Starting a long dormant diesel engine

[Kuncicky]

Without going into a lot of detail, I want to get a diesel engine back into operation which has not been run in 10 years. It ran fine up until it wasn't used anymore.


So the question has to do with procedure. Obviously replace fuel filter(s), use fresh fuel, manually clear any air out of fuel line. Make sure input cooling water mechanism is working.



If and when it starts, change oil and filter. But that can't be done until it runs, so that the oil can be warmed up.


Any thoughts? Tips? Comments?


Thanks,
Bill

 

[toocoys]

My only comment is that you should definitely video the first start, because we'd all like to see it.

 

[ofer]

my recommendation is to do as little as possible. I would not touch any fuel related items at all. that will create questions if something goes wrong in the starting process.

only thing would be spinning the engine manually two complete turns. try it, if it starts turn it off and work on the rest of the supporting systems.

 

[ofer]

My only comment is that you should definitely video the first start, because we'd all like to see it.

you have gas engines. they are the only ones needs videoing.

 

[HiDHo]

I’m no expert but I would remove the injectors, put some motor oil in each cylinder enough to cover the piston head so the cylinder walls get coated. Then turn the engine flywheel by hand to loosen up the rings. I would change the oil and filters before starting it. Clean fuel, bleed the injectors, cross your fingers and try starting it. Good Luck

 

[High Wire]

If it was mine, I would use a vacuum changer to suck out the old oil then replace with new before even hand barring over the engine. It can’t hurt. Pumping 10 yo sludge through the bearings can.

 

[alormaria]

I would just start it.



But then, it's not mine.

 

[Choices]

If you replace oil, fill new filter. Try to prs oil system. Turn by hand then spin it up. Good luck.

 

[Solly]

Think I'd go ahead and change the oil and filter too. Can't hurt getting any crud out you can and fresh oil would be a plus. Bump the starter to make sure it'll turn over. Then crank with the fuel shutoff engaged until you see some signs of oil pressure. Then let it fire up.

 

[KnotYet]

I’m no expert but I would remove the injectors, put some motor oil in each cylinder enough to cover the piston head so the cylinder walls get coated. Then turn the engine flywheel by hand to loosen up the rings. I would change the oil and filters before starting it. Clean fuel, bleed the injectors, cross your fingers and try starting it. Good Luck

For an engine that ran when it was stored R&R-ing the injectors is a lot of work.
Putting any liquid into a diesel cylinder is asking for hydrolock trouble, too. Go easy!

A lot depends on which engine you have and how it was stored. Was the boat on the dry?

 

[Dwk]

Starting a dormant diesel

Following with interest,hoping Ski chimes in...

 

[Bacchus]

I’m no expert but I would remove the injectors, put some motor oil in each cylinder enough to cover the piston head so the cylinder walls get coated. Then turn the engine flywheel by hand to loosen up the rings. I would change the oil and filters before starting it. Clean fuel, bleed the injectors, cross your fingers and try starting it. Good Luck

Good thought but wonder if a soak with some diesel would do better at penetrating & loosening up anything "sticky"?
Waiting for SKI to chime in here

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Put a fresh battery in it, check the oil level and hit the starter.

It will probably start. Once it is running check for cooling water out the back end.

Depending on how much fuel is in the tanks, add a diesel conditioner or Seafoam and run the hell out of it.

pete

 

[Arc]

Bar over engine 2 times. Then start it.

 

[gsholz]

That dry start will take years of life off the engine. If it is a high value engine, I'd pre-lube it. Apply oil pressure until you see oil at top of engine. Can be done with a 2 gallon garden sprayer at 20 psi. Use oil pressure sender location to access oil galleries. Short of that, I'd at least crank it over with fuel disabled until oil pressure shows.

 

[STB]

1. I'd turn it over once by hand. If you can't turn it, you've got more work to do to break it loose.

2. I'd look at, smell, and feel the fluids (coolant, oil, fuel). And, if they don't seem good, I'd change them and filters before starting. If the fuel seems bad, I'd start it from a 5 gallon bucket of fresh. Little is gained by running bad fluids. If in doubt, change them.

3. I'd check controls, especially for neutral, idle throttle, and most especially shutoff. I'd disconnect and operate from engine room, if needed.

