Mahindra 2525 / 254 Engine keeps cutting out.

[lohr500]

Must admit this one has me baffled.

I've got a Chinese built Mahindra 2525 or 254 as it is known here in the UK.

After running perfectly for say half an hour or so, the engine will slow down and then cut out.
It won't restart immediately but if you leave it for a few minutes, it will then restart and is fine again for another half hour or so.

It isn't seizing through overheating as it spins over fine on the starter after cutting out and I know it isn't running hot.

It has all the symptoms of fuel starvation, so I've checked all the obvious things like:

• Making sure the fuel tank is full. I wondered if there was a hairline crack in the pick up pipe inside the tank.
• The tank breather in the cap isn't blocked.
• Replaced the fuel filter.
• Changed the injector pump oil.
• Disconnected the fuel feed pipe to the diesel injector pump immediately after the engine has stopped and confirmed a good flow of diesel from the electric fuel pump. I wondered if the fuel pump was failing.

Running out of ideas now. I just hope it is something simple and not a problem with the injector pump. When the engine is running it is spot on. Surely if the injector pump was damaged it would be an all or nothing situation. Could it be a problem with the governor?

Has anyone had similar problems and did you track down the cause?
Does anyone know if there is another mesh type filter somewhere in the fuel supply? Perhaps this is getting blocked.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

I know you said that the breather in the tank is fine , but if you have the problem again, try taking off the fuel cap, as it sure sounds like a problem with the fuel tank vent. I have seen this problem with them before.

[lohr500]

Hi there and thanks for the quick reply.

I will check the fuel cap again. I had a real good look at it last time it cut out on me because I thought about a possible cap blockage causing a vacuum in the tank. When I undid it there was a tell tale hiss of air rushing into the tank.
Perhaps I didn't get the cap breather working properly when I messed around with it.
If it stops again I'll check to see if there is a vacuum again. And then run it with a makeshift cap using a bag with a hole in or something similar

Great tip. Thanks.

After posting my original message this afternoon I decided to change the injector pump oil as I did wonder if the oil was interfering with the Governor in some way. I've done 90 hours now and never changed the injector pump oil.

The stuff in there was pretty filthy brown but I couldn't figure out what type of oil it was. The manual doesn't say either.
It didn't smell of EP gear oil and was similar in consistency to straight SAE 30 engine oil.
So I have refilled it using a straight SAE 30. Hope this is OK

[Texan4Life]

yeah injector pumps that have a separate oil sump usually call for the same motor oil as the engine.

[Slickheadhunter]

Lahr,
Your 2525 is Chinese built? Where are the 2516's built?

[Slickheadhunter]

Answered my own question, mines built in Japan, didn't realize that there built all over the place depending on model.

[lohr500]

yeah injector pumps that have a separate oil sump usually call for the same motor oil as the engine.

Thanks for that Texan4Life. The straight SAE 30 4 stroke engine oil I used should be OK.

[lohr500]

Answered my own question, mines built in Japan, didn't realize that there built all over the place depending on model.

Suspect your Japanese built 2516 is more reliable than my Chinese produced 2525

I've had two failed injectors, both with less than 50 hours running. (Although I guess both probably came from the same production batch)
A failed 4 in 1 bucket ram oil seal.
A dodgy starter interlock switch.

All easy fixes but the worrying thing now is that the UK importer has ceased trading so finding spares could be a challenge.
I suppose lightweight items can be shipped from the US for a reasonable postage cost, but if something major fails, then it may well be a costly business to fix

[lohr500]

Still having the same problem with the engine cutting out. I've now eliminated the possibility of it being the fuel cap causing a vacuum in the tank as I removed the breather valve in the cap completely a few weeks back and the engine still slows down/cuts out.
Strange thing is if you hear it is slowing and open the throttle then it picks up and clears itself.
It is intermittent as well and will run for an hour or so with no problem then does the same trick.
I'm now wondering if it could be a dodgy electric fuel pump or electric feed to the pump.