Help? Crank case overflowing with diesel

[ns_in_tex]

We have a International 2400 series A, 3 cylinder, 179 cu in, diesel tractor.
It has around 1800 hrs on it.
Bought it used in 1975 with 135 hrs on it.
Has been about 6 months or more, since last used.
We cranked it today and the breather pipe immediately started flooding with oil/diesel.
We immediately shut the engine off.
Pulled the dip stick & it overflowed with oil/diesel.
Our manual says it has a Robt.Bosch injection pump and nozzles.

We would welcome any ideas on where to start and what to do.
Thanks,

 

[davesl708]

Sounds like an injector is stuck open allowing fuel into the cylinders and down to the crank case.

 

[coveredbridge]

Does it have a mechanical fuel pump? If so, that's the first thing I would check. The diaphragm in mine failed and was allowing fuel to enter the crankcase. Much easier and cheaper fix than injection pump.

 

[Billrog]

For sure check the lift pump for a damaged diaphragm first.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Sounds like an injector is stuck open allowing fuel into the cylinders and down to the crank case.

OK, a friend just told me that sometimes you could run the tractor a little & it might straighten itself out.
I suppose that might mean, after running a little, the stuck injector might come unstuck.
My thinking on that would be, the oil and filters would need changing before running the engine to avoid engine damage. Then would have to watch closely & if the oil level came up any (more diesel in crankcase) would have to change the oil again, along with work on the injector pump.
Is my thinking correct or is there a better way to unstick the injector?

I am presuming the leak would be in the pump to the crankcase, since the injectors to the cylinders is above the fuel level in the tank and I doubt the fuel would rise high enough to enter above the cylinders, with the engine not running.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Does it have a mechanical fuel pump? If so, that's the first thing I would check. The diaphragm in mine failed and was allowing fuel to enter the crankcase. Much easier and cheaper fix than injection pump.

I do not believe this unit has a fuel pump. The fuel tank is above the injector pump level so it is likely gravity fed. The fuel line goes from the tank, up the right side of the tractor to a fuel filter near the front of the engine, out of that filter and around the front of the engine to a fuel filter on the left side of the engine. This filter is mounted to a bracket that looks as if it is mounted with the bolts that might hold a fuel pump on, if it had one (possibly covering a hole in the block for the fuel pump option). Then from the second filter to the injector pump.

 

[Soundguy]

if it does not have a lift pump that could leak, thent he next thing I would check is umbrella/shaft seals.

a stuck injector shouldn't give you a slap full crankcase.. but a bad umbrella seal.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Agree don. t think stuck nozzle will do it that fast. Seal between injection pump and block?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Agree don. t think stuck nozzle will do it that fast. Seal between injection pump and block?

Yep, remove the injection pump and replace the seal.

 

[Billrog]

Not familiar with that engine but some injector's have O rings which can fail .Also there could be a cracked injector this should cause extended cranking when starting from leak down in some engines.

 

[GManBart]

I do not believe this unit has a fuel pump. The fuel tank is above the injector pump level so it is likely gravity fed. The fuel line goes from the tank, up the right side of the tractor to a fuel filter near the front of the engine, out of that filter and around the front of the engine to a fuel filter on the left side of the engine. This filter is mounted to a bracket that looks as if it is mounted with the bolts that might hold a fuel pump on, if it had one (possibly covering a hole in the block for the fuel pump option). Then from the second filter to the injector pump.

Many tractors with the tank above the injector pump still have a lift pump. I did a quick Google search for International 2400 parts, and multiple places show a lift pump for this model tractor, and it's the kind that frequently fails and fills the crankcase with fuel. The gasket between the top and bottom half fails, and the fuel flows right into the block. Here's one that I found:

https://www.tractorpartsasap.com/Fuel-Lift-Pump-p/153676.htm

 

[ns_in_tex]

Many tractors with the tank above the injector pump still have a lift pump. I did a quick Google search for International 2400 parts, and multiple places show a lift pump for this model tractor, and it's the kind that frequently fails and fills the crankcase with fuel. The gasket between the top and bottom half fails, and the fuel flows right into the block. Here's one that I found:

https://www.tractorpartsasap.com/Fuel-Lift-Pump-p/153676.htm

Thanks, we will have to look again. Your link shows it to fit the 179D which I think ours is, and probably this engine may be used in circumstances where a pump is required.
I was thinking, when we looked earlier, there was a place that looked like it was provided for a fuel pump mounting, but had a fuel filter mounting in it place. But we will check again.
Thanks,

 

[Soundguy]

post back what you find.

It's not uncommon to see someone nix a lift pump and go gravity. sometimes it works better than other times.

 

[ns_in_tex]

OK, we followed the fuel line from the tank to the injector pump and no sign of fuel pump. Unless is is built into the injector pump, it must not have one.
From there, I am thinking it might be as SoundGuy suggested and maybe we could just pull the injector pump & replace one seal, which might be an cheap fix.
We are now held up before unbolting the injector pump, because we are not sure how to get it back with correct timing. We removed a small plate on the side of the pump & it has a pointer, but so far, we have not found what it is supposed to be pointing to, as well as we have not found the mark on the crank shaft pulley. Will have to work on trying to locate those 2 marks & see if they line up, before unbolting the the pump.

 

[Tx Jim]

Sounds like an injector is stuck open allowing fuel into the cylinders and down to the crank case.

I never witnessed a stuck inj filling crankcase with diesel but it will cause a miss when engine is running. I agree with other posters failed IP shaft seal

 

[David Cockey]

Any possibility you are mistaking a fuel pump with an attached filter or sediment bowl for just a filter? If in any doubt loosen the bolts holding the "fuel filter" in place, pull the "fuel filter" away from the engine and see if there is a lever going into the engine. If so it is a diaphragm type pump, and a leaking diaphragm can cause fuel to leak into the crankcase.

 

[GManBart]

Any possibility you are mistaking a fuel pump with an attached filter or sediment bowl for just a filter? If in any doubt loosen the bolts holding the "fuel filter" in place, pull the "fuel filter" away from the engine and see if there is a lever going into the engine. If so it is a diaphragm type pump, and a leaking diaphragm can cause fuel to leak into the crankcase.

I was going to suggest the same thing...that was a common feature on many of the older machines (filter/bowl off the pump), but it seems to have fallen out of favor.

 

[bigdeano]

If you have to remove the injector pump, can you mark it somehow to just put it back in turned like it is now, without seeing the other timing marks? As long as you don't turn the engine the timing should be the same. Don't know what your tractor is like, maybe not possible.

 

[doxford jim]

Your engine will be timed to number one cylinder. Bar the engine over until you have the piston of no.1 cylinder at top dead centre (TDC). Check that your inlet and exhaust valves are closed - both rocker gears loose and a clearance between end of valve and the tappet. If you don't have the slack tappets, then you would need to bar the engine over for another revolution. Once TDC has been determined it would be safe to remove the injector pump. Replace it without moving the engine and you will have a good place to start the engine timing proper.
HTH

 

[doxford jim]

Your engine will be timed to number one cylinder. Bar the engine over until you have the piston of no.1 cylinder at top dead centre (TDC). Check that your inlet and exhaust valves are closed - both rocker gears loose and a clearance between end of valve and the tappet. If you don't have the slack tappets, then you would need to bar the engine over for another revolution. Once TDC has been determined it would be safe to remove the injector pump. Replace it without moving the engine and you will have a good place to start the engine timing proper.
HTH