Diesel pump tick when turned?

siraff · Unread post by **siraff** » 04 Nov 2010, 20:24

Hello. Is it normal for a diesel pump to make a ticking noise when turned by hand (off the car and no pipes connected)?
I always thought it was normal as the insides move about but a guy just came to look at this one and thought the bearings had collapsed.
Then he showed me his one which was locking up as you turned it and felt very gritty when turning.
The car was running fine when removed and it only came off due to the engine making a puff of blue smoke then a little ever since.
The pump turns smoothly and freely and the ticking seems to be somewhere in the housing.
Now he says he's going to try his back on tomorrow (which I doubt will work if it's locking up or may for a bit before causing a load of trouble) but presuming he doesn't want mine I want to know if I can sell it as a good pump? I wouldn't hesitate to re-use it myself as to my mind there's nothing the matter with it but now he's put doubt in my mind about that noise.
So is it normal?

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 04 Nov 2010, 20:54

A tick on a Lucas is normal enough. It's produced by the governor weights. Confusingly, a Lucas is very easy to spin over by hand.

On a Bosch, they're virtually impossible to turn over by hand so if a Bosch is easy to turn by hand and ticks, it's dead!

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 04 Nov 2010, 21:25

I noticed the difference in hand turning between Lucas and Bosch 12 years ago, when I first started on XUD engines!

I assume the "Freeer" rotating of the Lucas enables the better performance?!!

Paul

siraff · Unread post by **siraff** » 04 Nov 2010, 22:55

Yeah this one's a lucas from a dw8. Governor weights sounds very plausible for the kind of sound and angles it's at.
I didn't understand where he got the idea that blue smoke would be bearings in the pump.
I even said to him I thought a pump issue would be black, grey or possibly white at a push (though I would think highly unlikely with an ECU controlled pump?).

Chlorate · Unread post by **Chlorate** » 05 Nov 2010, 01:14

You're right, black smoke is fuel related.
Blue smoke is usually oil getting into the combustion chamber or exhaust pipe somewhere.
I suppose an oil leak in the pump could be a cause for it, but aren't diesel pumps lubricated by diesel anyway?
If the engine has a lot of miles on it, there could be wear in all kinds of places that'd cause blue smoke, valve stem seals etc.
To be honest, the leak probably isn't worth looking into so long as it doesn't lose a substantial amount of oil.

-Alex

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 05 Nov 2010, 05:59

siraff wrote: I didn't understand where he got the idea that blue smoke would be bearings in the pump.

Not bearings but a Lucas on a Turbo can cause blue smoke if the boost overfuelling diaphragm splits and allows oil mist from the engine inlet tract (from the crankcase breather) to get inside the pump and mix with the diesel.

You'll then get blue smoke.

Disconnect the boost sense pipe and try again but be aware that it will take some time to clear any residual oil out of the pump...

siraff · Unread post by **siraff** » 05 Nov 2010, 09:08

No turbo on this one, Jim. I doubt the smoke is from wear either as it happened suddenly but it seems to have gone away for now.
Either way I don't trust the engine now so it's still coming out and for sale.
I can't believe I took the pump off for nothing. I can't show anyone it running now apart from a couple of 30s video's I made just before taking it off.
It's even crossed my mind about the breather valve sticking for a bit then sorting itself out.
Either way I have another engine for it so this one can go.
Thanks, Guys.