How not to kill a high pressure / common rail / modern ECU controlled diesel engine

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Christmas is over, and the first of the New Year has passed.

Young men thoughts turn to spring planting and getting ready for the big push BEFORE the ground thaws.

To this end local dealerships hold seminars and send out e-mails advise to their clients. Successful clients are happy clients and have more money to buy shiny new equipment. They want us to be successful so we have money to spend. They are very honest about this fact.

To this end our local JD dealership has put on seminars on a lot of things hoping to keep us happy and successful. One area we get lectured on is how to maintain the fuel system of our common rail high pressure diesel engines. I thought I would share some thoughts on this issue for arguements.

++++ So how not to kill the newer CRHP ECU controlled engines from your neighbourhood friendly JD tech. ++++

Quality Fuel plays a big roll

Diesel contamination is #1 cause of system failure.

• Fuel purity and quality seems to be often neglected and seems to be going down every season.
• Only purchase diesel from trusted / high volume stations
• Never us diluted or old fuel
• Bio-diesel older than 2 months and pure petroleum more than 2 years need to be avoided. Seasonally fresh and appropriate is critical. If you are a low use user then you will need to consider making a solution. Avoid and we will see you in short order.
• Water contamination is a killer and seem almost daily in the repair shops. Explosive erosion on injector tips is becoming more and more common. Don’t neglect your water separator. Neglecting seems very common.
• Why are people not filling their tanks before storage of more than a couple of weeks? If storing for more than a month top up your tank so that air space is as little as possible. Can you do this and still keep your fuel seasonally appropriate and current? Well thatch a solution you will need to figure out!
• Stabilizers / biocides are now considered a must if you are dropping boidiesel in your tanks and are not turning over your fuel supplies every 4 to 8 weeks. Neglect and we will see you often asking you to dig deep deep into your pockets for much more than spare change.
• Bring in your machine with a toasted injector and don’t be surprised to see a $1k bill per injector. Less of course if you do it yourself but why even risk it. Take care and we hope to never have to do it for you. Remember a lot of diesel injectors now need to be registered into the ECU to work properly or even at all as often injectors have unique characteristics between batches and for sure between manufacturers that need to be adjusted for. The benefits of HPCR and ECU systems comes with some downsides and this is one of them downsides.
• If you choose to use jerry cans, always use a filtered funnel. They are cheap and pay for themselves over time!

Maintenance save big money:
- Maintenance is critical to avoid expensive repairs
- pressures in excess of 40,000 psi is common
- system tolerances of down to 1 micron is common

Filters and seperators:

• At minimum follow your OEM intervals for filter and oil changes.
• Weekly we are seeing partially clogged filters of questionable quality. Sure you might save $20 or $50 on a filter kit going non OEM or re-using but the chance of toasting an injector or 3 goes way up. A 1 micron contaoinmate is all thatch needed to toast an injector.
• At least change them out every second oil change.
• Never pre-fill your filters before installing! Doing so might introduce a contaminate after the filter medium. A 1 micron piece of contaminate after the filter can take out an injector. Don’t do it. The risk of damage is great and costs can be large.
• Don’t neglect oil changes as degraded oil could cause injector residue buildup.

Clean the fuel system frequently

• Top shelf fuel additives should be used faithfully. Pressure cleaning is also recommended.
• Inspect for leaks and moisture and dampness and stains. 30,000 psi is a lot of pressure.
• Replce injector seals every 500 hrs.... sure this is not in the manual but the downside of leaking injectors leads to a very expensive engine repair.

Other important stuff

• if you are going to work on any part of your fuel system, shut off the engine and grab a coffee and wait. Wait at least a few minutes. The 30k pressure needs to bleed down before cracking anything open.
• So you want to idle your engine while you stop for a piece of pie? Not recomended for a lot of reasons ranging from exhaust buildups, bad temperature fluctuations, etc.... just shut it down after a brief cool down cycle.
• Engine lugging: are you running your machinery “like you stole it”, or using the 100hp tractor for a job that needs the 150 is bad news. High pressure pump replacements often seem to be in the near future for guys under sizing their equipment or lugging engines.

So I found a lot of this kinda self evident, a little controversial maybe?
For me I was never an additive user but have recently converted and now use it regularly.
I also used to often pre-fill my fuel filters and water separators. Maybe now I won't.

figured I would share as sure this is going to be the topic of discussion around the coffee shop over next few days so any ammunition to make me look smarter to my peers/cronies always welcome.

 

[GeoHorn]

For me I was never an additive user but have recently converted and now use it regularly.

So, what made you change?

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Thank you very much for sharing this !

