Volvo EC15B mini - engine removal & injection pump overhaul - plus ......

[jackpreacher]

Servicing the fuel injectors

Here is my procedure for removing and servicing the fuel injectors.


1. Remove the Fat air pipe:
Remove Fat Air Pipe.jpg

2. Clamp the fuel hoses that connect to the Fuel Injection Pump:
Clamp Fuel pipes to IP.jpg

Pull the overflow hose away from the IP. That is the top hose. The bottom hose, which comes from the fuel filter, can remain in situ but it's worth clamping as it prevents excessive amounts of fuel spilling through the overflow hose fitting on the IP.

3. Undo fuel injector pipes starting with the one on the right as this allows easier access to the subsequent pipes:
Undo Fuel injection pipes.jpg

4...and remove pipes:
And remove pipes.jpg

5. Release and remove overspill manifold nuts (or whatever it's real name is)
release fuel overspill pipe manifold nuts.jpg

..and don't drop the nuts in the engine bay (....guess who did that..)..
don't lose them or drop them in the engine bay.jpg

6. ...and pull away the manifold (careful not to bend the pipes):
pull away overspill manifold.jpg

7. Undo the injectors:
undo Injector .jpg

...and remove. Be careful of the copper washer which may remain in the injector port. A free Xmas Chicken to anyone who can guess WHO reassembled everything but left 2 of the washers on the workbench

remove injector.jpg

beware of stuck copper washer in injector port.jpg

8. SERVICING THE INJECTOR ( my cheap way)

Clean the injectors externals with petrol/white spirit:
Clean the externals of the injector.jpg


9. Loosen the Injector's main components by holding it in a vice:
Hold Injector in a vice to disassemble.jpg

10. Carefully disassemble the injector bodies - the top half (injection pipe inlet) screws into the bottom half (nozzle end)
Unscrew Injector.jpg

11. The injector components all need to be thoroughly cleaned. Here they are laid out in order of disassembly:
Injector Components.jpg

12. Check for obstructions from soot build up:
Clearview through the injector main components.jpg

13. Thoroughly clean the end of the spear/nozzle component. The pointy end is right in the injector port giving the fuel spray pattern:
Clean Injector spear.jpg

Reassembly is the reverse.

[jackpreacher]

Testing the Temperature Sensor

1. To test the temperature sensor the engine was started then the wire pulled away from the spade connector and held to ground against the valve cover body.
Temperature sensor grounding wire.jpg

2. The engine stop activated with a positive 'click' and the engine cut-out. This test was repeated successfully a dozen times.
Stop Solenoid.jpg

If you can't hear the solenoid being activated, or in fact 'released' then either the temperature sensor (or wiring)the is goosed or it's CPU controller which is under the seat.
This STOP solenoid is the type whereby it is safe or 'closed' (stopping the fuel supply) when there is isn't 12V supplied to it.

[jackpreacher]

Temperature Sensor Testing

Tuesday 4th December

1. Tested the temperature sensor - as the engine ran I short circuited the wire to ground and the engine stop solenoid activated. All fine there. Tested around a dozen times.

2. Doug was running lumpily so I removed all 3 injectors and serviced them, again. One of the injectors hadn't been firing as it was sooty. It turns out that when I had reassembled the injectors a few weeks ago I had put the fuel spill washer back in incorrectly. Engine fired up smoothly.

3. Did some work with Doug. He didn't cut out at all.

4. I did manage to stall the engine four or five times though, even when thoroughly warmed up, mainly when grading with the dozer blade when the gravel got sticky and heavy. I assume that Doug should just physically stop if he can't pull any harder as opposed to just stalling. He seemed to work more reliably on around 25% revs ( 25% refers to the throttle position).

Some work to do there then, but this is where I need the voices of experience to chip in

I took loads of photos which will be edited and uploaded in the morning.

On the whole I can at least work with my EC15, albeit a little sluggishly.

[jackpreacher]

Still "TBC"

I've not had the time to check out the temperature sensor yet so Doug is waiting until next Monday afternoon for his final bit of TLC before his next bit of TLC.

[Stock]

Spoiler Muzz shouldn't have given the plot away like that.

[Muz]

The service manual is riveting......can't figure out the plot though.

That bit comes when you need to buy parts

[jackpreacher]

No progress since last week as the place has been rented out. The service manual is riveting......can't figure out the plot though.
TBC Tuesday

[jackpreacher]

The Genius

1. Service Manual arrived

The Madness

1. Left the Van's manual heater plugs switched on overnight, so, dead battery, so no travel, so no EC15B sensor testing.

TBC

[jackpreacher]

Well if the sensor is faulty .. you can just isolate it by disconnecting the wire, and tape it up securely so no part of the wire or connector can touch the chassis (which would cause a shut down).... and run and test again ..If it still cuts out, then its definatley the ECU under the seat You can prove this by moving the 6 wires that enter into the ECU.. my money is on the black one.. with the machine running normally you can move it .. or the red one and the machine will normally cut out.

