Diesel Tractor Dies After 30 minutes, Won't Restart w/o Ether

[sourwood]

Tractor In Question: Farmtrac 665DTC, basically an Indian Copy of the Ford 5000 series, with a ripoff of the Ford 201 three cylinder diesel & Bosch Mico Injection system.

Problem: Tractor sputters and dies as though it is not getting fuel, it only does this after 30 minutes of operation and particularly while going uphill. The tractor then will not restart for a few hours, and then requires ether boost to start. Upon using ether, the tractor will startup, run rough, then even out and idle ok- even low idle. So long as you don't run it for longer than 30 minutes or try to drive up hill, the tractor is fine, will stop and start. Run it for 30 minutes and drive up a steep hill(I live in the mountains) and the tractor acts like it is not getting fuel and dies out.

Background:
I recently had a fuel contamination problem where both fuel filters got contaminated with water. This is where this began- the whole not getting diesel fuel type symptoms. Both filters were so badly damaged, I had to replace them at the same time. I bled the system as best I could and then used ether to finish bleed as I only had myself to do this with. It still died on me going up a hill, so I cleaned out the screen that is attached to the gas tank petcock. I still have the problem.

It is like the tractor suddenly isn't getting diesel and just dies.

Thoughts ? Suggestions ? And I don't mean burn it down for insurance money, either, guys.

Thank you in advance !

[Dr Dave]

Did you drain fuel/ water, in tank. Try running with fuelcap off, eliminate a possible bad vent.

Dave

[Ken]

Did you drain fuel/ water, in tank. Try running with fuelcap off, eliminate a possible bad vent.

Dave

Look for a filter on input of the diesel pump., and then cut open the replaced filter to see if full of water . Drain the fuel tank into a clear container and see if water or jumk is coming out of tank. if so after empty take a cloth on a stick fixed so cannot come off and swab the inside bottom of tank. this dry cloth will collect any water left in tank. or show you what could be blocking the place where fuel is going into line to filters.
Don't know your brand of tractor but either isn't a good idea in getting started. Can end up breaking the piston top ring or damage the engine.
If all this is good maybe a compression check and clean the injecters foillow the method of bleeding the fuel system.
ken
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