Just saved a SA-250 D3 152 from the scrapyard, need some help with it

[12V71]

LOL!!!! 'A touch' yeah, I've told people just a tiny bit of ether will help... they call up a few hours later telling me how it's almost running and it'll 'run on ether' -- so I show up and there's 3-4 empty cans of ether on the ground and two sets of jumpers running to the batteries...

Yeah, I've seen that too. I guess you just have to know what's going on. One other thing I've seen with diesels that have done a lot of sitting is fuel racks in the pump stuck in the stop position (or full fuel in 2 stroke Detroits), I cant say on the op's engine, because I have no experience with those. But it is a possibility.

[Welder Dave]

Perkins can be a little finicky to bleed but talked to an experienced mechanic who said a a small shot of ether after hand priming with no bubbles wouldn't hurt. Small shot is 1 second not 1 can. A lot of people don't pump the hand primer enough. After the bubbles are gone you need to pump about 20 times more.

[machinisttx]

Perkins can be a little finicky to bleed but talked to an experienced mechanic who said a a small shot of ether after hand priming with no bubbles wouldn't hurt. Small shot is 1 second not 1 can. A lot of people don't pump the hand primer enough. After the bubbles are gone you need to pump about 20 times more.

Believe me, I pumped it like it owed me money. I haven't gotten back to it yet. Battery is charged though, so I will probably fool with it again sometime this week. Going to bleed the injectors just to be sure I've gotten all the air out.

[Leogl]

I have one of these there is a real fine screen in the sediment bowl MAKE sure it is clean there is also another screeen in or by the electric fuel pump you have to take out a small Phillips screw in the middle of the lid there is a Oring a small one my experience has taught me to change that oring they leak and makes it hard to prime

[machinisttx]

I finally got back to it and made a little progress. Bled the injector pump and fuel filter again, just to be sure. Then I bled the injectors, twice. Stale diesel really has a stench of it's own. The lines were full of air and stale diesel. Then I started cranking. It started puffing a little more, and a little more, and a little more, then a lot, then it finally hit a good lick, caught, and would have run on it's own if I'd held the button down another half a second. Mashed it again, it popped right off and ran. Oil pressure gauge showed close to 80 psi oil pressure, which dropped a little as it started warming up. Blew a whole lot of garbage out of the exhaust pipe. I didn't run it long, but did run it long enough to figure out it isn't charging the battery, the idler isn't working, there's no welding current output, and no auxiliary AC output. Also not sure if the temp gauge or sending unit are any good. Engine felt warm enough that the gauge should have registered, but it never moved.

The commutator and AC slip rings are clean. The brushes are all in very good shape and making good contact. I'm suspecting that either the oil pressure switch is bad, or the alternator is bad, or both. I assumed it was the alternator last night and so took the existing Prestolite unit off. Bought a one wire Delco to replace it for $60 or so. Didn't get it on last night, so I spent some time reading up while the wife was gone this morning getting groceries. That lead me to wondering if a bad oil pressure switch might have caused all the problems rather than just some of them. Also wondering if I should check the reed switch. The panel that the welding lugs are connected to is somewhat bent. It's bent enough that it might have damaged the reed switch.

I have one of these there is a real fine screen in the sediment bowl MAKE sure it is clean there is also another screeen in or by the electric fuel pump you have to take out a small Phillips screw in the middle of the lid there is a Oring a small one my experience has taught me to change that oring they leak and makes it hard to prime

Sediment bowl is brand new. The old one kept clogging when I was trying to drain the tank, plus it started leaking after I took it apart repeatedly. No electric fuel pump. This one has a four bolt mechanical lift pump with a manual primer arm.

[KC51]

Glad to hear you've got it running.
My two cent would be to focus on finding the problem with the welding section and when that's fixed work on the alternator and auto idle (reed switch etc).
Since you question the temperature gauge carefully monitor the temp during testing.
Check wiring diagram for your machine for fuses or circuit breakers.
Next since you don't have AC output, flash the fields. Search the net for instructions or a service manual if you can find one.
Next would be testing the field diode bridge. Again net search or manual.
Keep us posted and good luck.

[machinisttx]

Glad to hear you've got it running.
My two cent would be to focus on finding the problem with the welding section and when that's fixed work on the alternator and auto idle (reed switch etc).
Since you question the temperature gauge carefully monitor the temp during testing.
Check wiring diagram for your machine for fuses or circuit breakers.
Next since you don't have AC output, flash the fields. Search the net for instructions or a service manual if you can find one.
Next would be testing the field diode bridge. Again net search or manual.
Keep us posted and good luck.

I have a service manual(for a slightly newer machine though), IM407, and a Perkins manual. There's no schematic on either of the doors, and I'm not 100% certain the schematic in IM407 is correct. It appears to be. Only fuse I could find was good. The bridge rectifier is good, but I may swap it anyway. Going to email lincoln and see if they'll send me the correct schematic.

[machinisttx]

Just got some schematics from Lincoln. Looks like my suspicion was right and I need to at least check the oil pressure switch. Alternator went to the repair shop today, so that's getting ruled out. Ordering a new pressure switch today.

