Experienced Engine Maintenance Expert Shares Tips on Cleaning and Adjusting Diesel Injection Pumps
Diesel injection pumps are a crucial part of diesel engines. Given my large amount of experience with engine maintenance, I will guide you through the intricate and somewhat laborious process of cleaning and readjusting a diesel injection pump? On occasion, it is necessary to do both of these operations. The first is pretty straightforward. You really can’t screw it up unless you do it with the pump connected to the engine (a not-so-great idea since the engine shouldn’t be powered during the cleaning process). When you clean the pump, you won’t really be using cleaning solutions; instead, you’ll be using a very pressurized and precise squirt of diesel fuel.
For a complete and thorough washout of the injection pump, a diesel fuel injector cleaner was applied as the fluid used in the cleansing process. This type of cleaner is designed to clean diesel engine injectors and is not harsh enough to damage parts inside the pump.
If the injection pump must be removed for service, take special care to ensure it is reinstalled in the correct orientation. If not, additional problems will occur in combination with the total engine shut down that was the reason for servicing the pump in the first place.
I conducted an inordinate amount of research and found only a few hazy references and images, but I am now confident in stating that the governor on the fuel-injection pump requires occasional adjustment. Use the appropriate tool or wrench, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to a T. The adjustments themselves alter the operation of the fuel delivery system just enough to permit the engine to run more smoothly and “efficiently,” and with a fuel consumption level typical of the engine in question when compared to any number of fuel economy tests that have been conducted over the past 40 years. And if after the adjustments the engine isn’t running smoothly, then something else is also wrong; you don’t tend to adjust governors on these things to correct operational problems that crop up elsewhere in the system.
If possible, performance should be verified while under load. If necessary, make the appropriate adjustments. There is no shortcut to or substitute for doing the job right. It is not advisable to attempt cleaning or adjusting the diesel fuel injection pump without a solid understanding of mechanical principles and enough practical experience to ensure you can carry out the task safely and effectively. If you are in any way unsure of your ability to do this job, it is much wiser to let a professional do it to ensure the job is done correctly and is safe.
Like I mentioned before, if the injection system isn’t properly and effectively kept up, the entire engine suffers, and it will eventually run efficiently or not run at all. So, you should really see to the pump, and I hope this guide enables you to do it right.
For a complete and thorough washout of the injection pump, a diesel fuel injector cleaner was applied as the fluid used in the cleansing process. This type of cleaner is designed to clean diesel engine injectors and is not harsh enough to damage parts inside the pump.
If the injection pump must be removed for service, take special care to ensure it is reinstalled in the correct orientation. If not, additional problems will occur in combination with the total engine shut down that was the reason for servicing the pump in the first place.
I conducted an inordinate amount of research and found only a few hazy references and images, but I am now confident in stating that the governor on the fuel-injection pump requires occasional adjustment. Use the appropriate tool or wrench, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to a T. The adjustments themselves alter the operation of the fuel delivery system just enough to permit the engine to run more smoothly and “efficiently,” and with a fuel consumption level typical of the engine in question when compared to any number of fuel economy tests that have been conducted over the past 40 years. And if after the adjustments the engine isn’t running smoothly, then something else is also wrong; you don’t tend to adjust governors on these things to correct operational problems that crop up elsewhere in the system.
If possible, performance should be verified while under load. If necessary, make the appropriate adjustments. There is no shortcut to or substitute for doing the job right. It is not advisable to attempt cleaning or adjusting the diesel fuel injection pump without a solid understanding of mechanical principles and enough practical experience to ensure you can carry out the task safely and effectively. If you are in any way unsure of your ability to do this job, it is much wiser to let a professional do it to ensure the job is done correctly and is safe.
Like I mentioned before, if the injection system isn’t properly and effectively kept up, the entire engine suffers, and it will eventually run efficiently or not run at all. So, you should really see to the pump, and I hope this guide enables you to do it right.