No Fuel on a 16-G

MMH · Jul 30, 2010

I just got a Gravely 16-G Professional (bought a house & they left it). It's not getting any fuel to the carb. I could not find any fuel sut off valve, but was wondering if there is some sort of priming procedure. I noticed the fuel line goes to the top of the tank & the pick-up extends to the bottom. Does it have a fuel pump that I need to check out?

oldnslo · Jul 30, 2010

MMH said:
I just got a Gravely 16-G Professional (bought a house & they left it). It's not getting any fuel to the carb. I could not find any fuel sut off valve, but was wondering if there is some sort of priming procedure. I noticed the fuel line goes to the top of the tank & the pick-up extends to the bottom. Does it have a fuel pump that I need to check out?

Depends on which style engine you have but from your description I would guess it does have a fuel pump. Follow the fuel line from the carb back towards the fuel tank. If the line goes directly to the tank there is no fuel pump. If it connects to something in between that is probably the fuel pump. Lots of smaller engines use a diaphram type pump that runs of of the air pulses in the cranck case. These are usually rectangular shaped and have three hoses connected to them. Fuel inlet, fuel outlet and the vacuum/pulse line which sometimes in semi hidden in the engine shroud.

Also check to make sure your fuel line is not weathered and cracked. These can have pin holes in them that allow air to be drawn in so the pump won't prime.

Roy

Tony_S · Jul 30, 2010

Hi,
I just went and looked at a few "G" Parts lists and service manuals. I saw no evidence of a fuel pump. All info I found shows a fuel shutoff valve at the bottom of the tank.
Your description of a fuel line into the top of the tank doesn't match what I am seeing.
See for yourself at Chip Old's Gravely site. He has been kind enough to upload many manuals and other info.

Hope that helps!
Tony

hawkeye08 · Jul 31, 2010

All 3 of my Gravely 800/8000 (2 briggs, 1 onan) series tractors have fuel pumps on the engine somewhere (they run off the pulses in the crankcase, like my snowmobiles). Sometimes when I have not run them for awhile, I have to put a small amount of gas in the carb (maybe a teaspoon or so) or a small shot of starting fluid (be very careful not to use very much starting fluid or you will break things). Once they fire, they usually start pumping fine then. Mine all have a fuel shutoff on the bottom of the tank where the fuel line attaches (but mine are older).

Jim Thompson · Jul 31, 2010

The 16-G I think also used a Kohler magnun which does have a mechanical fuel pump located about 2 inches or so from the carb on top of the engine. You may be able to apply a little air pressure to the fuel tank to fill the carb bowl since there is a pretty long run from the tank to the engine. Early tanks were metal and had valve on the bottom of the tank as someone else said. Later Gravelys had the plastic tanks and the fuel pick up came in through the top of the tank.

Jim

MMH · Aug 4, 2010

Jim Thompson said:
...You may be able to apply a little air pressure to the fuel tank to fill the carb bowl since there is a pretty long run from the tank to the engine...
Jim

That's what I ended up doing. The tractor had two fuel filters, one of which was leaking (looked like the leaking one was non-factory & installed by someone else). This caused the fuel line to lose prime. After I fixed teh leak, I unhooked the fuel line going to the carb, pressurized the tank until I saw fuel flow thru the line, and cranked her up. Fired up right away.