I bought my tractor in Sept. of 2009 but I don't know how long it sat on the dealer's lot. So it's possible I got one of the thin brackets.
I changed the fuel seperator awhile back. I thought maybe I had re-installed it wrong but the tractor worked fine after I replaced it awhile back. When I looked at it this weekend it looked fine. I changed the oil around 100 hours, I know kind of late on the schedule. I changed the fuel filter this weekend as I had not changed it since buying new. When I took off the fuel filter and looked at it, there was what looked like sand/mud in it. It wasn't a whole lot but enough to question where it came from. So I'm thinking that my tank might be clogged. I noticed when I unhooked the line to the fuel filter that diesel didn't flow continously but maybe it shouldn't?
Around the time I changed the oil I purchased diesel at a different place than I normally do. I normally buy diesel at a citgo station in town that 18 wheelers fill up. There is no place that I'm aware of that sells off road diesel close by and I try and support the local store owners versus ones that have multiple stores around the tri-county. This time I bought diesel at an exxon station that caters to cars/pickups. I don't know if this has anything to do with it or not though but that's around the time it started to start rough.
That day I filled up the tractor and then my wife used it for most of the day. It then sat for a week until I went to use it the following Saturday. That's when I noticed it starting to have a hard time starting and when it did start it would idle rough around 500-1000 rpm so I would let it warm up for a few minutes until it caught up to speed. I normally let it idle for a few minutes after I start it so letting it idle isn't anything new. Once I got it running what seemed like normal, it would run for probably about 30 minutes or so and then loose power with the rpms going from around 1500 - 2000 down to 500 - 1000 rpms. After a few minutes it would then do it again. Only once had it cut off before this weekend at which time I was able to restart it after a few tries. This time when it quit, I can't restart it.
This weekend it started rough so I figured it was time to change the fuel filter as I had read that a clogged fuel filter could cause the symptoms. So I changed the fuel filter, emptied the water/seperator and went to start it again after turning the key to the first position to what sounds like the the fuel pump pumping fuel for about 30 seconds or so, it started like it had been where it tries to turn over but doesn't fully catch or when it does catch it idles rough and then quits. After a few tries it took off and I was able to use it long enough to move a small 6x10 chicken coup. Then I drove it in the woods a little ways and started digging a hole to bury some dead guineas. That's when it dropped to around 500 rpms and then finally quit. I tried turning it over and it would sputter for a little bit and then die. I couldn't get it restarted after that so I left it in the woods and haven't had a chance to get back to it yet as yesterday it rained and tonight I didn't get home in time to play with it much.
This is what I have done so far.
- I've replaced the water/fuel seperator awhile back. I took it off this past weekend and dumped what fuel was in there out and things looked ok. I'm heading to the dealer Saturday to pick up some parts I ordered and will pick up another one just to have on hand.
- I changed the fuel filter on Sunday. Again there was a small amount of sand/sludge in it. Which leads me to believe that maybe this is in the tank and clogging the lines.
- I changed the Air Filter this past weekend as the old was kind of dirty. That's when I noticed the bracket was broken.
- I changed the battery thinking maybe from trying to turn over the engine it had gotten week. The battery was 3yrs old anyway so figured why not.
- I changed the oil around 100 hours, there's 106 on it now and double checked the level as I had read that if there was to much oil, it could cause similar symptoms. The oil is still clear and it's in the middle of the low and high mark.
- I looked at the gas cap but didn't I didn't do anything when the tractor was running. I only took it off after it quit to see if I could see anything that looked out of ordinary which I didn't notice anything.
My plan is to drain the tank tomorrow night if I get the time and see what happens after that. I would have thought that by disconnecting the line that goes to the fuel filter that diesel would have flowed freely through the fuel line but maybe not. According to my fuel gage I have about a half tank full. I thought about ordering a new fuel pump just in case but with it being $126, I figured if I couldn't get the tractor running after draining the tank, I would then replace the fuel pump. The bad thing about that is that it will more than likely take a week before I can get the part to try and troubleshoot.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated.