Hot fuel delivery problem

[schneidvt]

I have an ingersoll 3014 that has developed a new problem. After running fine for an hour or so it will stop pulling fuel. The fuel filter goes dry and as I crank it I can see a little fuel fluctuate in the bottom of the fuel filter. After I let it cool off, I can crank it over and it will fill up and run like normal. Any ideas what could be causing this?

[hydriv]

You are apparently suffering from fuel "vapour lock". This can be an elusive issue to sort out. More often than not, vapour lock is caused by high temperatures under the hood. Some of things that can cause those high temps are:

1. rodent nests under the engine cowlings that block air from flowing over the engine block. Solution: remove the tins and clean the area. Be sure to check under the flywheel.

2. a muffler or exhaust piping that is failing. All connections must be tight. The muffler can develop holes that cannot be seen because of the insulation layer covering it. Hot exhaust gasses that exit UNDER the hood, instead of leaving that area by way of the tailpipe can cause a dramatic rise in the temperature under the hood.

3. gasoline with a higher percentage of alcohol will boil at a lower temperature than older gasolines with no alcohol or low amounts of alcohol.

4. Timing issues. Make sure that the valve lash is set correctly. If the engine has points, then make sure they are set properly. Gap the spark plug to spec.

5. Too lean of a fuel mixture can also make the engine run hotter but I doubt that is your problem.

6. Check the cooler for the hydraulic oil. It must be CLEAN or it will not cool the oil. Hot oil will cause the under hood temps to rise.

7. Make sure all the fuel hose clamps are tight so that no air can get sucked into the fuel line.

8. Too high of a compression ratio can also cause high heat and that can happen when carbon builds up in the combustion chamber. Removing the head to clean away all the carbon including the area under the valves is a routine maintenance item for many engines.


You could try removing the hood from the tractor completely as a test. Go and cut the grass for an hour on a hot day with no hood and see what happens. If you have changed nothing on this tractor since the last time it worked perfectly, then it would seem to be some sort of maintenance issue. It's a matter of figuring out whether it is one thing or several small things that are causing it. Most of the things I listed above are procedures that the engine manufacturer expects you to do every 500 hours or so. Nothing runs forever without being cared for.

[schneidvt]

Thanks for the tips, I'm planning on taking the air compressor to it this afternoon and blow any junk out of the cylinder heads and check that I don't have any loose hoses off of the fuel pump. As for the fuel I run 89 with an ethanol stabilizer. I have heard of some people having issues with the fuel pumps and the fuel cutoff solenoid, maybe I can figure out a way to test that while I'm in there. For reference it is a 14hp briggs vanguard with 1200 hours. It has been by far the most reliable mower I have seen.