Trouble starting 2.3TD when hot

[Wardcolorado]

Got an odd problem with my 1984 turbodiesel D50. It recently had an engine failure (timing belt), and I put a used junkyard engine in it. So it runs again now. But, it's behaving very oddly. It starts okay when cold (not great, but I can get it started with few glow plug cycles and some cranking). When it warms up, though, it doesn't want to start easily. I'm used to just giving the slightest bump with the starter when it's warm, and it fires right up. This one, you have to crank a few seconds when it's hot before it fires. And it doesn't seem like it has as much torque as it used to either... maybe I'm just imagining that. Runs nice and smooth when it's running....

Could this be a timing issue, or a injection pump issue? I have the old injection pump I could pull off the other engine, that I know was good. We put a new timing belt on the used engine before installing it, but would being way too retarded or advanced cause something like this? I've never had a diesel that didn't want to start when hot before... cold, many times, but hot they always are happy, usually....

Thanks

Zeke

[Wardcolorado]

I've never had a diesel that didn't want to start when hot before... cold, many times, but hot they always are happy, usually....

Correction on that -- I've never had a mechanically injected diesel have trouble when hot. The newer ones with electronic modules, yeah....

[skullzaflare]

Traditionally a mechanical diesel with a hard time hot starting has a weak injection pump, or the cut off solenoid could be failing and the heatsoak makes it not work.
Worn out rings can do the same, but are less likely since it would burn oil or idle rough.

Personally, what you should have done, you should have pulled the rocker arms from the donor engine and put them on the old engine. 90% of the time the valves dont bend, it just breaks the rockers

On hot start, you can try tapping on the back of the pump (follow the wires to the solenoid) and pouring cold water all over the pump

We used to carry around a can of WD40 on our old chevy with the 6.5l, pump was failing and couldnt put enough pressure hot, spray a little WD in the turbo and it would fire right up and stay running. (dont use a whole lot)

[roebling]

Got an odd problem with my 1984 turbodiesel D50. It recently had an engine failure (timing belt), and I put a used junkyard engine in it. So it runs again now. But, it's behaving very oddly. It starts okay when cold (not great, but I can get it started with few glow plug cycles and some cranking). When it warms up, though, it doesn't want to start easily. I'm used to just giving the slightest bump with the starter when it's warm, and it fires right up. This one, you have to crank a few seconds when it's hot before it fires. And it doesn't seem like it has as much torque as it used to either... maybe I'm just imagining that. Runs nice and smooth when it's running....

Could this be a timing issue, or a injection pump issue? I have the old injection pump I could pull off the other engine, that I know was good. We put a new timing belt on the used engine before installing it, but would being way too retarded or advanced cause something like this? I've never had a diesel that didn't want to start when hot before... cold, many times, but hot they always are happy, usually....

Thanks

Zeke

Same hard starting when hot issue here, and my engine's original. Feels like vapor lock.