[machinisttx]

Alternator repair guy said it was in bad shape, but got it rebuilt and back to me today. Put it back on this evening. Charging problem is solved and the oil pressure switch is good. Still no welding current, no AC, and the idler isn't working.. I flashed the AC side per the instructions Lincoln sent me. Still got no AC.

[KC51]

Glad you're making some progress.
Was the fuse you checked on one of the AC wires feeding the bride rectifier?
I'd suggest following the troubleshooting guide in the service manual you have. It may not be for your exact machine but should be close.
After flashing with no AC output test for problems with the welding alternator(exciter).

[machinisttx]

Glad you're making some progress.
Was the fuse you checked on one of the AC wires feeding the bride rectifier?
I'd suggest following the troubleshooting guide in the service manual you have. It may not be for your exact machine but should be close.
After flashing with no AC output test for problems with the welding alternator(exciter).

Yep, the one on the back side of the control panel, right beside the bridge rectifier. Everything that I could test with a meter has been tested, either before I put everything back together or since. I guess I will pull everything apart again and start over.

[J.R.W]

I have a Lincoln Ranger 250 I have got trouble with it when you start it if it goes to a idle it will weld but when you change rod it will not weld again until you kill the machine and start it and it goes back to a idle then you can weld again I though it may be the PC Board but never had this to happen before. anyone have any ideals

[machinisttx]

Getting 0.6 volts at the welding lug terminals and 1 volt to 1.6 volts from the 115v outlets. Talking to a tech at Lincoln. Maybe I'll get it sorted out. If not, I bet I can get more than $400 out of the engine.

[machinisttx]

Well, just got off the phone with Bob Crow at Lincoln. Looks like the armature is shorted. Gonna call around and see if anyone has a good used one or has recommendations on a rewind service.

[KC51]

Sorry to hear that.
I had the same situation several years ago and was lucky enough to find a parts machine.
I used Eurton to rewind an exciter armature several years ago and at that time they listed main armature rewinding on their website. I don't see it now but worth a call
https://eurtonelectric.com/catalog/armatures/lincoln
Bob Crow is a class guy. I think formally retired but still helps out.

[bead-boy]

Thread got hijacked with a new title. I put the title back to the way it was using the Advanced Reply. Will see if that sticks.

[duaneb55]

Sorry to hear that.
I had the same situation several years ago and was lucky enough to find a parts machine.
I used Eurton to rewind an exciter armature several years ago and at that time they listed main armature rewinding on their website. I don't see it now but worth a call
https://eurtonelectric.com/catalog/armatures/lincoln
Bob Crow is a class guy. I think formally retired but still helps out.

Ditto on Bob Crow.

Eurton is my go to for rewinds. Shoot John Buchanan an email (john@eurtonelectric.com) and he'll give you a quote in short order.

[machinisttx]

Thanks for the info. Bob said he was retired, but still came in a couple of days a week to help out with the older machines.

Ditto on Bob Crow.

Eurton is my go to for rewinds. Shoot John Buchanan an email (john@eurtonelectric.com) and he'll give you a quote in short order.

Will email him. Thanks for the info.

[machinisttx]

Got another armature(used). Pressure washed the machine a few days ago to get all the grime off. When I was washing it, it occurred to me that the grime around the welding generator looked an awful lot like the rear main seal had been leaking. Made me wonder if that was what shorted it. Waiting until I have the rest of the parts I plan on replacing before I separate it. It has some blow by, and since there's no hour meter, I'm debating whether to do a full rebuild while it's out.

[machinisttx]

Took the Lincoln to work(overhead hoist for the win) a couple days ago and have been working on it here and there when the boss is out of paying jobs for me. Got it split yesterday and pulled the old armature off. Confirmed leaking rear main seal. Also popped the valve cover off and set the valve lash. Going to pick up some miscellaneous stuff today along with a new thermostat. Maybe by the end of the day Monday I'll have it all back together and welding.

[machinisttx]

Got it all put back together. It runs and welds now. Haven't had time to check OCV or voltage at the outlets.

[Aemery]

Hi machinisttx,
Did you ever get your machine welding?

Hey I need to re-wire my oil pressure switch on my Sa 250 and am having a hard time figuring out where the 2 wires go to coming off of the pressure sensor. The schematic I printed off is very confusing. Did you figure out the correct way to wire yours?

Thanks in advance

[Sberry]

You can pressure wash the bottom of the tank.

[neilkingent]

Took the Lincoln to work(overhead hoist for the win) a couple days ago and have been working on it here and there when the boss is out of paying jobs for me. Got it split yesterday and pulled the old armature off. Confirmed leaking rear main seal. Also popped the valve cover off and set the valve lash. Going to pick up some miscellaneous stuff today along with a new thermostat. Maybe by the end of the day Monday I'll have it all back together and welding.

you got lucky. I paid $1k for a 2000 model that was supposed to be a somewhat easy fix. Well, it probably would have been if he hadn't worked on it . $2500 more dollars later.....

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[neilkingent]

you got lucky. I paid $1k for a 2000 model that was supposed to be a somewhat easy fix. Well, it probably would have been if he hadn't worked on it . $2500 more dollars later.....

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#1 and #2 with broken rings and burned head gasket from trying to start with ether. Lift pump was bad.

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