Tractor troubles

[HAY MAKER]

You got crap in your tank. Pull the plug

, strain it through a pair of Tam's stockings into a clean container. Helps to flush it with another gallon or two of clean fuel. Dump the clean fuel back in.


You will be suprised what you find.

Dont tell him that gcreekrch,next thing you know he will be callin a plumber,besides all he is gonna do is ruin a pair of Miss Tams hose,then the _______ will hit the fan
good luck & good nite,bout time to head upstairs.

 

[gcreekrch]

Seeing as how you brought this back up George :roll:

The tractor started last night and again today but I no sooner got it out of the shop and it quit.

Pulled it back in the shop and put the heat to it Bled thing and checked filter.
It would start and run then quit. Now it doesn't want to start. Guess I will try new filter but I don't think that's the problem. :???:

You COULD have a fuel line that is partially collapsed on the inside. I had the same problem years ago with an LN7000 Ford with a 3208 Cat. Took 2 full days and a lot of expense to figure out it was the fuel line. Last winter a guy here had the same thing happen to his Bobcat while cleaning out driveways. For some reason, he was turning around in my driveway when it died. His dad was a diesel mechanic for over 40 years, and when I got home for dinner and talked to them, I told them they had a collapsed line. They got it started around 6 pm that night when I got home for supper. I asked them what they found out....they looked pretty sheepish and only said "You were right". Doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

You reminded me of something Loomix. On my 7400 there are rubber washers/bushings/compression fittings on either side of the main fuel filter. If one of them is tired it will suck air into the system. They are a real b**** to change in cold weather. Even if the fitting is snug they do wear out. You might check there also BMR.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Seeing as how you brought this back up George :roll:

The tractor started last night and again today but I no sooner got it out of the shop and it quit.

Pulled it back in the shop and put the heat to it Bled thing and checked filter.
It would start and run then quit. Now it doesn't want to start. Guess I will try new filter but I don't think that's the problem. :???:

You COULD have a fuel line that is partially collapsed on the inside. I had the same problem years ago with an LN7000 Ford with a 3208 Cat. Took 2 full days and a lot of expense to figure out it was the fuel line. Last winter a guy here had the same thing happen to his Bobcat while cleaning out driveways. For some reason, he was turning around in my driveway when it died. His dad was a diesel mechanic for over 40 years, and when I got home for dinner and talked to them, I told them they had a collapsed line. They got it started around 6 pm that night when I got home for supper. I asked them what they found out....they looked pretty sheepish and only said "You were right". Doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

You reminded me of something Loomix. On my 7400 there are rubber washers/bushings/compression fittings on either side of the main fuel filter. If one of them is tired it will suck air into the system. They are a real b**** to change in cold weather. Even if the fitting is snug they do wear out. You might check there also BMR.

I have had that off a couple of times I guess it's possible. I put hose on the side coming from the tank and fuel siphons out so it sure doesn't seem like a plugged line that far. Pumps fuel out the bleed screw on the filter on the other side. Did you mean that little silver canister filter in the line or the main filter on the right side?

 

[gcreekrch]

The main filter, not the in-line one. You still up? I'll give you a call.

 

[John SD]

Those flexible lines have been known to suck air at the fittings. They also like to leak fuel. :roll:

I did a bonehead thing pulling on a wrench and hit the flexible line from the lift pump to the filters with my hand and broke it off. Ended up splicing the line with a short piece of rubber fuel line and clamps over it. Ordered and have a new line ($45) on hand but my cobble job is holding.

When I disassembled my broken now two-piece line I cleaned it all up good with carb cleaner and put a dab of red silicone sealant on the ends and threads of the fittings and immediately assembled.

I did let the silicone cure several days before I turned the fuel on. It's holding better and leaking less diesel than ever. I still have the new flexible line on the shelf.

I figure any excess silicone I put on that gets away will be caught by the filters. I wouldn't try this method in a post-filter line position.

 

[Blkbuckaroo]

Well i guess i got lucky today,after many hours with a hairdryer(Need to get a heat gun pronto)And a jump from the truck,and being blessed with a sunny,and actually nice day,although it never did heat up at all i got the tractor to sputter to life,and got a good day in removing snow ,good thing for that sunshine.Hope everone else solved thier tractor problems also. 8)

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

My tractor started again warmed up backed out of the shop and quit. AGAIN.

It did restart so I drove it right back into the shop. Boy JD had a great plan for draining the fuel tank. Loosen a clamp pry off the plug and diesel every where. :shock: Of course a pail with a funnel is to tall to fit under very easily. Glad I had pumped all but 10 gallons out before hand."DAVE" didn't warn me about that trick. :wink:

I strained the fuel but I do have a new filter coming in the morning.
Sure hope that solves my problems.

 

[burnt]

Well not quite all solved . I seem to have a semi blocked fuel line on my CIH loader tractor and now today the alternator light came on. At least we are not fighting the extreme cold like many of the rest of you in the North- West. It has been staying around -8 to -12 in these parts.

More corn coming off this past day or two. Still a fair bit to go. Some won't come off til spring because it is down and buried in snow.

 

[SMN Herf]

A couple years ago, my 4255 was giving me trouble. Start fine run a while and then stop. I changed all the filters, put in fuel conditioner, I even ran a heater on the tractor for a while but wouldn't work. I had to blow back on the fuel line into the tank and then it would run for a while and then quit again, much like your problem is. I finally drained most of the fuel out and then wamred up 5 gallons overnight and then put it in the morning and never had trouble since.

Good luck.