4. I'd put a mechanical oil pressure gauge on and have an IR temp gauge nearby.

5. I would check seacocks, strainers, and water to the engine.

6. I'd check air filter and air intake


7. I'd check battery.

8. I'd check fuel valves, change fuel filtersc(need it or not) and prime, thereby verifying fuel to the engine

8. I'd try to start it, giving the starter long breaks between attempts. If you have glow plugs or a block heater they can't hurt.

9. If it runs, verify water flow, keep anneye onntemp and oil pressure. You can debug performance issues from there.

10. I wouldn't let it run long as 1st. Once 4unning, there is a lot to check over.

 

[GoneDiving]

That dry start will take years of life off the engine...

Or just start start it, blip the throttle repeatedly while oil pressure if still building, then just mash the throttle to see if the governor has stuck and enables over 8000 rpm.

Don't forget to video in landscape mode.

Never fails on YouTube. ?

 

[ksanders]

As others have indicated i would just crank it over and see if it runs after checking the fluid levels.

If it does not run then I would then and only then start troubleshooting.

 

[STB]

That dry start will take years of life off the engine. If it is a high value engine, I'd pre-lube it. Apply oil pressure until you see oil at top of engine. Can be done with a 2 gallon garden sprayer at 20 psi. Use oil pressure sender location to access oil galleries. Short of that, I'd at least crank it over with fuel disabled until oil pressure shows.

This isn't bad advice, either. I was figuring the priming would get the gullies full. But if the lumpvhad somehow lost its prime, this might fix that, too.

 

[DavidM]

I too hope Ski chimes in. I suspect his advice would be to bar it over first and prelube the oil system. Also be prepared for a run away as the fuel injection system can stick in place after sitting that long.

David

 

[FF]

"That dry start will take years of life off the engine."

Actually every start after the engine has set for a day is a dry start.

The oil pump is geared and sunk in oil so just turning the engine over as it starts lubes most engines.

The exception is huge engines (diesel tug and ship) where the lube oil is heated and then pumped , and large piston aircraft engines where all 27 cylinders , and valve gear are a long way from the oil pump.

 

[mvweebles]

I would just start it.



But then, it's not mine.

With exception of changing oil,, that's what I did after sitting for years. Perkins 4.236. Ran fine.

My sense is we baby our engines too much.

Peter

 

[Boatcrazy]

following

 

[Tiffany]

My Perkins 6-354 manual recommends removing the valve cover and squirting fresh oil liberally over the rocker arms and shaft, allowing some to drip down to tappets and onto valve stems. After barring the engine over by hand, turn the engine over with the starter but with the fuel shut-off pulled. The engine should pump oil up into the galleys without firing, and show oil pressure. Once you see pressure on the guage dial you'll know that there is fresh oil in the bearings.

 

[mikecambrai]

Bar it over two revolutions, pull out the stop lever or disconnect the run solenoid, turn the engine over on the starter motor until the oil pressure shows, then start her up.

 

[lady sue]

Diesel start after a decade

Reluctant to say it, but I would pay a trained diesel mechanic to do everything the members have suggested...and check the fuel tank(s) for sediment.

Jim Ferry

 

[adornato]

Dormant diesel

Never heard of a Dormant. Is it German?

Seriously, be sure to give us followup on what you did and how/if it started. I am betting it started right up

 

[Lepke]

I've started many long sitting diesels. Some more than 20 years. The fuel system is a closed system and is generally in the state it was left in. Today's old fuel doesn't burn very well. When in doubt, I pump new fuel thru the engine's fuel lines. Engines with injector pumps, I flush the injector tubes and then the normal air bleeding. They start every time. If there's no sign of water in the oil, I don't change oil until after the engine has run to temperature.

If it's a Detroit 2 cycle or similar mechanical injector engine, I run a 12v pump with new fuel for a couple minutes, start the engine, and go on to other things.

 

[Kit_L]

^^What Tiffany said.

My Perkins Sabre has the same instructions: fuel cutoff button held in, crank until you see oil pressure (took 25" for full pressure to read when my engine had been left for 12 months), and let fuel cutoff button up. Mine fired immediately. Please do video the first start!

 

[Nomad Willy]

I would be thinking of putting some “SeaFoam” in the cylinders and letting it sit for a day or two. That will loosen up the rings in the ring lands. Then in addition to having some compression you’ll have a huge cloud of white smoke with start-up.

Getting the SeaFoam to the outer edges of the cylinder may be problematic as many diesel pistons have a dish like depression in the top of the pistons. Thus the SeaFoam may not get to the outside of the pistons and down to the rings. It would be nice to be able to lean the engine over about 30 degrees but ….?