david brown 990

[cs logs]

does anyone know if a 1981 david brown 990 has a cold start button/switch and were it will be now its turned cold it dosnt like starting and it dosnt have glow plugs dont want to use starter gas

[Canal Navvy]

rattling around in the cobwebs of my memory i once used a D.B. that had

a T shaped metal tap like thingy on the injection pump that had to be screwed in or out for cold starting.

[david]

there should be a wee bit on the under side of the injection pump. its ment to have a roll pin threw it. you turn it one way but i dont know which way lol. oh and itl probibly be seized

 

[Gerbutt]

I'm not sure if all 990's have it, later ones certainly do, but if you look on the underside of the fuel injector pump, there could/should be a small stem with a T-bar. This is your cold start assist. You unscrew it as far as it will turn (about 2~3 turns) to start in cold weather. It works by temporarily retarding the injection timing to get the fuel into the cylinder when the air is compressed to its highest pressure, and therefore at its hottest. Once the engine is started you screw the stem back in. If you don't, the engine will run rough because of the miss-timing.

 

In severe cold, early models had an 'ether plug' in the inlet manifold, you can unscrew this, squirt on a little ether based starting fluid (Start Pilot, Easy-Start, Aerosett, etc. etc.) screw it back in and start-up.

 

Later models had the more user friendly CAV 'Thermo-Start' plug in the manifold, with a corresponding 'HEAT' position on the ignition switch. This uses a simple glow-plug system, that allows a small amount of diesel fuel to seep onto the plug, where it vapourises to assist starting. Naturaly, the fuel is only released onto the plug when it's heating-up. These plugs do fail occasionaly so need checking and replacing if faulty. Pre-heat warm-up time is 20 to 40 seconds, so you would turn the key to 'HEAT' and hold it there for the required amount of time, then turn the key to 'START'.

 

Just found this on the net

[cs logs]

thanks lads should start a lot easier in the morning now i know were it is

[18 stoner]

Try and avoid using ether on an old engine!

[gensetsteve]

Try and avoid using ether on an old engine!

 

Any engine !

[dillsue]

On the 880 that I have theres a heater in the inlet manifold and a "heat" position on the ignition key. You hold it in this position for 10-20 seconds to warm the air in the manifold. As others have said theres also a cold start device on the injector pump. On mine its on the top left side as you stand looking at the pump. It has a roll pin in the end of it and you turn it clockwise as far as it will go to start, and back it off as far as it will go anti clockwise as soon as the engine has started.

 

If you still cant get it going check that you have winter diesel in it. If the diesel is bought in the summer it wont be winterised and can wax up if it drops below -5 deg c. I think you can "winterise" summer diesel by adding heating oil to it, but check it out on http://www.dbtc.co.uk- theres plenty of experts there.

 

Dont use easy start but use a hot air gun or gas torch over the air filter inlet. This will give you warm air into the engine and will help get it to fire up.

[scuff]

Many years ago I drove a 990 hated starting in the cold so kept it running all night!!!

[cs logs]

thanks for all your replys starts a lot better now its a 995 not a 990 my mate says hes never seen a 995 before are they rare