Please Help Straight 350 wont start

[JimmyFunk]

I have a straight 350 dozer that I have not used in three months. We decided to sell the dozer and I had someone come look at it this morning. The dozer would not start and I am looking for some advice. The dozer is a straight 350 with reverser on the dash. It has a rebuilt injection pump with less that 200 hours on it. The last time I used the dozer was in mid october and I used it for three hours. Since that time it has been sitting in my barn and has not been ran moved or anything. The dozer has a mechanical shut off on the fuel pump. I got my book out and checked the troubleshooting section. I went through all of those processes. I bleed all the injectors as good as I could by myself. I pulled intake hose off and used some ether sprayed directly in the intake. The batter was not spinning the dozer as fast as normal so I hooked up a booster and still am getting no fire. It will smoke a little wight smoke. I have never had an issue with this dozer starting. We have had some cold weather recently and it has sat a decent amount of time. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to check or do?

I have also moved all shifting reverser and throttle linkages incase that was causing it. I could not fine a neutral safety wire that I saw in other posts.

[shinnery]

My first thought is that I would make double or triple sure that the mechanical fuel shut off is not stuck in the shut off position. Then that the injector pump is spraying diesel at the necessary times. Maybe take the lines loose at the injectors to see it spray when you crank it? I don't suppose there is any way you can pull start it? Have a hot battery (and booster) so it spins good.
Bryce

[NWJD fan]

How cold was it when you tried starting it? My 350 is unlikely to start below about 20 degrees F without heat. Was it cranking quickly? A weak battery will greatly reduce cold starting ability. If it is not really cold and the engine is not firing with ether a weak battery is a likely cause. If the engine fires with ether but will not sustain then a fuel supply problem (loss of prime, filter blockage-gelling) is likely.

[Scottyb]

I see you have below freezing temperatures. It could be that ice in the bottom of your tank, or perhaps in your injector pump is the problem. Were you getting fuel
spraying from the injectors when you bled them ?

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

White smoke from the stack when cranking tells me you have diesel fuel and air in the cylinders, and that they are too cold for proper compression ignition.

The 350 had the space for two batteries in the box, connected in parallel (12v not in series for 24v) for increased current capacity for cold weather starting.

These have no glow plugs, so long periods of cranking of the starter while it spits white smoke is how they eventually get running. Hence the dual batteries in parallel.

Oh, and pull the lever on the hydraulic pump drive to disconnect the load on the crank prior to trying to start these when it is cold.

Stan

[Tigerhaze]

The hydraulic disconnect is a good idea if it works; can make a big difference in cranking speed. Other issues could include a worn starter that results in slower crank speeds.

I would try to get the crawler warmed up some before trying to start to see if it is solely the cold fluids and such or has other issues. Can you heat the portion of the barn that the crawler sites in? Warm fluids do wonders for starting.

[MarkW]

I'll chime in too on the "might be too cold" option.

If you have a torpedo style space heater you can toss a tarp over the crawler and stick the snout of the heater under the tarp and let it run for an hour or 3. If the tarp isn't big enough to cover the entire machine then just cover the motor with it. The heater can melt tarps so make a box or tunnel out of some sheet metal, pieces of plywood (learn 2 together to make a V tunnel), or 55 gal drum with bottom cut out.

Mine has a block heater I plug in a couple hours before, but anything you can do to get it warm, and the warmer the better IMHO.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

When I lived in the hills of New York Stste, I used a 'jet engine' heater aimed from the rear to blow heated air into the rear opening of the belly pan on my diesel 350. In a half hour it would fire up just fine when it was below zero out.

If I didn't do that, it would not want to run when below zero. Just spit white smoke while running the starter. I could kill both batteries doing that and not have anything but a mosquito killing cloud of white smoke in the barn for my trouble....

Stan

[NWJD fan]

Yet another consideration is oil viscosity. If you are using 15-40 you may not crank fast enough in temps down around 10 degrees F or less. Summer diesel can complicate matters as well. Throw in a weak battery. Heat will help with all these issues. If the machine is in a sheltered location even a 1500 watt space heater blowing onto the tarped in engine for a few hours can make a difference. Charge your battery while you are at it or boost with a warm well charged battery.

[pondhogvt]

I agree with everyones' suggestions,,, but I cannot stress the use of additives and winter grade fuel...you have summer grade fuel and then it got cold.

If that fuel gelled as they all do with cold weather.. it is easiest to put in new fuel add some 911 additive..

unhook fuel line from lift pump and make sure fuel is reaching pump!!

if not blow back through the line to tank to dislodge gelled fuel and ice...

when fuel starts flowing reconnect line to pump..

take off fuel filter and throw it away.. Install new filter and open bleeder line..

If you have air compressor blow air into fuel tank filler hole by holding a hand or rag around blow tube to pressurize the tank and this will fill the filter and start to run out the bleeder hole... saves a ton of hand pumping and starter wear.. usually they will fire rightup after this with only one more bleedoff of air from filter..

Did this myself last week... had summer fuel in dozer from fall.. dozer started right up and then died...

this minus 15 to minus 20 does it everytime..goodluck.. Mark.

[cantbeatadeere]

No question it's a cold /cold fuel and cranking speed issue.