Ford 555 TLB

   / Ford 555 TLB #1  

Pops15

Platinum Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
672
Location
IL
Tractor
Ford 555 TLB, Caterpillar Motor Grader, Kubota L245, Ford LGT 125, FABTEK aerial platform
About a year and a half ago I bought a 555 TLB. The previous owner only used it a few times a year...if that. I've only used it a few times as well. When I bought it, it would start easily if it had been run within the past few weeks. If it had sat longer than that it needed a very small shot of ether and it would start right up.
It hasn't been used since last fall. For awhile I would start it every couple of weeks. Everything was fine. Then it got increasingly harder to start.
Now it's to the point that it will ONLY start with a shot of ether. I know using ether is a no-no.

When it starts it will run at whatever RPM I have the throttle set at. If I throttle down the RPM slowly drops. If I throttle up the RPM SLOWLY increases. If I have it running at 1000 RPM and throttle up, it might take 10 minutes to reach 1600 RPM.
Once it's warm if I shut it down it will not restart.
Fuel is old but has Power Service additive. Topped off the tank and added some Siloo Diesel treatment recently.
It has a new fuel filter.
Engine does not smoke.
I suspect plugged injectors or some other fuel delivery issue.
Any ideas on where to start troubleshooting?
 
   / Ford 555 TLB #2  
when trying to start.. does it make smoke?
 
   / Ford 555 TLB
  • Thread Starter
#3  
when trying to start.. does it make smoke?

There was one time I tried starting with ether and it smoked but didn't start. That was the only time I've ever noticed any smoke.
 
   / Ford 555 TLB #4  
smoke is unburnt fuel. if trying to start and no smoke.. guess what....

either compression is so dismally low that it's not even trying to combust the fuel... or it's not getting fuel...
 
   / Ford 555 TLB #5  
Any chance that it's a timing issue?

Are your fuel lines clean? On mine, the fuel line from the tank became plugged with debri in the tank. Blowing out the lines with air fixed it until more debri got into the line.

How does your screen in the fuel pump look? What about the fuel seperator?

Fuel, Compression and timing. It's one of those three things. Since it runs once it gets started, Compression is probably fine. Does it have power once it's going?

Eddie
 
   / Ford 555 TLB
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I don't think it's a compression issue. No blue smoke, no bubbles in the radiator, etc.
 
   / Ford 555 TLB #7  
blue smoke is burning oil.. oil control rings are different than compression rings.

bubles in the rad is usually specifically a head gasket or crack issue..

common loss of compression would be worn cyl bore or rings.. broken ring lands holed piston.. burnt valves..e tc.. possible head gasket..e tc.. still plenty of ways to have reduced compression, and thus blowby, with no blown head gasket or radiator involvement.
 
   / Ford 555 TLB
  • Thread Starter
#8  
It would be smoking bad if it had a burnt or broken piston. It would run rough (especially at idle) if it had burnt valves.

Once running....it seems to run fine but won't throttle up or down. I believe that's the key, but not something I've run into before.

Ran great and made good power immediately prior to the hard starting/throttle issue started so we can eliminate worn cylinders or rings.

Fuel delivery is more likely. I've never run into a throttle/RPM issue like this before and thought someone could point me in the right direction.
I've got good fuel flow to and out of the filter so I'll check down line from there.
 
   / Ford 555 TLB #9  
when a diesel won't make rpm, and it is not being lugged.. it is usually fuel starvation.

lack of smoke also means a fuel (less) issue.

if you have good fuel TO the IP.. I'd be looking there. it's the gov an all.. perhaps rack issues.. metering valve.. or? or? I'm no diesel mechanic.. just a deisel tractor owner/operator maintainer...
 
 
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