Testing old diesel engine

[Melvyn Best]

I was told that the old straight 8 Bentleys you could start by moving across the advance & retard lever, there would always be one cylinder near enough to TDC for the points to open & close & fire the cylinder.

Works on Ford model T’s

 

[finyuk2005]

Wanted to see if it was seized with sitting for so long.. Got a socket on it today and it moved easily for about an inch then became stiff,I turned it on the cambolt as I had nothing to fit the crank sprocket bolt. As I wasn't on the crank I didn't want to put any real pressure on the cam but there was easy movement till it stopped.
. Is it just coming up to tdc?
Cheers.

could well be, diesels have loads of compression, you definitely are better to use the crank bolt, especially if its been sitting a while, it might snap the cam belt

 

[roofman]

Cam runs at half speed so normally hard to turn any engine via the cam pulley...plus your not loading the belt tensioner correctly turning from the top so be nice to the motor and use the crank.

 

[Bryan Williams]

Belt looks like new to be fair, teeth square not rounded at all, just didn't want to be swinging on the cam to go any further, it did move a good inch or so though, don't know the name of the crank bolt type but it's like a big star drive type..

 

[finyuk2005]

Belt looks like new to be fair, teeth square not rounded at all, just didn't want to be swinging on the cam to go any further, it did move a good inch or so though, don't know the name of the crank bolt type but it's like a big star drive type..

yeah VW like to use strange bolt heads, i have a premier brand set of those sockets, comes in handy for my T4

 

[Turbo]

it's like a big star drive type

Probably e-torx or external torx. Sometimes you can get away with using a standard socket on them, should be enough to turn the engine.

 

[dobbslc]

If the starter is fitted I'd just turn it over with that instead of messing around with star drive sockets etc,, if it's knackered and locks it's knackered anyway.

 

[Bryan Williams]

If the starter is fitted I'd just turn it over with that instead of messing around with star drive sockets etc,, if it's knackered and locks it's knackered anyway.

No starter on it..
Just want to get it turned to see if it was seized. Probably flog it but have no idea what to ask for a lump that's been sitting in a garage a good while..
Dont want to sell a dud but don't want to scrap it.
I know t4 replacement engines are getting rare now so it'll be of use to someone.

 

[OJCar]

If there is a flywheel on it could you bar it round against the flywheel starter teeth ?

Maybe need to put a bolt in somewhere to make a pivot point for your lever.

 

[Bryan Williams]

If there is a flywheel on it could you bar it round against the flywheel starter teeth ?

Maybe need to put a bolt in somewhere to make a pivot point for your lever.

There is a flywheel, I'll have a look at that.

 

[T5 TDI]

Some of the early VW diesels did have some kind of basic immobilizer on them. It was a long time ago but I remember you only had to break it off if you needed to disable it. Also, some of those early engines were truly gutless and wouldn't be that great in a van.

You wouldn't be able to bar the teeth fast enough to get it going like a petrol engine. Diesels need a faster cranking speed for ignition.

 

[OJCar]

^ Not suggesting he bars it over to start it, just to check it's not seized.

 

[T5 TDI]

Apologies, I thought he'd already done that by turning the cam pully (not a great idea but if the engine (crankshaft) turns at all it's not seized). I would check it using a bar too if I didn't have anything to turn the crank pulley nut.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Apologies, I thought he'd already done that by turning the cam pully (not a great idea but if the engine (crankshaft) turns at all it's not seized). I would check it using a bar too if I didn't have anything to turn the crank pulley nut.

I’ve had an engine bar over a bit then lock solid when it hit the ring of crap on the bore, just because it moves a bit doesn’t mean it’s not ballsed

 

[Wildatlanticwelder]

Its a 12 point or bi hexagonal 19mm socket on the crank of those engines , like the ring end on a spanner