99 Cummins won't start, even with ether

Foster#17

Foster#17

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Apr 1, 2015
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I've got a 99 and can't get the thing to run. Bought it for 500 bucks because the guy had no knowledge for diesels. It had ran when he parked it and it sat for a few years then wouldn't run. I figured for sure it was the injection pump because it threw several codes for it. I tried to get it to fire on starting fluid but it wouldn't. Tried several times and nothing, not even a sputter. So then it had me thinking maybe the guy melted pistons in the thing. Took the head off and the pistons look like new!! Very little wear in the cylinders, good crosshatch, no scrapes, nothing!! Head gasket seemed good, no coolant in oil or anything. didnt appear to be any blowby coming out the oil cap or breather when cranking. So what's going on here? Just a bad can of ether or what?? I was just trying to get the thing to fire for sure before I go buying an injection pump!
 
bad can of ether? lol. no

if it has compression timing is way off or something is bad broken.

you have air and either is adding fuel all that is left is timing and compression
 
SixOhh said:
bad can of ether? lol. no

if it has compression timing is way off or something is bad broken.

you have air and either is adding fuel all that is left is timing and compression
Click to expand...

Ether doesn't care about timing, fyi...if it has enough compression to light the ether, it will ignite.

where are you feeding it the ether? turbo, intake plenum?
Chris
 
Well, it will not start for sure now. Not without a head on it.
Why would you pull the head before checking anything else?? Fuel pressure, valve lash, rockers in the correct position per to timing mark, fuel supply to injectors... and so on.

Wow. The horse should always stay out in front of the cart.
 
Snedge said:
Well, it will not start for sure now. Not without a head on it.
Why would you pull the head before checking anything else?? Fuel pressure, valve lash, rockers in the correct position per to timing mark, fuel supply to injectors... and so on.

Wow. The horse should always stay out in front of the cart.
Click to expand...



I'm with this guy... you jumped the gun big time and now even more variables are in play as we have no clue if you put it back together correctly or not.
 
Where were you spraying it? From my experience, if the batteries are slightly weak and it cranks slow, spraying through the air filter or through the turbo sometimes isn't enough. Spray directly into the intake plenum for best results. Also make sure there are no restrictions in the exhaust. Fought an issue on a little 3 cylinder Kubota tractor that had been sitting for years. It wouldn't hit on ether so I was sure that it needed a rebuild. Pulled the muffler off and it was completely clogged with rats nests and rust. Started right up after that.
 
Yes, it's amazing how big a restriction a turbo can be when fighting problems like this...

Chris
 
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