DieselTalk

DieselEngineTrader's FREE Diesel Engine Forums

new topic search Categories login View Caterpillar Engines

CATEGORY LISTINGS > CATERPILLAR > need advice! 3204 filling up with fuel

[ REFRESH ]

Thread Title:

need advice! 3204 filling up with fuel

Created On Saturday January 02, 2010 16:11

andrewski69

Posts: 13
Joined: Dec 2009

Saturday January 02, 2010 16:11
i got a newly rebuilt 3204 thats leaking fuel internally. in about 15 minutes the oil level went up about 2 qts. would this be the pump or the internal lines{under valve cover}? the motor runs ok,but doesn't idle very well, smokes some too,starts hard. thanks

Quote

Top

Bottom

catmech

Posts: 326
Joined: Nov 2005

Saturday January 02, 2010 17:39

is this the same one with the timing problem? I did not ask if it was a pre combustion style or direct injection. there is a possibility that the transfer pump is leaking into the oil system where it is mounted, if the transfer pump is worn a lot. if it is a pc type the nozzles may not have been seated and torqued correctly. believe they torque to 55 lb.ft on nut. you need to make sure the nozzle is tight on the adapter before you put it in the chamber. if they are di style, was the white sealing washer or band changed before they were put in and is the right spacer washer being used at the top of the nozzle. torque the clamp and retaining bolt to 20 lb.ft. also make sure the seal on the line end of nozzle going to the injection is new. one other thing are they exchange or new nozzles, or did you re-use the original ones?

Quote

Top

Bottom

andrewski69

Posts: 13
Joined: Dec 2009

Saturday January 02, 2010 17:58

thanks, i just took the valve cover off and started the motor, immedialey saw fuel leaking around injector. but i can't be sure if fuel was coming from line nut/flare or could it be from the injector where theres a lock nut? yes this is the same 3204 with a timimg problem. thanks for you help, the timing was off 180 as near as i can figure. bought the plate from cat, timed it from scratch viola! i didn't rebuild myself, so i can't be positive as to new nozzles, but i believe they're the old ones with new glow plugs.pretty sure this motor isn't direct injection.

Quote

Top

Bottom

andrewski69

Posts: 13
Joined: Dec 2009

Saturday January 02, 2010 18:04

oh catmech, iforgot , i looked in inspection hole on top of transfer pump while idleing seemed to be ok, just oil.are the internal lines supposed to be replaced like some detroit diesels? how do i take nozzles out and torque properly? looks like i may need a special fork to remove nozzles or tighten? the head was redone, wouldn't all of the nozzzles have to be removed to do this?

Edited: Saturday January 02, 2010 at 18:07 by andrewski69

Quote

Top

Bottom

catmech

Posts: 326
Joined: Nov 2005

Saturday January 02, 2010 18:35

if you have glow plugs they call it a pc that stands for pre-combustion chambered engine. you take the line off and take the nut off. we that do engines all the time have gotten a hold of a old fuel line, we cut the nut off that fits the nozzle end and make a slide hammer to pop out the nozzle and adapter. when you put the nozzle on the adapter we spin it with our fingers tell it hits the adapter that is held with the other hand. do not tighten it on with a pair of pliers, just over finger tight will do. put it back it the chamber and tighten the nut to 55 lb.ft. then tighten the fuel line nut to 35 lb.ft. remember to change the seals on the line end. use a wrench to hold the adapter going through the cylinder head to get a good torque there. does this help? one other thing try to clean the bore where the nozzles go in, carbon could have built up in the chamfered end at the bottom, we use a small round brush that will fit in the hole.

Edited: Saturday January 02, 2010 at 18:52 by catmech

Quote

Top

Bottom

andrewski69

Posts: 13
Joined: Dec 2009

Saturday January 02, 2010 20:15
great, thanks! igot it all but the seal on the line end? am i missing something? you are refering to the last piece of fuel line where it tightens onto the nozzle, right? basically a flare fitting?

Quote

Top

Bottom

catmech

Posts: 326
Joined: Nov 2005

Saturday January 02, 2010 21:23
sorry that one does not have seals on the line ends, thinking of the later ones. nuts on the jumper line are the same size on yours. the later ones have a 7/8 nut and seal on the other end. again sorry.

Quote

Top

Bottom

andrewski69

Posts: 13
Joined: Dec 2009

Sunday January 03, 2010 07:28
if we used the same nozzles, which are probably pretty old , do i need to check the space or height so the nut squeezing them seals properly. this is where i have leakage, but i can't tell if its the nut to hold nozzle or seal from line to nozzle. or in other words do the nozzles actually get shorter after they've been torqued in a few times?

Quote

Top

Bottom

catmech

Posts: 326
Joined: Nov 2005

Sunday January 03, 2010 11:28

they do get a little shorter in length the first time they are tightened, but not much after that. but if they are swelled out on the sides, meaning they are not straight down the length then they have been over tightened. you can have them checked for pop pressure if there is a dealer near you, some charge some don't. but if they do it should not take over and hour for all four to be done.
you said this engine was over hauled, did they use a short block, long block or just fix it? the pistons in a pc engine have a metal plug in the middle of them, that keeps the fuel from burning a hole in them.
if the engine still does not run right and smokes a lot all the time it is possible they used the wrong pistons. I only bring this up as a final thing, because have seen it done in engines that were pc and some one put in di and vise a versa.

Quote

Top

Bottom

andrewski69

Posts: 13
Joined: Dec 2009

Sunday January 03, 2010 19:01
catmech thanks alot for your help! i finally got the thing to run perfectly today, i took apart each line and nozzle one at a time and put back together very carefully to factory torque specs, and they didn't leak???? i was hopeing to find a smoking gun???didn't but am happy because it runs excellent!! thanks again for your wisdom!!!

Quote

Top

Bottom

catmech

Posts: 326
Joined: Nov 2005

Sunday January 03, 2010 21:54
glad it helped! thanks for letting me know it worked.

Quote

Top

Bottom

CATEGORY LISTINGS > CATERPILLAR

[ REFRESH ]

Customer Testimonials

'Although there are other sites on the internet, DieselEngineTrader.com shows the equipment details very well, is maintained in a professional way and has helped us to sell engines. Keep up the good work!'

Peter van Lelieveld, DELTA TRADING BV Holland

'Over 50% of my sales come through DieselEngineTrader.com - I really like the site, it's the best website for advertising my inventory.'

Jim Williams, Diesel Power Train Co., Colbert, WA, USA

'Great program, real easy to list engines.'

Mike Howell, Eaglemark 4 Equipment, Ohio, USA

DieselTalk

need advice! 3204 filling up with fuel

Customer Testimonials

Newsletter