The tractor was running fine and idling and just slowly stopped over about 5 seconds. Now it will not even fire. I emptied the bowl around the fuel filter but it will still not fire. The fuel tank is full, since it is winter time, and the same fuel is used in my other diesel equipment with no problems. How do I determine what system is not working?
Most likely the fuel delivery is being interrupted. Starting back at the fuel tank, the usual diesel fuel system has a strainer in the tank bottom at the outlet, an outlet valve (make sure this is open), a filter or filters, possibly a lift pump and the injector pump, and a return to tank line for excess fuel, plus the connecting fuel lines.
Water and associated crud can collect at the outlet strainer and clog it. In cold ambient temperatures, this stuff can freeze. The lines can be pinched, the filters clogged with crud, gelled fuel and/or water (as well as frozen water in cold temps). Some lift pumps have a screen filter that can clog an some injector pumps have a screen in the inlet connection.SO start at the tank out let and check that you have a good flow of fuel from the tank to the filter and from the filter to injector pump.
When you replace a filter or empty a filter bowl you have to bled the fuel system to get the air out. You owners manual has instructions for how to do this so if you don't have one-get one. Generally there is a bleed screw on the filter housing. You will turn the out let valve off when you open the filter bowl to change the filter. With the filter changed sand the bowl tightened on, open the tank valve and loosen the bleeder screw at the top of the filter housing. When nothing but fuel comes out of the filter housing bleeder, close the screw. The filter should now be full of fuel with no air remaining in the housing. Your pump may have a bleeder screw on it so you want to bleed that next. they you'll have to bleed the injector by loosing the fuel fitting at the injectors and cranking the engine until you get fuel there. I do it one injector at a time and the engine will usually start when 2 out of three injectors have fuel.
Here's a set of instruction that a couple of us put together for bleeding you may find useful.
Bleeding a Diesel Fuel System
Start at the fuel outlet of the tank (inlet to the filter). Shut the tank valve, remove the line at the filter inlet and holding a suitable container to catch the diesel fuel, open the valve. You should have a CONTINUOUS rush/flow of fuel out of the line. If it dribbles or is intermittent, check the fuel cap for a blockage of the fuel vent or the strainer upstream of the valve for clogging. The strainer/screen is attached to the shut-off valve, and is positioned up inside the tank. You will have to drain the tank and pull the valve to clean the screen.
If you have good fuel flow at that point, reconnect the line and open the bleeder screw at the top of the filter. Turn on the tank valve and wait till you have a steady flow of fuel with no bubbles at the top of the filter, then close the bleeder screw.
Your pump may have a bleeder screw. If so, open that until fuel streams out with no bubbles, then close it. If you cannot identify the bleeder screw, loosen the inlet connection at the pump and purge air at that point.
Go back and make sure ALL the fittings in the fuel delivery system are tight so they cannot suck air.
Make sure the battery is fully charged. Loosen the fuel fittings at the injectors, either one at a time or all at once. Crank the engine till you see all fuel at the injector fittings and then tighten the fittings. If you do individual fittings, the engine will usually start before you get to the last fitting.
Alternatively, you can "tow-start" it to save wear and tear on your starter. Leave the injector lines cracked open at the injectors at first to purge the lines. Then tighten them up and she should start.
Your injection pump puts out a very small amount of fuel (high pressure/low volume). BE PATIENT. If the lines are totally empty, it takes a lot of cranking to fill them up.
sixbales & Jerry/MT( Purdue-Aeronautical Engineering, Class of '65)