There is a lot to be said for modern Diesel engines in terms of effiency and emissions but considering all the points above I will stay with old style mechanical injection pump pre-chamber engines, also in my cars.

And no electronics rubbish to be disposed of at the end of its useful life. The old type engines are pretty much 100% recyclable and hence sustainable. The new ones are not.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

So, what made you change?

I have mellowed and are learning just cause I did or thought something one way for 3/4 of a century doesn't mean I will never have to change or never admit I was wrong?
Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper

At our coffee shop mornings fuel quality has clearly become a major concern. Lots suffer from fuel problems. Dare I say the #1 preventative problem now????

Maybe I have just been blessed to avoid the worst of it for sure, does my fuel supplier only delivers to us petroleum diesel help???. When a JD tech who is knee deep in training and learning passes on some wisdom I will listen. Sure I will argue its who I am (always taking the other side hoping to get good discussion and learnings for all) but in the end Momma told me never to be so stubbborn to avoid expert advice.

I have always seemed to have very small repair bills compared to my peers. Some due because we do a lot of our own work. Some due because we treat our equipment lightly. And a lot I think because we listen to what others tell us and sometimes / reluctantly change our ways.

So last 18 months I learned to use the biocide more often.
Anti gel used to be used maybe only a few weeks a year during coldest weeks / now maybe more like a couple of months a year just in case temp gets lower than expected.
Luckily never had to use emergency treatments like 911.
Change my fuel filters and water separators more often as the cost of new injectors seem crazy expensive.

Final thought... we don't have a lot of standby / used / sorta - kinda functional equipment laying around anymore that can be fired up and used in a pinch. This new computerized stuff doesn't age well. Doubt we will see computerized equipment sitting in the weeds for a decade being fired up with a fresh battery and shot of ether like we did back in my prime years.

 

[McMXi]

• Never pre-fill your filters before installing! Doing so might introduce a contaminate after the filter medium. A 1 micron piece of contaminate after the filter can take out an injector. Don’t do it. The risk of damage is great and costs can be large.

So this warning is only for fuel filters? If an engine oil or hydraulic oil filter is orientated in such a way that I can fill it prior to installing then that's what I've done for years and will continue to do. I take the necessary steps to ensure that I'm not introducing contamination, and after many decades of trouble-free ownership of too many engine equipped things to count, I must be doing something right.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

So this warning is only for fuel filters? If an engine oil or hydraulic oil filter is orientated in such a way that I can fill it prior to installing then that's what I've done for years and will continue to do. I take the necessary steps to ensure that I'm not introducing contamination, and after many decades of trouble-free ownership of too many engine equipped things to count, I must be doing something right.

I think so ... only fuel filters / water separators as this was the topic de-jour we were being lectured on.

Our local JD and Kubota dealerships are very proactive around here with their customers being helpful, useful and service oriented. They will stop by the coffee shop to buy a round and talk all things farming just to help out and build good will. i guess they find this a great place and time to get in front of a dozen users at a time. Better than hunting at a trade show i suppose.

Part of the new service / kinder-gentler approach to business I suppose vs. just cheapest price over the internet with no service or assistance kinda places.

If the JD tech was correct that a particle as small as a 1 micron piece of contaminate can make damage to a fuel system fuel must flow through a filter before heading to the injectors makes sense. 1 micron is crazy small. I know bottom of plastic gas cans can often be seen with junk in them so guess I can understand why not to fill fuel filters / separators before hand. Can also understand better now why fuel mould, bacteria, fungus and water and rust etc... can be so damaging. Crazy tight tolerances on those pumps and injectors make them sensitive.

 

[Blue2Orange]

Thanks to the OP for the post.

Don't remember or doesn't exist. A water separator on the BX2380? Just two fuel filters, the plastic inline things. I'm assuming one filter for the injector pump and one for the lift pump? But where is the water separator?

Have been using a funnel that looks like the Mr.Funnels sold for the past + couple decades and will continue using on the BX. Especially if there is no water separator. Condensation in the tank moisture hopefully will be kept at a minimum with topping off the tank and additives. But only using PowerService anti-gel cetane booster in the winter. Now considering something for warm conditions if no water separator.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Thanks to the OP for the post.

Don't remember or doesn't exist. A water separator on the BX2380? Just two fuel filters, the plastic inline things. I'm assuming one filter for the injector pump and one for the lift pump? But where is the water separator?

Have been using a funnel that looks like the Mr.Funnels sold for the past + couple decades and will continue using on the BX. Especially if there is no water separator. Condensation in the tank moisture hopefully will be kept at a minimum with topping off the tank and additives. But only using PowerService anti-gel cetane booster in the winter. Now considering something for warm conditions if no water separator.

