Diesel pump timing tool

cathead

cathead

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Today I made a timing tool to fit the Bosch VE pump on my 853 Bobcat. It was made from some scrap aluminum, a one
inch dial indicator and a few other bits and pieces. I need to determine the length needed for the driven pin and shorten
it accordingly. The timing tool fits on the end of the rotary distributor and will mount without removing any of the lines.
The Bobcat has not been starting easily lately and I'm thinking that the timing may be off.

The walking beam is responsible for reversing the direction of the driven pin 180 degrees. That way there is room
to mount the indicator out of the way of the injector lines. When I inspected the pump, it looked like there is about
and inch of room for the tool so I made this one about 3/4 inch wide. Tomorrow I will give it a go and see what I can
determine. It was a fun project taking about three hours to complete.
 

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Yes, they are fine. It is in a heated shop so I know it is not that.
 
Just asking, in 25+ yrs, never had a pump timing issue, unless someone was messing with it.
 
Funny story... I replaced a VE pump on my Audi - one of the ECU driven ones. Unlike your good self, I'm lazy. I couldn't be bothered to faff with making the correct tool, nor to plug the laptop in and dial in the final fine adjustment with the ECU (there's a start of injection sensor on the 3rd injector). I got it to start, then moved the pump around until it ran well enough, then took it to my local garage and explained that it needed setting up and what I'd done.

I got a phone call later in the day... "How did you time this, Sir?".
"I didn't, I just played with it until it sounded right. Why, did make a mess of it?"
"Errr no. It's actually spot on. Do you also tune pianos?" My home mechanic mates now call me "Engine Whisperer".

Nice work, will be following how you get on!
 
I learned a few things on the first try. The threads that fit into the pump are 8mm x 1mm,
not the 8 x 1.25 that I had used. I was able to find the correct bolt at Menard's for $1.24
Also, the tool was too wide to fit into the required space so had to slim it down a bit.
My next hurdle will be to locate TDC as a reference as nothing is visible. There is a metal
cover that may have to be removed. I did mount the timing tool and was able to shorten
the drive pin to the appropriate length. I think it will work now so when the spirit moves me,
I will rip into it. The temperature here is about zero F. and strong wind from the south so
hoping it warms up a bit around here, the combination of cold and wind is hard on the
wood pile.:eek 2:
 
Hehe. You can see why I took the lazy route!

TDC ref can be done with feel, assuming this is a two or 4 cylinder? At TDC, you'll find there's a spot where the crank will rock easily a few degrees in the bearing clearances without moving the pistons. An indicator on starter teeth will tell you where that backlash starts and ends, with right in the middle being TDC. You could argue that it's not super accurate, but timing marks are not usually dead on regardless.
 
It's a 4 cylinder Isuzu 4JB1 engine. I remember removing some shrouds to get at the front pulley timing marks. Last
time I worked on it I took off the valve cover too but hopefully won't have to do that this time.


Edit: for: Lo-Fi

I have an engine made in Yeovil, England called a Petter TW2. I'm curious to know if there are many of these
engines remaining in England. It was made in about 1936 I think, weighs 5800 pounds and is a two stroke diesel
with air bulb starting.
 
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