Thanks Muz, I'll test the sensor/ECU tomorrow before any engine removal etc. The service manual should arrive this morning, it's a hard copy.

TBC

[Muz]

Well if the sensor is faulty .. you can just isolate it by disconnecting the wire, and tape it up securely so no part of the wire or connector can touch the chassis (which would cause a shut down).... and run and test again ..If it still cuts out, then its definatley the ECU under the seat You can prove this by moving the 6 wires that enter into the ECU.. my money is on the black one.. with the machine running normally you can move it .. or the red one and the machine will normally cut out.

[jackpreacher]

Temperature Sensor

The temperature sensor may be the culprit of the cutting-out scenario.
When Doug cuts-out he can usually be started within 20 seconds which seems a bit too quick of a recovery to be fully-functioning temperature sensor, but WTHDIK


The first photo shows the general location of the temperature sensor.
Thermister Location.jpg


This photo shows the wire connected to the sensor. This could be faulty.
Thermister Location Close Up.jpg


When Doug is fixed and the Heat Pump project [Groundwork] is completed I am definitely converting him to a 10HP DC electric motor

[jackpreacher]

If the water isnt boiling and blowing out steam .. the engines still ok temp wise .. my money would be on the ECU having a broken wire .. which was discussed earlier .. identify that temp sender then I'll post on how to check the ECU and force it into fault to prove thats the problem.. if it is ?

....and judging by the state of the FLP wiring it wouldn't be a total surprise!

I'll check that out today.

[Muz]

Have you identified the sensor ? and is it still connected with the spade terminal or has someone pulled that off ? Because if its been disconnected , and the lead touches the engine or chassis, that grounds it.. telling the ECU to shut down the engine , the same as the thermistor going to ground when its over temperature

If the water isnt boiling and blowing out steam .. the engines still ok temp wise .. my money would be on the ECU having a broken wire .. which was discussed earlier .. identify that temp sender then I'll post on how to check the ECU and force it into fault to prove thats the problem.. if it is ?

[jackpreacher]

Monday 19th November 2012

More likely a blocked radiator core from shit and stuff .. now this could be the other reason I mentioned earlier why its cutting out.

You will need to draw back the oil cooler and inspect the radiator core, with a torch and make sure you can see all the way through it, all over it.

If not, you will need to get a steam cleaner with TFR and blast it clean. Be careful not to hold the jet too close to the fins on the core or you will flatten them over and damage it.

Where the radiator top hose goes into the cylinder head theres a hex bolt with a spade terminal on it. Sometimes its painted grey,same as the engine... but if its been replaced, its a brass colour ... that is the engine temperature controller ... if the engine gets too hot,and goes above a certain temperature it grounds the terminal on it, if this happens the ECU under the seat picks this up and sends 12V to the stop solenoid on the pump, shutting the engine down, and leaving those lights on , on the dash panel.

Another reason for overheating/or this problem is if the radiator cap isnt holding pressure allowing the water to boil although this is less common, and youd see the steam anyway..

BUT ...... just when you think you might have eliminated this problem Ive found the temperature thermistor has actually gone low in 'value' and started shutting the engine down sooner than it should do ... Imagine how long it took me to find that one ?



check the RAD first

Monday 19th November 2012

1. Checked Radiator core - all clear. Coolant level is correct.
2. Took Doug out to continue grading - he lasted about 20 minutes before cutting out - Oil pressure and 'STOP' lights did not activate prior to the shutdown but did remain on after the engine had cut-out. Last week the lights were coming on whilst the engine was still running - just blipping on and off but staying on longer as services were pulled.
3. On inspection of the engine bay his engine was very, very hot. It is possibly cutting out because of the temperature sensor being tripped
4. When he was working the engine struggled to maintain high revs when hydraulic services were being called and as the revs dropped against the hydraulic pump loading the exhaust became smoky, blue smoky......BUT when the revs were towards a fairly low setting everything seemed ok'ish.

My Conclusions

1. Cylinder head gasket may be leaking.
2. Coolant may not be circulating - possible water pump fault. The water pump was removed and checked 3 weeks ago - it was in good condition.
3. I can't think of anything else.

Action

1. Engine out
2. Dismantle radiator, cylinder head
3. Check cylinder head for warping.
4. Pressure test each cylinder.
5. If all checks out, refit and start up.

At least this time Doug is in the garage. I'll probably start this job on Wednesday in case anyone here can suggest other lines of investigation beforehand.
Still no service manual to refer to.

It's absolutely bucketing it down today.

TBC

[jackpreacher]

Pressure testing Kit

PS: The hydraulic pressure testing kit arrived on Friday. The next stage of Doug's revival will be checking over the hydraulic lines, pressure relief settings.
To recap, The LHS travel motor is weak compared to the RHS and the RHS is weaker than a Kubota KX91-3's travel motors which our neighbour, Farmer John, lent me to grade our driveway. What fun!!

Pressure Test Kit.jpg