966 tick issue, were to start?

1st off, Whats the best manuals to have for this tractor? Spacificly detailing engine issues.

I will be asking quite a few questions. many of them dumb as I havent ever worked on a Diesel.

To start I have this tick and it seems to turn into a knock at low rpm. It appears to be coming from the #1 cylinder area. I also notice some oil/ Fuel seeping from the exaust manifold at the #1. Also some slight smoke out of the blow by tube when warmed up good.
The rest are quiet and clean.

Some have said it maybe valves out of adjustment or possably lifter/rocker issues.
I suppose that could be so. I suspect that if a valve is not opening up like it should that could cause some issues.
Note that there is no decernable miss in the engine at all

I guess I will start there and work my way down.
Any hints?

A injector could have a bad tip letting over fuel at low rpm's just athought. causing a fuel knock. RENE'

First adjust the valves. If a valve on number one is really lose, or any other cylinder, maybe a lobe on the cam going bad and or a lifter going bad. If unburned fuel is coming out of number one exhaust port, loosen the fuel injector line at the nozzle just alittle and see if engine rpm or noise changes any. If the noise changes but the rpm doesn't then I would say you have a bad injector

Thanks Rich, Thats a good test. That should tell me alot right there.
After adjusting the valves. How can you tell if a lifter is not working correctly? Do you measure the rockers or some thing like that to see if one is not moving as much?

Kelly,

Your questions aren't dumb; every one of us has been thru this "diesel trait" thing.

I can't hear your tractor, but just some thoughts:

Are you talking about that "rattle/clatter" noise at the front of the engine at lower engine rpms? Seems to be louder, the hotter the engine? Ticking seems louder than the engine itself and you can hear it clear across the yard? Goes away as soon as you give it more throttle?.........Normal 66 series injector pump operation. It's what they do.

This "knock"? Are you standing dead in front of the tractor and it seems to be a subtle, light "thumping" noise? Quit worrying about it; you're hearing the air intake between the headlights above the radiator inlet.

Every 966 on the planet has draft-tube blowby. This is entirely normal. It was there when the tractor was brand new too. :>)

The 414 is the worst wet-stacking engine in existence. They just don't do well putzin' around (remember, this is an auction tractor and has been idled around).

Hook it to a post-hole digger or a grain auger and it's gonna push fuel out the exhaust within two minutes. This is a 100 horse plow tractor and they don't like to pull a hay rake. It insults their being. They're just not happy until you have 'em loaded to the nuts and pulling hard.

Disclaimer: Now, at 8200 hours, it's hard to imagine that the engine hasn't been gone thru already, however if not, you could very well have a flat cam like has already been mentioned.

Look at the exhaust. Is it clear and not pushing white smoke? Light grey when you crack the throttle? No anti-freeze in the oil after setting all night? If so, I think your tractor just needs to work; just don't want ya chasin' normal phantom noises.

Allan

Dang Allen. I wish you were here to take a look.
The only thing I can say for sure right now is.
It does not sound right to me. Also was mentioned by the auctioneer when selling.
Also when when I was driving it out at the sale
One guy was following along looking and tilting his head.
I stopped and he started touching parts of the engine. He said hmmmm sounds like some valve issues and walked off.
HAHAHAHA

Kelly most of the guys have covered the things that COULD be wrong. With out being there we are all guessing . The 414 is not a hard engine to work on and ya can get by with and I T manual . IF it comes down to and overhaul then let me say do a out of chassie and have everything done . Like line bore cam bearings head injectors and PUMP. Inspect every part closely take a good look at the lifters and cam , if the lifters are starting to CUP then replace both . Have the rods reconditioned and checked for cracks and strightness . Replace the vibration dampner . Have the crank checked and ground . Yes it cost money but it is like his it will be wright when done and last a long time. also replace the oil pump.

my 966 has a recurring habit of having the seal under one of the injectors go bad, leading to a tarry buildup around the injector, and a repeated "shuffing" sound. it sounds pretty bad, but its not really a knock, so i suppose your tractor is doing something different than mine.

Kelly,

You are a smart man and if it doesn't sound right to you, it probably isn't. Just be darned careful here.

Do you really need that size of a tractor in your operation?

Once you start down this road ya can't turn back and it is sooooooo darned easy to sink a huge amount of money in repairs on these sized tractors. Totally justifable if you need the power; really, really silly if ya don't.

8200 houred 966 needing a rear end and a engine? Am starting to smell a $13-14K investment from clear out here on the prairie.

Sorry, think I might have to consider flippin' 'er on ebay for a $100 profit and get out from underneath this darned thing. :>(

Just thinkin out loud and tryin' to help,

Allan

....Binder Books....

503 684-2024

When checking valve clearance, also check for being loose in the valve guide. This seems to be more of a problem with the turbocharged models though.

When you adjust the valves, if one or more have alot more gap before you adjust them to the right gap you have a lobe or lifter going bad. By the looks of the posted pic you need to give that tractor a workout to clean up the unburned fuel leaking out the exhaust manifold and then do the line loosening. Too much idle time and the 400 IH engine likes to do that. Also as posted before too, the injection pump on that engine will make some noize at an idle too. Good luck.

Allen In Ne Like you summary on the 414 although I've got one worse wet stacked engine - thee 686 with a D312. Same melrose family of IH engines just smaller (312,414,436,466)

On a cultivator it would leak black liquid from the exaust just like the picture only worse. Did this from the day we got it - IH dealor would put on a DYNO let it work for a while and it went away. Did that onec or twice then just hooked it to a disc and worked it.

Also had a 966 for tillage - great tractor and engine. The only thing to watch for is water in the oil - white milky oil which means you need new sleves. To prevent this or slow it down look to see that it has a water filer and check to make sure you have the DCA4 additive in the coolant.

If you cant see a water filter the local IH dealor or navastar/IH truck dealor will have one

You said it makes a knocking noise at low RPM and that it is a ticking noise at higher rpm and that it has black leakage around injectors. It sounds like a leaking injector to me. When an injector leaks fuel into the cylinder, it will make a noise similar to rod knock that some people call fuel knock. Also, the leakage of burned fuel past the brass sealing ring makes me think that that is the tick. I know ours is getting an injector leak and it makes a definite ticking noise from certain angles. Just a thought.