New Farmer with MF 6290 fuel issue

[Schrodinger]

Well, after gleaning much info from this fine site, I've finally registered.

Why? Because this dang fuel issue is making me nuts.

My brother and I found a Massey-Ferguson 6290 with less than 1000 hours and bought it for our new acreage. We had the dealer go through it after we bought it, and it was all good to go.

After about 35 hours on it, it began to intermittently lose power and die- like it had no fuel. We drained and replaced the fuel, fuel filters, and checked all lines. Ran well till it warmed up, then same symptoms. We paid a mechanic to look- replaced a couple grommets and the fuel shut off solenoid. Ran great for 4 hours, now doing the same thing.

So- the tractor cranks up fine, but once warmed up and under a load (pulling a 12' disc) it begins fluctuating RPM and losing power, then dies. It takes a minute of cranking to fire up, then runs rough and will die under load.

It seems the fuel injector pump is making a sound like a tattoo gun - an RPM timed buzzing/pinging.

Anyone have experience with this issue? Please help!

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

The symptoms that you're describing are 'classic' for a biological growth in your fuel tank... if you were (and I advise that you do) to put an inspection camera into the tank it will look like green fairy-floss (cotton candy) mixed with phlegm. Your fuel bowl will also have a greenish tinge to it. What happened is that water got into the diesel (condensation? old fuel separation? :confused3 and this growth started many months ago; leading to it gumming up, then starving the fuel system.

You'll need to add a "diesel biocide" (readily available from an auto supply store) to kill it off. Then you'll have to clean the tank of any & all of the dead biological crap that is in there.

I've used an Australian product called "Fuel Doctors" Fuel Doctors Australia that kills the biological growth (notice that I keep calling it that, it's not algae. Algae needs light to grow) and breaks it up into micro portions to be burnt up in the cylinders. You will probably need to replace the fuel filter a few times until ALL of the gunk is out of the system.

Best of luck, Mate & enjoy the site!

Oh yeah, forgot to ask about your cat!

 

[thepumpguysc]

The noise your hearing in the inj. pump is probably air..
Check your tank for debris, as stated above..
Check your supply pump, if equipped, very inexpensive to replace, about 40.00.
Leave the fuel cap loose on the tank.. OR when it dies off.. jump off & loosen the cap quickly & listen for a vacuum.. THAT'LL tell you a lot.
The cap HAS TO BE vented.. a lot of times they get plugged up w/ debris.

 

[Schrodinger]

Oh yeah, forgot to ask about your cat!

The cat was doing fine, but now that you've asked, it's quite dead.


So, we've added the biocide before, with the fuel level low, then changed the fuel filters (2) and the sediment filter. Then we added fresh fuel up to the top. Yesterday I did see some green floaty stuff in the sediment bowl.

So, I should COMPLETELY drain the fuel tank, then scrub it (how can I scrub it?) then replace the filters again, and fill it up with clean fresh diesel with biocide in it again?

That's cheaper and easier than replacing the fuel injector pump! I will definitely try that this evening.

 

[wmasmith]

Poor cat. You guys are getting very deep down that rabbit hole. I came here for the tractors but now I'm thinking about entanglements and superpositions.

 

[Wagtail]

The cat was doing fine, but now that you've asked, it's quite dead.


So, we've added the biocide before, with the fuel level low, then changed the fuel filters (2) and the sediment filter. Then we added fresh fuel up to the top. Yesterday I did see some green floaty stuff in the sediment bowl.

So, I should COMPLETELY drain the fuel tank, then scrub it (how can I scrub it?) then replace the filters again, and fill it up with clean fresh diesel with biocide in it again?

That's cheaper and easier than replacing the fuel injector pump! I will definitely try that this evening.

You need to add the biocide with a full tank as the biological growth could have 'tendrils' at various levels during the fuel level history. Wait a day or so for the biocide to work and then completely drain the tank. As to scrubbing it, I used CHUX (J-cloths) on the end of a mechanical 'grabber' to wipe up as much as I could. The crap will come out looking (on the cloth) brown, slimy tendrils. Once again, an inspection camera will assist.

As I mentioned before, the product that I used (Fuel Doctor) breaks down the growth so that it passes through the entire fuel system.

In your case, you'll probably have to refill with fresh diesel and biocide again + clean the fuel bowl + new (again) fuel filter(s).

After you finally get this infestation eliminated from your system, continue to add around 50ml of biocide to your tractor's tank AND to any fuel storage containers.

 

[Schrodinger]

Well, tank drained completely and wiped out as best I could. No major slime encountered.

Changed fuel filters and sediment filter and cleaned the bowls and fittings spotless.

Lift pumped fuel all the way around to re-prime the system.

Ran great! - for 30 minutes. Then right back to woodpecker sound in the fuel injector pump and stalling.

The woodpecker sound feels strongest in the throttle body. (the lever the throttle cable attaches to)

HELP!!!

 

[thepumpguysc]

That's because air/bubbles rise & the top cover is the highest point.
Do you know there is a filter INSIDE the pump?
Its very common for them to get plugged & starve the system..
Did you take the petcock OFF/OUT at the bottom of the tank?? I'm quite certain theres a screen there..
& OFTEN overlooked..
You might be able to "back blow" the system to clear any debris in that screen.. take the fuel cap loose, take the line off going to the filter
& hit it w/ some compressed air.. blowing back to the fuel tank..
DONT FORGET to loosen/remove the cap.. otherwise you might blow-up the tank..

 

[Wagtail]

Well, bugger. The only other suggestion I have is to wait for a more knowledgeable bloke (like thepumpguysc) to come back with more thoughts. The "chattering" is normal, as far as I know = injector pump working.

It sounds like something 'heat related'... the symptoms come after the engine has warmed up and run for a while.

A thermister of some sort that is, perhaps, shutting the fuel solenoid down.



AND speak of the devil... thepumpguysc was typing as I was. :laughing:

 

[banjodunn]

Gday don't forget that there is usually a filter in the top of the lift pump too


Jon