Oil & Fuel Help with non-starting Montana 5740 Tractor

[wcsmith]

Have a 5740 (bought in 2005) that has run great until the other day. While cutting, the tractor just choked and died. Then would not start - cranked and cranked - not start. Though it may be a water in the fuel issue - though did not have a appropriate lite on the dashboard. So changed the fuel filter and also drain a bit of fuel from the fuel tank, and that did not show any water in the fuel. However, still no start. Though I have had the tractor 12 years it has less than 200 hours. It is used mostly as a utility vehicle (dirt work, lifting things, fencing, etc) rather than mowing.

Just trying to figure out where to test next for fuel blockage, etc. I'm not the smartest on diesel engines either.

Anyway, anyone got any ideas on where to go next.

I'm being told the LS U5020 or U 5030 is the similar tractor - both have the same engine (57 horse) and transmission...So I'm told...

Thanks for any help...

Warren

 

[thepumpguysc]

IF it has an electric feed pump on it, make sure its running.. if not running, check fuses..
IF it is running, follow the line down to the injection pump, loosen the line going into the inj. pump.. got fuel there??
IF SO.. loosen the lines AT THE INJECTORS & crank engine until fuel squirts out.. 8-10 sec. bursts of the starter & rest.. do that about 3-4-5 times.. if no fuel..
Do you have an electric shut down solenoid on the machine?? do you pull a cable/knob to shut it down or w/ the key switch??
If its w/ the key.. check to make sure the solenoid it working.. check the fuses OR remove the solenoid from the system completely..
Its HIGHLY unlikely that a pump problem will manifest WHILE RUNNING.. sounds more like fuel supply or electrical..Good luck..

 

[kthompson]

It could also be a air blockage such as insect nest or rat nest or maybe plastic sucked into the filter. Follow thepumpguy suggestions and if still nothing with helper spray WD-40 in short burst into the air intake while cranking it, if not getting fuel this should start it showing fuel issue. If it does not start then probably air issue.

You may want to try this first as it is quick and easy compared to tracking the fuel system. Also check for loose fuel filter if spin on and could be trash in fuel tank but seems your draining to check for water would have shown that.

 

[Unclebuck257]

WC,

I did what you did and bought a new 5740C in 2005. Mine now has about 292 hours on it, but I remember mine doing just about the same thing about 2 years ago, or about 200 hours. Turned out to be a bad fuel line, after changing out the fuel filter, etc. too. My fuel line had a small crack in it, as I remember, and after replacing the filter and then still having a problem, a friend found the cracked fuel line. Once replaced, the tractor did, and still does, run fine. The other two posters also have given you excellent advice to check out. Good luck my friend.

 

[Unclebuck257]

Not being a diesel mechanic, I'm going to describe what I have found out the best way I can. About 2 weeks or so ago, my tractor started doing what yours is doing. ( After I answered your post the first time above) I changed out my fuel filter, after letting out some fuel due to what was believed to be water in the diesel I had just purchased from a local Allsups store. At that point my tractor ran fine and mowed for about 2 1/2 hours just fine until I got into some heavy and high weeds in one of my pastures. At that point the motor went from 540 rpms down to 10-20 rpms on its own and died out. Tried and barely got tractor started again and back to my barn. OK, at this point I'm really PO'd!! Two new fuel filters and draining of fuel suspected of having water in it and running fine for a few hours and now I'm back to where I started with this trouble, thinking it was caused by water in the fuel. A qweel later my sion in law, a diesel mechanic gets time and last night he dug into this problem for me. We took almost the entire fuel system apart, blowing out this and blowing out that. FINALLY, right below, and I mean on the bottom of, the push button to remove air out of the fuel system after changing out the fuel filter, he undid the connection in the fuel system there. We found that there was a VERY SMALL wire mesh screen, about 3/8 X 3/8 inch that acts like an inline filter and it was clogged with all kinds of dirt and debris. We blew it out completely, cleaning it out, and reassembled it again and tightened it back up. Tractor now runs GREAT!! Watch that small in line filter screen because if its clogged up, like in my 5740C, the engine may run fine until it gets a heavy mowing load on it and then it doesn't allow enough fuel to get through. I'd pull and check it for dirt and debris anyway ad plan on doing so YEARLY, or whenever I change the fuel filter. Hope that was some help. Later...

 

[Chris4Liberty]

Not being a diesel mechanic, I'm going to describe what I have found out the best way I can. About 2 weeks or so ago, my tractor started doing what yours is doing. ( After I answered your post the first time above) I changed out my fuel filter, after letting out some fuel due to what was believed to be water in the diesel I had just purchased from a local Allsups store. At that point my tractor ran fine and mowed for about 2 1/2 hours just fine until I got into some heavy and high weeds in one of my pastures. At that point the motor went from 540 rpms down to 10-20 rpms on its own and died out. Tried and barely got tractor started again and back to my barn. OK, at this point I'm really PO'd!! Two new fuel filters and draining of fuel suspected of having water in it and running fine for a few hours and now I'm back to where I started with this trouble, thinking it was caused by water in the fuel. A qweel later my sion in law, a diesel mechanic gets time and last night he dug into this problem for me. We took almost the entire fuel system apart, blowing out this and blowing out that. FINALLY, right below, and I mean on the bottom of, the push button to remove air out of the fuel system after changing out the fuel filter, he undid the connection in the fuel system there. We found that there was a VERY SMALL wire mesh screen, about 3/8 X 3/8 inch that acts like an inline filter and it was clogged with all kinds of dirt and debris. We blew it out completely, cleaning it out, and reassembled it again and tightened it back up. Tractor now runs GREAT!! Watch that small in line filter screen because if its clogged up, like in my 5740C, the engine may run fine until it gets a heavy mowing load on it and then it doesn't allow enough fuel to get through. I'd pull and check it for dirt and debris anyway ad plan on doing so YEARLY, or whenever I change the fuel filter. Hope that was some help. Later...

Mine was clogged too