603 Diesel Engine

[vitop]

I have an engine with compression that varies between 480 in cylinder #1 to 400 on cylinder #3. The rest are at 420 to 440.

The car surges when it idles. The idle speed just kind of goes up and down.

I removed the injectors as I am planning on putting in new ones. There was no heat shields at all. 5 out of 6 had these washers that fit onto the outside portion of the injectors. They were not very thick. Not even sure where anyone could get those kind of washers. The injectors were supposed to have been replaced.

All cylinders hold pressure except for the #3 which is the low compression cylinder. That drops pressure fairly quickly. I can see that the head has been off of the car by looking at the head bolts.

I'm not sure whether to think I have a bad engine or what. Could not tell for sure where the leak was going, but I think back into the block.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

[babyjames]

Losing any? Oil in the coolant? Leaking combustion gasses past the prechamber? Could be any number of things....

Surging at idle might be indicative of an electrical problem. Disable the electronic governor?

The heat shields look like big washers.

Jay.

[vitop]

Originally Posted by babyjames

Losing any? Oil in the coolant? Leaking combustion gasses past the prechamber? Could be any number of things....

Surging at idle might be indicative of an electrical problem. Disable the electronic governor?

The heat shields look like big washers.

Jay.

Jay:

I may in fact have an electrical issue. Don't see any contamination anywhere. I think the head gasket may be new. If so it makes you wonder why....

Not sure how to check for leaking gases past the prechamber.

These washers were definitely not heat shields. The heat shields are thick and go in the center area of the injector. These were very skinny both in thickness and in the width of the washer wall. They are like a ring that went around the injector nozzle on the bottom.

Literally like a washer with a very large center opening and a small skinny ring on the outside.

[Crazy_Nate]

Prechamber leaks may be found pretty easily with a little water around the injector area (it'll show up as bubbles). I have some small bubbles around injector #1, however, it hasn't affected my idle (noticeably).

If I had to guess what the washers are for, perhaps when the head was off, it was machined. The injectors bodies may be spaced upward for clearance...?

[vitop]

I can do that to check the prechamber. So if it leaks, can it be fixed?

[JEBalles]

Is this the rod bender? How's the oil consumption? The uneven idle, or loping, is indicative of a bend rod, I believe.

[vitop]

Yes, the 350 engine has definitely been called "the rod bender" a time or two...

Anyone have any suggestions on some specific next step diagnostics?