Engine oil level increases between changes

[3DB]

500 km update:

1. oil level appears not to have increased. Fingers crossed that continues.
2. I haven't had to use my inline Facet clickety-clack pump to prime as I used to on just about every start-up and sometimes sitting at the lights. Not sure if this has anything to do with the new front seal, but I guess it could as air could possibly enter the pump here if the vehicle was parked for long periods and the fuel drained through the bad seal enough to allow air in? Alternatively, I may have fixed another air leak on one of the hoses when I re-installed the IP.
3. It is blowing a bit more smoke at idle and off-boost and feels slightly more sluggish. I may have put the pump back in one tooth retarded as it was very hard to line up the timing mark on the gear with the little arrow on the timing cover as I couldn't get my eye that low, it was hard to get phone square to take a photos and the gap between the arrow and timing gear was in excess of 10mm. I will try advancing it by ear using the JJ method. I haven't got a lot of travel left anyway as the fuel inlet to the pump will hit the intake plenum when I rotate the pump.

One other thing I'm interested in opinions on: do you think that my use of the Facet pump could have hastened the failure of the seal by over-pressurising the fuel coming into the pump, in excess of what the internal lift pump does? Looking at the Facet website, these things provide up to 15 PSI of fuel pressure, which might do it? Food for thought.

https://www.facet-purolator.com/cube/

[Johnnojack]

Don't think the facet would damage the seal but using one with a leaky front seal probably added fuel to the engine oil more quickly. A sure way to set the timing is to remove the timing gear cover and reset everything. Easy once the radiator is removed. The gears are marked with XX, YY and ZZ. Don't try to turn the motor until they line up, just remove the centre gear, reposition the pump and camshaft and put the gear back on. It's a more certain way of doing it than pulling the ip and trying to move it one tooth.

[3DB]

A sure way to set the timing is to remove the timing gear cover and reset everything. Easy once the radiator is removed.

John – assuming I did get the pump placement wrong by 1 tooth in the retarded direction, is it theoretically possible that I could take up that mistake by rotating the pump towards the engine if I have enough adjustment left?

I’d really rather not pull the radiator and timing cover if I can help it, but I need to do something as the start-up smoke it getting a bit out-of-hand when the vehicle is cold. I suppose single-digit morning temperatures don’t help.

It always smoked a little bit on start-up in winter but was very short-lived. Now it is bad to the point where I won’t be surprised if my neighbours dob me in to the RTA.

It runs rough-as-guts, missing until I give it a few little stabs on the pedal and then evens out, but smokes until I get about 500m down the road, then cleans up to almost normal….probably a little bit smokier than it was in normal driving, but not to the point where I’d be concerned. Warm re-starts are fine.

It is probably still slightly down on power and EGTs are probably a bit higher than they used to be. Strangely though, I could swear it makes more total boost now and sooner in the rev-range.

I need to take my tools and do all of this experimentation far from a built-up area. Last time I moved the pump I must not have bled it properly but just enough to get it started and fumigated the neighbourhood and within 20 seconds with thick, acrid vege oil smoke.

[Captaincademan]

I know absolutely nothing about your pump, but I wonder if it has a cold start timing auto adjustment? The toyota 1HZ fuel pump has a thermowax couple, which advances / retards the timing depending on engine coolant temp. When you time the pump, you need to simulate the warm position, so you put a 8mm spacer in the mechanism. After I timed it once, I started it and drove off forgetting to remove the 8mm spacer. The engine was dead cold and the pump thought it was warm, so the injection timing was well off. I could have starred in 'wacky racers' or at least got a job as the viilian in a james bond movie. the spacer fell out and the car went perfectly. Face palm moment. I then walked back along the road for a 100m looking for my 8mm allen key.....

[Johnnojack]

3DB from the symptoms I'm not sure if it's too retarded or too advanced. Lower power says retarded more boost the reverse. I guess if the extra boost doesn't convert to more power then it is retarded. Don't rule out the possibility of there being more than one problem, that always causes a lot of head scratching. (Faulty injector, turbo boost compensator, distribution valve). Need to get timing correct before looking for other stuff though .
You could check the timing the conventional way of course with a dial gauge inserted into the rear of the distributor head.
Thanks Cade for the reminder you need a spacer under the stop of the cold start device which this engine should have.

[3DB]

Is the cold-start thing one of the 2 wires that go into the back of the pump (one has a black dust/moisture cap and the other a green cap)? The other is the fuel cut-off solenoid. I guess it is possible I damaged the wire when removing / re-installing the pump. I didn't touch it other than to take the wire off and put it back on again.

You guys wouldn't have a schematic of one would you? I'm having trouble getting my head around how it works.

[Johnnojack]

No the cold start is a shaft coming out the side with a lever, Spring and cylinder with 2 coolant hoses connected to it. 2 wires? One shut off solenoid, 2 tacho pickup.

[3DB]

2 coolant hoses connected to it.

I'll have another look, but I don't think my pump has this. I definitely didn't encounter any coolant lines when removing the pump.

[3DB]

I still haven't resolved this issue. You guys are probably sick of hearing about it, but not as sick as I am!

RE cold start advance. I do have a 3rd wire into my IP, but no coolant lines anywhere I can see.

I tried advancing it a bit more and it did seem to run better with less smoke once I got it bled properly. It is now maxed out in terms of the movement of the pump within the eccentric mounting holes.

I then parked it up for 24 hours and now it will not start at all.

I thought maybe I hadn't tighten the har lines properly, so bled it again today and still no start. I noticed a bit of smoke coming out the intake plenum, perhaps indicating backfire?

How could it run well after adjusting the timing when warm and now won't start at all?

[Captaincademan]

Me thinks your pump is too far off-timed. Like I said, I know nothing about your pump, but if it is a vane electric it can be timed very accurately using a dial gauge with appropriate extenders and adapters into the back of the pump. regardless of the pump type or procedure, I would get the workshop manual and time it properly before you do anything more. A pump should not be against the stops. you may need to do a little research to find the correct setting for your engine / pump combo.

From memory cold starts are assisted with a retarded injection timing. if you moved it in the direction of advancement, thats one reason why it wont start.

if you do manage to get it back in limits, and it still wont start, try spraying some deoderant into the air intake before / while cranking. it will fire rough and rugged and blow a heap of black smoke, but keep it going until it settles into a smooth operation. this will at least make sure the pump is getting fuel.

have you checked your glow plugs / circuit? that will also kill a cold start. deoderant is your go-to for dead glow plugs as well.