6.2 won't start

[6.2 Cruiser]

After sitting for approx 7 months my 6.2 won't start. I had the engine out to replace a mangled flex plate, now it cranks fine but will not start. Prior to this it has run great. Maybe I'm overlooking something obvious that you guys can point out. FUEL - added 10 gallons of fresh diesel to the 3 gallons that were in the tank. Lift pump is delivering fuel to the Racor on the firewall. Clear tubing on return line on IP shows no bubbles. Return lines are free from obstruction. Double hose clamps on all fuel line connections. Loosened injection lines at injectors and fuel is present when cranking. HPCA (?) solenoid on IP clicks when power is applied. Refilled IP with fresh diesel. Voltage at glow plugs is good. If I give it a shot of ether or WD40 before cranking it sounds like one or two cylinders are trying to fire but that's about it. I welcome all opinions, guesses, and advice. I'll bleed the injection lines again tommorrow and hope for the best.

[john8662]

First off, never use ether with one of these engines. Sounds like you still have some air in the system. Check to see that you're getting power to the big red wire going on top of the injection pump, and that you hear the solenoid clicking when you remove and replace the red wire on the ignition terminal on the pump. But, being that you say you have fuel at the injectors when the lines are loosened kinda says to me that you're getting fuel and the fuel solenoid in the pump is working. I'd try just for grins, loosening all 8 injector lines (some say just to 2, but I save myself and my starter the trouble and do all 8), crank over the engine until you have fuel redily weeping from all 8. Then tighten all the injection lines back up, check your glow plug's for power, and crank it till it starts (I usually use 1/2 throttle while cranking). Good luck

[TimK]

Airlock sounds like the culprit. When you checked to see the glow plugs were getting 12 volts, did you check the resistance of the glow plugs? With the Ohm meter, disconnect the terminal plug on each glow plug and check between the tab and the base of the plug. You should get something like 1 to 4 ohms or something near that. It almost looks like a dead short and most meters have problems with accuracy at that range. Also check the resistance from the base of the plug to the negative terminal on the battery. It should also read a dead short or 0 ohms. I know I have forgotten to connect a ground strap to the engine before.

TimK

[britannic]

Obvious question: did you floor the "go pedal" during cranking after following the bleeding procedures?

[doncannon]

Also if someone watches the exhaust pipe there should be a little smoke if the injectors are working? Maybe have someone just turn the key to on (not start) while you use a test light to see if one or all injectors are getting power (just turnning them on quickly avoids burning them). Just my 2 cents worth.
good luck and keep us posted,
Don

[6.2 Cruiser]

Thanks for advice. There was a post from someone in the UK with similar problems. I will get a hunk of clear 1/4" tubing and install between the racor and IP to be sure there are no air leaks on the suction side. If there are no bubbles I'm going to assume that something happened to the IP during it's extended vacation like maybe some crap got in the fuel line while the engine was out. There is a pretty good shop close by that rebuilds pumps. Am I correct in assuming that if I have good compression, sufficient air, and the glow plugs are working, then the only culprit would be fuel delivery? I had the injectors checked last year and they are fine. This motor came out of a 1987 and is installed in my 1986 FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser using an Marks 4WD adapter kit from Australia. It's very frustrating to not be able to get it going again. This forum is really great, reminds me of my Land Cruiser email list: helpful, knowledgable and friendly. Thanks again.