Regarding the timing on the Isuzu 4jb1 with Zexel injection pump:
Finally, I got around to tearing into the Bobcat engine to use my home made timing tool. That was quite uneventful
and the timing is set properly now but am still having starting problems. Not willing to give up, I decided to get the best injector
cleaner I could find and try that. The stuff is called Diesel Extreme. I set the quart bottle on the ground behind the skid steer
and attached a hose directly into the bottle so the engine would be running on pure injector cleaner. It started easily with
a few cc of gasoline into the air cleaner to get it running. Interestingly, the quart bottle was half gone in about two minutes of
run time. The return line from the injectors was putting the injector cleaner back into the fuel tank I reckon. So that's where
I was supposed to put the stuff in the first place! So at that point, I reconnected up the fuel system and moved some dirt
for an hour or so and it quit smoking pretty much and seemed to run somewhat better but still would not crank start.....grrrrr
So now for the next phase of my diagnosis work. The machine just turned over 3000 hours so the injectors could be
tired I surmised. Looking on the internet, I see Isuzu injectors sell for 300+ dollars apiece and some aftermarket ones
are available for a set of four for under a hundred dollars. I did attempt to remove one injector and with everything
disconnected, It didn't want to come out of the hole so heed help on that subject. The idea was to remove one injector
and connect it up so I could see the spray pattern or lack thereof but didn't get that far yesterday. I did crank over
the engine and there is output from the pump. There is no smoke just cranking the engine so have to think it is either
low pump pressure or injectors lacking to function at low speeds. It becomes more challenging without a complete
set of tools and gauges. Then you think of how many million times the injector has pumped fuel into the cylinder,
it's not surprising to me that the injectors might need repair or replacement. I know there are shims that are
used to set the output pressure but one needs a lot of diagnostic tools to do that kind of work.
Once I can figure out how to remove the injectors, I'm tempted to buy an aftermarket set for a hundred
dollars and see what happens. They seem stuck in the hole probably crudded up with carbon and dirt
so looking to find out how to get them out. Of course one removes the injector line, the return line and
the bolt that holds down the two fingered clamp that holds the injector in place. There are a couple of
flats on the top of the injector so maybe a twist with a wrench would break them loose.
So that's my story. Thanks for reading along. I'm open to any advice y'all might have. It's not going to give up
and take it to the Bobcat dealer as my intent is to fix it myself and learn a lot in the process, maybe even buy a
few more tools to add to my collection.