Lifters will not move???

[fallen]

I need help. I tried to start my mule and I have no compression. I put new jugs, pistons and heads on it last year but finally got around to trying to start it yesterday. I oiled everything up when i rebuilt it and soaked the lifters. I think they are hydrualic and at first I thought they just needed oil pressure to pump them up, but as I got further into trying to start it I actually pushed a lifter against the cam with a push rod, spun the motor but i could not detect and movement of the lifter. It should have moved some. The govener gear turnes but the fuel pump does not seem to be working either. Can anyone give any advise on where to look next thanks

I have never had the mules running. It was not running when i got it and was told i needed to replace the cylinders before i tried to start it.
Sorry if I mispelled anything i am at work

 

[lilreddodge]

I would say that your cam is spinning in the cam gear or the cam shaft is broken, but I doubt that, or the lobes are worn on your cam shaft. The lifters are hydraulic, but they still would move even though they are not pumped up.

I would say more than likely your cam shaft is not turning. There is a key way on the cam shaft to cam shaft gear.

Lance Miller

 

[WillWagner]

Or the cam isn't there.

 

[doghead]

No compression. Sounds like the lifters are just stuck in their bores(at the top of their stroke). Are you sure you pushed them all they way down(recently). Did they move at all, were they stuck in the bores?

Are you pushing the pushrod in while cranking? You may need to do that a while to free them up in the bores. Kinda hard to beleive you can push harder than the springs can, but maybe?

 

[135gmc]

I agree. It sounds like your lifters are stuck. Try removing them and seeing what they look like.

 

[lilreddodge]

Stuck lifters are going to cause the fuel pump to not work as well? I think not. I'm still guessing that the key is not in the cam gear.

Lance Miller

 

[fallen]

I finally got a few minutes to pull the timing gear cover off. The timing gear, key and shaft all turn. I also spoke with Bill Watson. He advised me that he has never seen a cam gear break. My next step is to pull the engine and start pulling it apart. My schedule it really tight but I hope to get started on it next week.

 

[73m819]

could the cam be broke right behind the gear

 

[lilreddodge]

Are you sure your fuel pump is good? The only reason I ask is based on what you wrote you said that it was not working as well. Which led me to believe that the cam was not turning. I would now check the lifters before you tear it completely apart. I was working on one last night that had a collasped lifter, but the valves still opened a little bit. I just find it hard to believe that all four lifters are stuck in there bores. I would love to know what you find out.

Lance Miller

 

[Charlie]

Make sure that you have oil pressure, pull the line to the governor and check for oil while turning the engine over. If you had the engine upside down while installing the new cylinders, you probably lost the oil out of the pump and the pump lost prime. You can try filling the oil filter with oil and priming the pump through the oil lines. I've been burned by this before, without oil pressure, the lifters will not pump up and the rocker arms hardly move. The oil pump has to pull that oil a long way, from the pan, through the filter and then to the pump. Normally, I don't like to prefill an oil filter, but in the case of the mule engine, it needs all the help it can get. I posted a thread on this topic over on the G503 mule board with photos of the oil pump, etc
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=142731&hilit=oil+pump

 

[fallen]

Thanks for the info. I have a new fuel pump on it. I now have the rocker arms removed and can hold pressure against the lifters using a push rod. There is no noticable movement. I dont think i have oil pressure yet but i think i should still feel the push rod move when i spin the engine over. I think i will still try to prime the oil pump before i go to the trouble of tearing the engine apart. I am still hoping for a simple fix.

 

[fallen]

Finally got the time to do something with the mule engine. It appears the lifters were stuck in the up position. Must have been from sitting after I rebuilt it. I also found out the ring gear on the flywheel was not centetred. I was able to get that fixed as well.

 

[lilreddodge]

Glad you got it figured out. I have never had lifters stick in the bores, even on enigines that have been sitting for over 20 years. I would have thought that the valve springs would have pushed them in. I do not know if you did this or not but I always coat the lifters with assembly lube before I stick them in.

Lance Miller

 

[fallen]

Finally got one problem fixed and another one appears. Could anyone lead me in the right direction. I got my mule to crank however now it blows the seal on the oil canister. For some reason it appear to have a blockage in the oil system. Has anyone had this problem before. Thanks

 

[lilreddodge]

I have never had that problem. The only thing I could think of (that is if you have the right gasket around the oil canister) would be the oil pressure relief valve. It is on the same side of the engine as the oil filter and screws into the block next to the oil lines from the oil pump. Maybe it is stuck.

Lance Miller

 

[fallen]

Thanks I will check that. Bill Watson said it may be a valve I had turned off that is located on the vent line going to the carb. It is intended to be closed when the mule is tuned up on its end for servicing. I have also been told from other sources that it may be a bad oil filter. I hope i can get it figured out soon. The mule looks like it will be fun to operate. Do you know if there is a commercial gasket i can get for the oil canister. Bill Watson is sending me another one but it may not get here until monday.

 

[spicergear]

Lifters were stuck in a pony engine on a D4 I had. After a bit of work I got them all moving again and got it fired.