Oil & Fuel Fuel system leak / questions.

[Jimmyb33]

I spent a few hours on my LK3054 this weekend digging / pulling stumps and brush-hogging. When it was time to put everything up I noticed that fuel was leaking out around the fuel filter bowl. at leaste that is where I think it is comming from. I had a new fuel filter on hand so I decided to go ahead and change it out. I shut off the fuel valve, took the bowl off, and cleaned everything up pretty good... put the new filter on, filled the bowl with fuel and put it all back together, opened the shut off valve.

Now...I was looking at the owner's manuel about bleeding the air out of the fuel lines... so I find the blead valve and I try to open it up... It won't open.. I finally realize that is was allready open and had been since I got it!! I went ahead and cranked the engine a couple of time to make sure the air was out of the line. Then I closed the bleed valve and re-attatched the line to it. The eingine started up just fine after that... I let it run for a little while and it's all good.

So now... questions...

Is the bleed valve supposed to be open or closed while running?

If it is supposed to be closed, is there any harm in leaving it open?

Went out there to look at it again this morning and it's still leakign alittle bit of fuel. What should I check to stop the leak?

Thanks for any help on this!!

jb

 

[PA hayseed]

mine has 3 settings, air, open, and off, which makes it self explanatory for mine. The air setting is just for empty tank and bleeding, and the open is for normal operation according to my owners manual.

Maybe one of the Kioti motor heads can better answer your question. I have plenty of wrenches, but I am not a mechanic.

 

[Jimmyb33]

Thanks hayseed.. what you are describing sounds like my fuels shut-off valve. Mine is labled on, on, and off... (go figure? ) I think the middle "on" is the "air" position.

I also have a little bleed valve on the outlet of the fuel pump. It has a little "thumb wheel" to open and close the valve. There is a hose comming off this valve and it goes back to the top of the injectors.. it is not the main fuel line/lines to the injectors... those are rigid tubing. My best interpretation of the manual says that this valve is to be opend to bleed air aout of the fuel system. This valve has been open sisnce I bought the tractor last spring. It has been running fine with the valve open... just wondering if it should be left open or closed and if I could have done any damage by running it open??

jb

 

[kentrodngun]

Thanks hayseed.. what you are describing sounds like my fuels shut-off valve. Mine is labled on, on, and off... (go figure? ) I think the middle "on" is the "air" position.

I also have a little bleed valve on the outlet of the fuel pump. It has a little "thumb wheel" to open and close the valve. There is a hose comming off this valve and it goes back to the top of the injectors.. it is not the main fuel line/lines to the injectors... those are rigid tubing. My best interpretation of the manual says that this valve is to be opend to bleed air aout of the fuel system. This valve has been open sisnce I bought the tractor last spring. It has been running fine with the valve open... just wondering if it should be left open or closed and if I could have done any damage by running it open??

jb

I also have an LK3054. When I installed the new engine, I used the "thumb wheel" to bleed out the air and then closed it. It started right up. I've left it closed since. Instructions said to turn counterclockwise to open, crank and when it starts or air is expelled, close it by turning clockwise.
The manual that came with the new engine (TD1400) also states:
"The air vent on the fuel injection pump must always be closed during engine operation. The engine may not run if left open"
Guess they're wrong

 

[Jimmyb33]

yep! been running great the past year! or I think it was.. haven't actually worked it yet with the bleed valve closed.... should run even better right? I'll have to let everyone know...

 

[PA hayseed]

I'll take a pic of mine and of the manual. I wouldn't want you to do anything to hurt your tractor. My open is poitning directly up, and is where it was before I changed tthe filter.

 

[kentrodngun]

I'll take a pic of mine and of the manual. I wouldn't want you to do anything to hurt your tractor. My open is poitning directly up, and is where it was before I changed tthe filter.

You're talking about the fuel shut off for the fuel filter assembly. My manual (Section 9 page 33) shows the open position with the long part of the handle in the six oclock position (so down, not up) and closed in the three oclock position. This is all curious as there are two open positions stamped on the assembly, but I read pictures real well .

 

[Jimmyb33]

Pictures are a great idea! I took a couple yesterday evening and scanned in the page from my manual. So here's a picture of how my fuel shut-off valve looks. This is how it had been since I got it.

I've been running it with the lever as shown. Sounds like that's NOT how you guys are running it right?

Next picture is the air bleed valve. It has been running wide open for the past year.

Third picture is the page from my manual. After looking at it again, I realized that I am missing the spring and small o-ring! I don't think that is causeing my leak from the top of the bowl, but I'm pretty sure the filter is not and has not been seated as it should be.

The more time I spend with this tractor, the more thing I find that the previous owner did kinda half-a$$ed!! I'm going to have to start another thread about my alternator.

Thanks for all the input guys. Let me know how these things should be set.

jb

 

[PA hayseed]

sorry for the late reply, but I forgot.

Pics of my fuel filter, and the manual method and parts. When I get my shop manual tomorrow I will look for any diagrams that may help.

My book says to leave the fuel cock in the open position. You may need to click on the pics to make them larger.

If something isn't clear enough let me know, I'll have to bring the book in the house and scan to post it.

We have two different fuel cocks, I would look to see which one lets the tractor run, and which position chokes the fuel from the tractor. As far as the other stuff, our equipment may be too different for me to be of any help to you. I am guessing that the leak is a result of a bad gasket around your fuel bowl. My second guess is that the fuel line connection to the fuel filter is leaking and collecting around the filter bowl where you can see it. Other than this I would guess it has something to do with gremlins or the tooth fairy. I am really surprised that none of the Kioti motorheads have solved this for you yet.

The spring adds pressure to the filter itself in the bowl, forcing it up to the fuel flow. The bowl should not be taking or having any pressure in it (I think). Maybe it is the spring causing the leak. Heck I'm tired of guessing, I'm no mechanic. I rip things apart all the time trying to figure out how they work. Somehow I get most of them reassembled.

 

[Jimmyb33]

I did a little more brush-hogging last night with the bleed valved closed and did't notice any difference in how it ran. So I guess I'll just keep on running it like that. On the fuel-shut off valve, I still don't know if I'm supposed to run it on the "on" at 12:00 or the "on" at 9:00. Guess I'll keep it at 9:00 for now. As for the leak, I got a quote to replace all the components from Rick Wallace and will be ordering them this afternoon. I figure at lease then I'll know everything is new and good. I'll report back on the leak after I insall the new stuff. Thanks for the pics hayseed... I can't read that bleeding proceedure without giggling... yeah.. i'm 12!