Oil & Fuel Farm-Pro 4020 fuel pressure issue or ?

[MSprenger]

First time here so I'm posting for the first time . .

Hey, Good morning and hope this finds you enjoying the Labor Day weekend. Hoping a reply comes back with some suggestions. I have a 2002 Farmpro 4020 that I have to say has served me well. Certainly had some work to do to achieve that but suddenly my rudimentary + skills aren't figuring out a situation and hoped you could help of give me a number to call and discuss. My tractor will start cold effortlessly and run like a champ~ but almost clock-like, within 12-15 minutes whether under load [brush hog] or riding on a flat packed road- the engine slowly loses power and finally dies. Trying to re-start is a slow rumble and no luck. Like some kind of choke hold. After many hours- will start right back up without hesitation and repeat the same situation again. Temp is fine, levels are fine, can't find a restriction anywhere. I am looking for some "did you check this" ideas . . oh, and I checked that there was no vapor lock of the tank. That is probably the best way to describe the situation symptoms. Like a slow vapor lock and cutting off of the fuel pressure- slowly. Thanks!

Gonna' run out and try something I just thought of . . I'll check back here soon. Thanks again.

 

[Rich Waugh]

12-15 minutes sounds like it is running on the fuel that is in the fuel filter/lines and then being starved. My guess is that you have a blockage/restriction right at the tank or close by. I'd start by draining the fuel from the tank and then removing the tank fitting. There is a strainer screen on that fitting, inside the tank, and any rust, dirt, gum or diesel bugs will clog it quickly. From there, you move to the next potential choke point, the sediment bowl/petcock assembly. This, too, has a filter screen hidden in it. While you're at it, check to make sure that the hoses aren't decaying inside or collapsing under vacuum as the engine uses fuel. The last thing to check out is the lift pump to make sure it is functioning properly. Once all those things are squared away, either it will run fine or the thing is haunted.

 

[Bob Rooks]

I'll second what Rich said. Sounds like restrictions on the suction side of the fuel system. There is also a screen in the suction banjo bolt on the lift pump.

 

[EE_Bota]

I agree that the issue is likely where these fellows said. I went into mine yesterday. I didn't do a thorough job of it, instead, I just back blasted it with air to clean the filter in the tank. I decided immediately that I didn't want to remove the bowl assy twice, and my official R&R will be when I receive my new fuel bowl kit, which I ordered today.

Mine will start fine, but about the time it takes to get warmed up per the temperature guage (80C) it will start to run funny. I was able to prove mine was actually taking in air from somewhere, probably the bowl. I believe the pump demands far more fuel than the engine needs, and the extra is returned to tank. If you fail to meet pump demand, you may seem to be out of fuel, and you may even get air into the system.

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

Other potential problems is the braided fuel hoses may look fine but be slightly loose allowing it to suck a bit of air at the banjo fittings. Probably best to replace them all now.

 

[MSprenger]

Hey! Big thanks to everyone here on your thoughts and suggestions. What a great site!

I figured it was somewhere along the "fuel chain" and had not considered what Rich pointed out about the timing sounding like enough fuel running out in the lines and being starved at the tank itself. I can imagine in the hours it sits before running again, the gravity alone refills the line back to that point to start all over. The bowl is always full and clear so I figured the problem had to be on the engine side of that bowl. I appreciate all the comments gentlemen, and I will get good and greasy today.

 

[MSprenger]

I also need to point out- however probably doesn't make any difference to the threads- my tractor is actually a Farm-Pro 4040. Thanks again to all!

 

[Bob Rooks]

Just a quick note: The sediment bowl is not an indicator of whether you have fuel in the tank or not. The flow of fuel goes across the top of the bowl, so you can still run out of fuel and have a full bowl. Ever notice that you cannot drain the bowl with the priming pump? :thumbsup:

 

[greg_g]

That said, there's an in-tank screen covering the drain tube that feeds the sediment bowl. If/when that becomes blocked, the fuel bowl will in fact empty - while there's still fuel in the tank.

//greg//

 

[Bob Rooks]

That said, there's an in-tank screen covering the drain tube that feeds the sediment bowl. If/when that becomes blocked, the fuel bowl will in fact empty - while there's still fuel in the tank.

//greg//

Curious how that can happen Greg, since the suction is at the top of the bowl and not the bottom.