Diesel Fuel Slick thru exhaust system

[ksu_cowboy]

I have a 1995 Powerstroke. A mechanic told me the #3 cyclinder is not fuctioning. He thought maybe it is the injector. But was going to do a pressure check to make sure it had good compression. Also said the turbo was leaking oil. I recently drove it and parked on my slightly sloped drive way and now have a diesel fuel slick ( at least that is what I think it smells like) behind the truck. I think it has come thru the exhaust system (wet spot on muffler). I'm thinking that maybe the cyclinder isn't firing instead of the injector being bad. Any ideas? I also just replaced the turbo Friday and disconnected the glow plug connections at the valve covers and cranked the engine to prelube the turbo (suggested by the turbo rebuilder) and now can't get the engine to start? Do diesels flood?

[jwiger]

i suppose it's possible but with the already tight compression that you have on a diesel i'd be concerned with hydro-lock, if possible pull the glow plugs out and turn the engine over to clear the cylinders.

[ksu_cowboy]

By removing the glow plugs and cranking engine will I not still have fuel being pumped into the cyclinders. I'm I better off to pull glow plugs and blow the fuel out with an air hose or suck out with a syringe or something?

[jwiger]

dude talking to my Air Force Vehicle Maint. guru he said you have one of two (or worse yet both) problem(s),

First thing you need to do is check the oil level, reason is the engine oil is used to pressurize the fuel injectors and oil pressure is critical to proper fuel timming and atomization. if you ran the oil back into the new turbo and didn't add any after then the oil level may be too low, causing problems with the injection.

second your rings may be damaged if you have had any liquid fuel sitting in the cylinder when the engine was cranked.

So go look at your dipstick, smell for diesel and add oil (of the correct viscosity) if needed.

As far as unburnt fuel getting to your exhaust -- we are suspecting you have a stuck valve, which may be why cylinder #3 is dead, unless the compression checked out.

[ksu_cowboy]

Had just changed the oil as part of the Turbo REplacement. The turbo doesn't have a reservoir. Should I do a compressions check to see about the rings? If I remove the power source to the fuel pump providing it has one and crank the engine to remove the fuel cyclinders will that take care of the problemof fuel in the cylinders after I remove the glow plugs?

[jwiger]

The turbo doesn't ahve a resivor but there is a certain volume inside the housing that may have dropped your oil level, the first thing i'd do is make sure your oil level is good to go.

[ksu_cowboy]

You are corrct the level is down just a little. Didn't smell like diesel and not running look like new oil which it should. I'm going to disconnect the fuel cut-off solenoid, remove all glow plugs and crank the engine. Possilby if I can find a compression tester and test all cylinders. I'm thinking the diesel has been passing thru the valves and out the exhaust system..

[jwiger]

that's abuot the only way for raw diesel to get to the muffler. I believe it's sound thinking disableing the fuel system and cranking with out the glow plugs.

[andrew]

a stuck exhaust valve isn't the only thing that can cause excessive fuel in the exhaust pipe. if one wire in your injector wiring harness is burnt, the injector can be in the stuck open position, that would flood the cylinder with diesel. it will blow the excess fuel out of the exhaust valve, and it will not fire on that cylinder, because the cylinder is flooded.