Last fall I began having trouble with my old 5600- it acted starved for fuel. Difficult to start, and then difficult to keep running. Could only get it to move in granny gear. I topped off the fuel with no improvement. Then I changed the fuel filter, which was filthy. After I got the fuel system bled (which is a pain, I might add) everything was fine again. That is until I pulled it out of the shed this week. It started easily, drove out from the shed, and almost to the field (150ft) acted like someone closed the throttle and fuel shut-off. Couldn't get it to start back up. It was later in the day and I let it sit over night before trying again. I was able to get it to start, but it acted the same as before- hard to start, and poor power. I got it back in the shed and did the following:
-pulled the fuel filter, which has less than an hour on it. Flushed it.
-drained the fuel. Had to use a siphon, because no fuel would issue from the tank itself (!) The fuel had particulate matter in it. I used a clean steel rod to stir up the bottom of the tank and break loose whatever gunk I could.
-removed the fitting from the bottom of the tank, and the fuel line running from the fitting to the fuel filter housing, and cleaned them. They were both really dirty. The fuel screen was cleaned until I could easily see light through it. Compressed air was blown through the disconnected fuel line to get the gunk out. The stopcock was taken out and the inside of the fitting cleaned until it gleamed, with shots of compressed air to make sure. Then I put it all back together.
-with everything back together I put a couple of gallons of NEW fuel just purchased that day. I bled the system, and it started and ran fine.
Then I took it out for a short drive, until it stopped on it's own. I figured I'd stupidly left the fuel level in the tank too low and pulled air into the fuel line as it sloshed around. (I'd only put a could of gallons in in case I had to siphon it back out again.) So, I put more fuel in, and commenced to bleed the system again. And crank and crank and crank. In fact I left the battery on a charger for a while and came back and cranked some more and got it running. And it ran great! I bought more fuel and filled it well over half way (15 gallons). Then I tried driving it back to the shed.
And it died. Just as if someone closed the throttle and the fuel shut-off. And of course it will not start. At this point I don't know if I just have air in there somewhere (even though it ran for several minutes at 1000 rpm or more) or if all the cleaning never addressed whatever the problem actually is. Anyone have any ideas?
-pulled the fuel filter, which has less than an hour on it. Flushed it.
-drained the fuel. Had to use a siphon, because no fuel would issue from the tank itself (!) The fuel had particulate matter in it. I used a clean steel rod to stir up the bottom of the tank and break loose whatever gunk I could.
-removed the fitting from the bottom of the tank, and the fuel line running from the fitting to the fuel filter housing, and cleaned them. They were both really dirty. The fuel screen was cleaned until I could easily see light through it. Compressed air was blown through the disconnected fuel line to get the gunk out. The stopcock was taken out and the inside of the fitting cleaned until it gleamed, with shots of compressed air to make sure. Then I put it all back together.
-with everything back together I put a couple of gallons of NEW fuel just purchased that day. I bled the system, and it started and ran fine.
Then I took it out for a short drive, until it stopped on it's own. I figured I'd stupidly left the fuel level in the tank too low and pulled air into the fuel line as it sloshed around. (I'd only put a could of gallons in in case I had to siphon it back out again.) So, I put more fuel in, and commenced to bleed the system again. And crank and crank and crank. In fact I left the battery on a charger for a while and came back and cranked some more and got it running. And it ran great! I bought more fuel and filled it well over half way (15 gallons). Then I tried driving it back to the shed.
And it died. Just as if someone closed the throttle and the fuel shut-off. And of course it will not start. At this point I don't know if I just have air in there somewhere (even though it ran for several minutes at 1000 rpm or more) or if all the cleaning never addressed whatever the problem actually is. Anyone have any ideas?