Brian

 

[Cal]

Okay, a question for you guys. I've heard that if you get in a pinch, adding a little gasoline to the number 2 will help. Bad idea or BS?

 

[loomixguy]

kerosene

 

[John SD]

I'd say either kerosene or gasoline would help, IF it got mixed in. The catch is ya gotta get 'er running and moving around first, as is. And who has kerosene on hand?

I try to run straight #1 in winter and be done with it. My tractor should go with an estimated 80/20 mix strong to #1 and throughly mixed. But I haven't tried to start it since the cold snap. Gonna have to in the next couple days and put some more feed out.

 

[Triangle Bar]

My tractor started again warmed up backed out of the shop and quit. AGAIN.

It did restart so I drove it right back into the shop. Boy JD had a great plan for draining the fuel tank. Loosen a clamp pry off the plug and diesel every where. :shock: Of course a pail with a funnel is to tall to fit under very easily. Glad I had pumped all but 10 gallons out before hand."DAVE" didn't warn me about that trick. :wink:

I strained the fuel but I do have a new filter coming in the morning.
Sure hope that solves my problems.

BMR your tractor problems are spreading south. :wink: My JD 544C was acting up this morning; sputtering, losing power, then surging, missing.....The filter on this machine is clear and I could see air bubbles in it, after horsin' around for half an hour I found the culprit....a looose fitting on the fuel line as it came out of the tank. Of course it was in a real handy place to get to. :x

I guess these temp swings from -20F to +30F tend to lossin things up.
Running strong now, how's your's comin'?

 

[Anonymous]

I guess these temp swings from -20F to +30F tend to lossin things up.
Running strong now, how's your's comin'?

Interesting thing my son- who works on the BNSF railroad- was telling me today....In the summer heat, the rails expand so much the rail crews have to cut little sections out of the track to allow them to expand and keep them from warping--but now where they've cut those sections out- with this bitter cold the rail shrank so much they found up to 1 and a half foot gaps in the rail... :shock:

I know that is the reason aluminum was outlawed for house wiring- because the continual heating and cooling- shrinking and expanding could actually screw out the screws on the fixtures, connections, and switches- causing shorts and fires....

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

My tractor started again warmed up backed out of the shop and quit. AGAIN.

It did restart so I drove it right back into the shop. Boy JD had a great plan for draining the fuel tank. Loosen a clamp pry off the plug and diesel every where. :shock: Of course a pail with a funnel is to tall to fit under very easily. Glad I had pumped all but 10 gallons out before hand."DAVE" didn't warn me about that trick. :wink:

I strained the fuel but I do have a new filter coming in the morning.
Sure hope that solves my problems.

BMR your tractor problems are spreading south. :wink: My JD 544C was acting up this morning; sputtering, losing power, then surging, missing.....The filter on this machine is clear and I could see air bubbles in it, after horsin' around for half an hour I found the culprit....a looose fitting on the fuel line as it came out of the tank. Of course it was in a real handy place to get to. :x

I guess these temp swings from -20F to +30F tend to lossin things up.
Running strong now, how's your's comin'?

Still fightin' it.

 

[Nicky]

My tractor started again warmed up backed out of the shop and quit. AGAIN.

It did restart so I drove it right back into the shop. Boy JD had a great plan for draining the fuel tank. Loosen a clamp pry off the plug and diesel every where. :shock: Of course a pail with a funnel is to tall to fit under very easily. Glad I had pumped all but 10 gallons out before hand."DAVE" didn't warn me about that trick. :wink:

I strained the fuel but I do have a new filter coming in the morning.
Sure hope that solves my problems.

BMR your tractor problems are spreading south. :wink: My JD 544C was acting up this morning; sputtering, losing power, then surging, missing.....The filter on this machine is clear and I could see air bubbles in it, after horsin' around for half an hour I found the culprit....a looose fitting on the fuel line as it came out of the tank. Of course it was in a real handy place to get to. :x

I guess these temp swings from -20F to +30F tend to lossin things up.
Running strong now, how's your's comin'?

Still fightin' it.

Maybe you need a team :wink:

 

[leanin' H]

All this time i've been jealous of all you guys feeding with equipment. Til i started reading all your troubles with the cold and such. Now, as I throw these little bales on the old chevy to feed, I don't feel so sorry for myself! :wink: Hope ya get it ironed out and don't have any more problems this winter!

 

[Richard Doolittle]

BMR your tractor problems are spreading south. :wink: My JD 544C was acting up this morning; sputtering, losing power, then surging, missing.....The filter on this machine is clear and I could see air bubbles in it, after horsin' around for half an hour I found the culprit....a looose fitting on the fuel line as it came out of the tank. Of course it was in a real handy place to get to. :x

I guess these temp swings from -20F to +30F tend to lossin things up.
Running strong now, how's your's comin'?

Still fightin' it.

Maybe you need a team :wink:

A team of mechanics or a team of mules?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Still fightin' it.

Maybe you need a team :wink:

A team of mechanics or a team of mules?

Both

 

[Nebraska Sandhills]

Okay, a question for you guys. I've heard that if you get in a pinch, adding a little gasoline to the number 2 will help. Bad idea or BS?

We tried it the other day for the first time and got a CIH MX120 to go---after we had tried 911 and changing the fuel filter and working with the inline filter. We put about 2.5 gallon of gasoline (87 octane) into the half tank of #2 diesel (30 gallon) that had been double dosed with Howe's fuel treatment before the cold weather hit. I've heard truckers say you can add up to 20% of your total diesel (ie 2 gallons for every 10 gallons of #2), but I personally would be a little hesitant to add that much and would not recommend it.