There is no water separator on that model.

 

[Shawn T. W]

If the bx has a clear plastic/glass bowl/cup around one of the fuel filters, you should be able to see the difference in color if there is water settled in the bottom of it just by looking at it ... I use red dyed off-road diesel ...

If you see the clear water in the bottom, time to remove and empty the fuel bowl/cup, and replace the filter while you're at it ...

Unfortunately there is no petcock to make draining easy!

Bio-diesel seems to have a higher chance of having water, or attracting water, I don't use it ...

I know the little JD's have a little ring in the bottom that will float up on the top of the water to make it easier to see the water line ... My Massey Ferguson doesn't, I just have to look, but have never seen any water in my clear filter housing in almost 740 hours of use.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Just a thought I had ... Are the little "less than 25 HP" engines while "tier 4 compliant" they don't have an ECU, but do they have the high pressure injection pumps like the newer bigger ones have?

While water isn't good in any fuel system, just wondering if that is why they don't have the water separator, petcock on them???

Also maybe a factor ... Most of theses little tractor's are usually run less than 50 hours a year, and they are very fuel efficient, so not a lot flowing through the filter housing anyways ...

 

[Trash Panda]

Just a thought I had ... Are the little "less than 25 HP" engines while "tier 4 compliant" they don't have an ECU, but do they have the high pressure injection pumps like the newer bigger ones have?

While water isn't good in any fuel system, just wondering if that is why they don't have the water separator, petcock on them???

Also maybe a factor ... Most of theses little tractor's are usually run less than 50 hours a year, and they are very fuel efficient, so not a lot flowing through the filter housing anyways ...

For the life of me, I cannot think of a HPCR engine under 25hp.

I’m not saying one doesn’t exist, I’m just at a loss when it comes to coming up with an example of one.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I know the little JD's have a little ring in the bottom that will float up on the top of the water to make it easier to see the water line ... My Massey Ferguson doesn't, I just have to look, but have never seen any water in my clear filter housing in almost 740 hours of use.

I talked with the kids about our smaller engines (especially this bowl / ring issue) just a few months ago and had them check all of them for water "just because" type of discussion . You know the old man trying to conveye some wisdom to the younger generation. With winter about to set in why not and part of my job of conveying good practices type of stuff to the younger generation.

Report back was we had little or no water BUT they were surprised how much "snot" (that slimy / greasy stuff) was built up in almost all of the bowls. Couldn't see it through the bowls but once removed sure easy to run your finger around it and feel the stuff.

Almost all of the bowls?..... yup didn't see or have much water but did catch a lot of the slime. I was shocked. Was a big reason why I got converted from a never use additive type of guy cause I can almost always keep my fuel current and seasonally appropriate to one that has much much more respect for the need to respect and take care of potential fuel issues.

Now I ask family and others to make sure the fuel system filters, bowls, filters, and additive use is never let fall behind. Fuel system problems (fingers crossed) have mostly avoided our yard site. I am shocked though how many almost on consistent basis bitch about fuel system problems like when its time to clean up after a snow storm and can't start there sub compacts.....

the kids love it as they come home with handfuls of $20's from the locals. Look what I made they shout, X Y & Z down the road couldn't get their sub compact, garden tractor, or whatever diesel started so I took one of ours to blow/push/bucket out their driveways and they gave me all this! great I shout back, you going to contribute to our fuel bill with all that cheddar?

to heck with the lemonade stand... kids getting paid to clear snow is the "BOMB??"

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Just a thought I had ... Are the little "less than 25 HP" engines while "tier 4 compliant" they don't have an ECU, but do they have the high pressure injection pumps like the newer bigger ones have?

No they do not have high pressure injection pumps or common rail.
That requires a ECU/ECM to control.

 

[Shawn T. W]

No they do not have high pressure injection pumps or common rail.
That requires a ECU/ECM to control.

That's what I figured ... But even in the "low pressure" system, water is still a bad thing, just not as destructive as the high pressure emissions required systems ...

Roughly what psi do the older ones like my 2005 L5030 or the little BX's run?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That's what I figured ... But even in the "low pressure" system, water is still a bad thing, just not as destructive as the high pressure emissions required systems ...

Roughly what psi do the older ones like my 2005 L5030 or the little BX's run?

Yes water is not good for either system!

1991 PSI to 2133 PSI is what spec calls for.
And yes this is still considered a low pressure system.

Kubota Common rail high pressure systems are 17,400 PSI to 29,000 PSI.