs one for each cyl  :shock:

OK you say its a 3L which engine is it.

That is the million pound question everyone thinks it is a mazda/perkins one of the first that they prouduced. The diesel garage i use say its a normal perkins but are un sure if its a 3l or 3.8 as it came out of a forklifter we think log book says 3l and the engine number is just 5 numbers with nothing else on the engine anywere so its is a bit of puzzler all i now is it gos like s**t off a shovel compared to other diesels. So if anyone out there wants to come and have a look at it please feel free to :shock:

[Miniman]

Can you get a picture of it. Also if its a 4203 3.3L or a 4236 3.9L it will have the engine No under the injector pump out of sight. Very hard to see. Get a photo of it and we can all have a look.

[gtomo2]

just pit some on now will do better ones at the weekend http://members.mud-club.com/profiles/gtomo2/gallery/engine

[MADMAN]

looks like the perkins / mazda 3.0slt motor to me but im not expert!

[blackbob]

just read about flame start thingy got one on my dodge s56 bus and just found that it had it and it works been having cold start prob cos i didnt know it had one ta very much for this info :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

[Miniman]

just read about flame start thingy got one on my dodge s56 bus and just found that it had it and it works been having cold start prob cos i didnt know it had one ta very much for this info :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

Not a problem mate. It works on mine aswell. It dont like to start without it. Dodge s56 so what size engine is that. If ya dont know have you a engine No may be able to get you the size....

[blackbob]

my dodge has a 4l turbo only done 12000 mile from new was ex fire service on a 1988 e reg tows a series 3 on an A bar no prob

[Miniman]

Turbo Humm Yummy. That be a good engine for a series....