JCB 3cx grey cab low power / No brakes!!

[diggerjones]

It will be the lift pump, I would put money on it. Let us know when you go back.

[FOWLER MAN]

It will be the lift pump, I would put money on it. Let us know when you go back.

Yes, could well be the lift pump gauze. If it is you will find air in the fuel filters.

If it's the filter in the injector pump the engine will tend to air lock at the pump though the filters remain full.

When the injector pump filter is blocked it creates a vaccum in the pump which slowly sucks fuel though the blocked filter to replenish the pump when the engine is shut down.
This has the effect of giving full power for a short burst after start up but soon starves the pump again.
Good luck.
Fred

[Land Rover]

It will be the lift pump, I would put money on it. Let us know when you go back.

Yes, could well be the lift pump gauze. If it is you will find air in the fuel filters.

If it's the filter in the injector pump the engine will tend to air lock at the pump though the filters remain full.

When the injector pump filter is blocked it creates a vaccum in the pump which slowly sucks fuel though the blocked filter to replenish the pump when the engine is shut down.
This has the effect of giving full power for a short burst after start up but soon starves the pump again.
Good luck.
Fred

As a tip on this one , when I was priming my system after doing the filters I could hear the lift pump putting the diesel back into the tank via the return line . With the engine stopped and thumbing the lift pump the diesel goes straight back into the tank . The return line is near the top of tank and is just a small black plastic hose . You will clearly hear it on a remote farm in France If you can hear it then chances are the lift pump is fine .

[Land Rover]

3CX grey cab AND Land Rover. A man after my own heart!


As for the sediment trap, I have re checked and emptied it a further twice. It was spotless both times. No muck, water or other foreign bodies. I will try the lift pump filter and injector pump filter when I get back to France 1st week in March.
Thanks for the explanation on changing the bushes. I had thought along similar lines, but I was a little worried tackling the job incase I messed it up as my house is fairly remote. I didn't want to end up with a non useable digger. Thanks for the tip about the seals not being in the digger parts kit.
Thanks for all the replies. Will keep you all posted
Cheers
Tony

Thanks Tony
I have a 1972 v8 hybrid , and as I'm at work I canny find a picture anywhere . The JCB is much like the landy , just not as many oil leaks .
Regarding the pins , the only thing I didn't mention was the inside ram pin . This is secured with a circlip at the top and a grub screw . The new one seemed to sit a long way proud of where it was meant to be when the grub screw went in . I was afraid that it would come in contact with the rest of the axle / chassis , so I enlarged the grub screw contact area with a grinder - just put a flat on it . You will maybe see what I mean when you come to do it .
The seals are a sort of dowty type thing that would probably help if you were either in the habit of pressure washing it or ploughing through water and not greasing it ....
Cheers , Gordon .

[Mabel]

Quick update after the trip to France. I cleaned out the lift pump. It was gummed up with something that resembled Vaseline! Any how, seems ok but couldn't give the auld girl a proper work out because I had no brakes!!!! Both brake pedals go straight to the floor (the heater vent actually!). I topped up the reservior with LHM and got a bit of a pedal back by pumping. There were no signs of oil or fluid on the floor where she had been parked. Then I noticed the cab floor. See attached pics. Any ideas chaps? Will I need to remove the whole dash console to see what's going on? All help appreciated.

[Mabel]

Oh, and as the eagle eyed amongst you will notice, the bloody fuel gauge had stopped working too !

[rlambert]

fuel gauge could just be a bad connection if you remove the rev clock and switch panel its down on the left behind the pipe that feeds the circular air vent

[Mabel]

Update on the low power. I had the auld girl out on her first proper job. First time on the road in at least 5 years. She completed a full day's work and a 40km round trip. A little bit gutless on even the slightest of hills, but only a turbo will cure that! I topped up the brake fluid reservior with AHM and pumped them. Brakes are spot on too. It does have a minor weep behind the dash but that's a job for another day. Thanks for all the advice chaps.