Help nissan 720 sd22 diesel

[Raptor6717]

Hello all. I have a Datsun 720 with an sd22 diesel. It hasn't ran in at least 16 years, and I am trying to get it started. The pump controller works, and I hear the glow plug module click on and off. It will fire on starting fluid, but not on its own. I have primed the pump with the hand primer, and am getting fuel out of the banjo bolts and the injection lines, some more than others. It will not run on its own, why won't it start?

[waynosworld]

This is a complicated subject, if fires on either/starting fluid, this means at least one glow plug is likely working, check to make sure all of them are working, use a test light and make sure all are getting power, I myself would remove every glow plug and make sure they are warming up/glowing with my eyes, I have had a SD25 engine appear to be warming up the glow plugs from the outside, but 3 were burnt out.
As form priming the system, you need to fill the screw on fuel filter with diesel fuel, then bleed all the air left out of it with the primer, then bleed the banjo fitting on the front of the injection pump, I am assuming that the lift pump is working, pulling the fuel from the fuel tank, do you have a pre-filter?

Where are you located?

I have had big issues when one of my fuel lines in the system got a crack and was leaking fuel while driving my truck, no matter how much I primed it, it would only run a minute and die or it would run a couple minutes and die and I would have to start completely over, that day my battery had gave up(too much trying to get it started, I called for a tow and while sitting there I gave it one last try and it started, I actually made it all the way home that time(5 to 10 miles).

This SD22 fuel system has a few different filters, one on the bottom of the lift pump(fuel pump) in the banjo fitting, most I have seen had a pre-filter on the firewall, the main screw on fuel filter, you cannot have any air in the fuel system between the screw on fuel filter and the injection pump.

16 years is a long time to have not been started, I do not know everything, I daily drive my diesel truck and rarely have issues getting it started, it is always something else that is the issue, starter, Starter solenoid, or it is too cold, I would check other things also, maybe the diesel fuel dried up inside the injection pump and maybe not all the circuits in it are working, I had a SD25 crate engine sit for years and it would not start with that injection pump, I was lucky to have an extra injection pump to use.

[Raptor6717]

There is not any pre filter that I see.

It may have been sitting longer than that, not sure.

I'm on the east coast.

As long as I have been cranking it, I think it should have started, there may be something wrong with the pump internally like you said. It was last registered in 1994, but I believe it ran after that point. I have replaced all the fuel lines except one of the returns and the line going to the lift pump.

Have you ever tested a sd motor not in a truck? I have one, and I might test to see if it runs, but it has been sitting as long or longer than the other one.

Do you think I should test that motor and swap it in if good, or just swap an injection pump? ( Knowing that for sure the injection pump is bad on the motor in the truck, and the one on the spare is good. )

Also the clutch might be stuck, and the spare motor has an assembly on it.

[waynosworld]

Yes I have tested engines on my stands I have made, this one is for the SD22/SD23/SD25 engines.

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This engine sat for years after I bought it on ebay, I was told it was rest fired before put on ebay, I smoked the forklift glow plugs trying to start it, they are not made for a 720 glow system, then the glow plug wiring messed up and only the #1 plug was getting power, once I figured out that and it still would not run properly I pulled the injection lines off the injectors, turned it over and not all the injectors were squirting, so I removed that injection pump and put another one on the engine and it started, I was lucky to have an extra injection pump.

I asked about the pre-filter because of that screen in the banjo fitting on the bottom of the lift pump, that screen is delicate as it is plastic, but if the lift pump is working and you get fuel to the fuel filter and the rest of the system it is likely not plugged, I use a pre-filter screen in my diesel truck I daily drive, I do not have room for a real pre-filter, this is my screen pre-filter.

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I cannot really tell you what you should do on the testing, if you were close enough I would come over, but you are across the country, one really needs to understand these engines, otherwise one is guessing, since you said it fired with either, then I am assuming that at least one glow plug is working(maybe all are working), so I do not know what to say next, sounds like it is not getting fuel, like I said 16 years is a long time, I expect if it was me I would likely remove the injection lines and see if the injection pump is squirting in every hole, but I am not there to make this decision, it's a big decision, maybe see if you can get the other engine running, maybe doing that will help you to get the engine in the truck started.

[Raptor6717]

IMG_2736.MOV

This is what I have so far

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This is what I have so far

[waynosworld]

It appears there is some kind of something moving around on each end of the injection lines, the front line had the least reaction, when I tested my crate engine #1 had nothing coming out, just some moisture.

Have you pulled each glow plug and tested it, watch turn orange?

My friend called me one day and said his engine would not even try to hit, I went over and asked if his glow plugs were warming up, he said yes, I put a test light on one and had him turn on the key on till the light came on in the dash, my test light never showed power to the glow plugs, I used a heavy gauge wire and warmed the glow plugs for close to a minute using the battery, then told him to start it, it started, he figured out what was wrong himself and I did not get anymore calls about this issue, he likely changed the way he tested for glow plug power.

16 years is a long time, if things don't get better I would likely pull the injectors, maybe they are plugged with dried out diesel fuel, I am just guessing now!

Do the easy stuff first, try unplugging the oil sender wire, glow plugs are good and have power to all of them, remove the shaft coming from the injection pump controller from the injection pump.

Do not turn the engine over until it gets hot, that is hard on the starter, they do not last long when using them hot.

[Raptor6717]

I had the injection lines open for the video

I have not checked the glow plugs or removed them.

It sounded like it was almost started on the ether. It was firing on most/ all cylinders.