# David brown 880 will not start!



## Mailrhos (Sep 25, 2016)

Hey, 

I was hoping I could get some help on a problem I am having with my tractor. I have a 1967 David Brown 880 Diesel. It was running great until it started bogging down when in high gear or under a heavy load. While bush hogging a field it shut down rather abruptly and I haven't been able to start it back since. After some investigation I thought maybe it has a bad fuel line or something in the fuel system is wrong. Well I started by replacing the lines and then the fuel lift pump. I ensured I was getting fuel all the way up to the injectors on top of the header. So I believe fuel to be going into the engine. I bled the lines as outlined by what I have read and have air free fuel going in. But the tractor will not fire at all. I tested to see if it would fire by using some starting fluid and it will run so long as I am spraying the fluid directly into the block with the exhaust manifold off. I am using new diesel so This leads me back to my original thought of fuel issue. Could there be a block somewhere I am not thinking of? Could this be a glow plug issue? Or something else? 

Please forgive me if this is a dumb question. This is my first tractor and my first Diesel engine so the mechanics still confuse me. I'm not even sure where the glow plug is entirely. I can find the 12v heater core adapter but not the glow plug. Thank for you time and thank you for your help.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Howdy Mailrhos, welcome to the tractor forum.

You have air in your fuel injection system. Air is compressible, therefore you can see fuel at the injectors (mixed with air), but not enough pressure the open the injectors so they will not fire, and the tractor will not start. 

Have you ever changed the fuel filter? It may be plugged?? 

See attached air purging procedure:
___________________________________________________________

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. Your David Brown 880 tractor probably has a strainer/screen upstream of the filter. It may be attached to the shut-off valve, and positioned up inside the tank. If this is the case, 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. 

Loosen the inlet connection at the pump and purge air at that point. Tighten the connection. Your tractor may have a hand-operated manual fuel pump in the system to assist/pump fuel/purge air. 

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 individual 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.


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## Mailrhos (Sep 25, 2016)

Hey, I have replaced the filters and the pump. I followed your directions and had bubble free fuel flowing into each injector. I still can't get it to fire. Could anything else cause it not to start?


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

You replaced the injection pump? You have bubble free fuel to the injectors.? It may be that the pump timing is off. Study your manual regarding installing the pump.


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## Mailrhos (Sep 25, 2016)

No, I changed the fuel lift pump and the filters but not the injection pump. From the injector lines there is air free fuel flowing when I reconnect each line.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Give it a small shot of ether (starting fluid) down the air intake to see if it will fire.

Also, your cranking speed may be too low....loses too much compression to fire??


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## Mailrhos (Sep 25, 2016)

It will fire with ether but only as long as I am spraying it in. I haven't noticed a change in cranking speed as far as when it was running and now. But, I could be mistaken.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

when you where bleeding the injector pipes, did the fuel come out in a solid spit or dribble ?


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Are you getting return fluid to the tank when cranking?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I wonder if some bad diesel or water in the fuel at some point has done a number on your injectors.


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## HarveyW (Sep 15, 2014)

If it will start with ether, but will not run thereafter, your injectors are not firing. You say that there is solid, air-free fuel to the injectors. I would pull the injectors and have them checked/serviced by a reputable shop. 

Beyond that, your injection pump is suspect. I would tow start it with the injector connections cracked open at first to be certain you have solid fuel to the injectors, then close the connections and see if it will fire.


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## Mailrhos (Sep 25, 2016)

Let's see if I can answer all the questions. When I was bleeding the lines, when I got to the injectors, I unhooked all of them. It took some time but I let fuel come through until it was a solid stream and I tightened each down as I was cranking to ensure each was tightened with solid stream. There is fuel going into the return lines. I drained the tank prior to bleeding and refilled with new diesel. 

Inside the injector casing there is a spring would it cause them not to open if it isn't compressed enough?

Also, I just remembered that before it shut down on me the last time there was a pop, like metal or internal I was in High 2nd gear, and the tractor stopped hard. Almost like what you would feel by just dropping the clutch.


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## HarveyW (Sep 15, 2014)

Quote: "Also, I just remembered that before it shut down on me the last time there was a pop, like metal or internal I was in High 2nd gear, and the tractor stopped hard. Almost like what you would feel by just dropping the clutch."

You may have broken a tooth (or more than one) off of a timing gear. Which immediately alters the injection pump timing. Pull the timing gear cover and have a look.

Before pulling the timing gear cover, to confirm that the injection pump is ok, pull an injector and connect the injection line back to it, bleed as normal, tighten up the line and see if the injector fires. Make sure the injector facing away from you (high pressure). If it fires, most likely timing is off. 

Do you see any white smoke (unburned fuel) out of the exhaust when cranking?


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## Mailrhos (Sep 25, 2016)

I will try checking the injectors as suggested in the AM. As of right now the exhaust coming out is black and is coming out in separate bursts from each cylinder as would be expected.


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## deerhide (Oct 20, 2016)

Check if your 'hot' fuel return is not plugged or kinked. You will need to unscrew the tiny line that runs into the top, front side of the fuel tank. Black smoke indicates overfuelling .....


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