1700d cold start issue, now black smoke with very little power

[pretendfarmer]

Hi, all. Haven't been here in a while as the old gal had been treating me well over the course of the past year or so. We had a cold snap before Christmas, and before leaving town I went to start her to move to a safe location (theft prevention) when she would not start. I ended up draining the battery, never getting her going, so had to chain her up and leave.

I've since gotten back and the weather has been unusually cold with lows in the teens to low 20's. I charged the battery full, then proceeded to drain it again and could not get her to start. She's always fired off, even in the most cold weather. I checked fuel at all points, going through the bleed procedure, and all is good on that front. I even cranked with the injector lines loose, and it spurts out fine. I hooked up some jumpers to a vehicle and finally, after considerable cranking, she barely started running. I let her sit there at 1200 rpm or so for several minutes, but the problem is excessive black smoke and no power.

After 20 or so minutes the condition did not clear. The power is so low that if I try to raise the rear blade she wants to die. If I give her full throttle she bogs badly and there's black smoke and takes a long time to get up the rpm's. Never has she done this before, and the last time I used her everything was absolutely fine. I am stumped.

*EDIT* The air filter is almost new. After reading a bit, I am wondering if it is running on a single cylinder right now. Seems like it could be. Also, when I was checking the fuel system, I tried to loosen the fittings for the injector lines where they go into some sort of fuel block just past the fuel filter, and the second one feels like it will move back and forth. Could I be sucking air there? It still doesn't explain everything, but wondering if trying to crack the lines there caused another problem.

 

[normde2001]

I can't imagine what kind of fuel block could be between the filter and the pump on a 1700, but if a fuel line "feels like it will move back and forth", you can bet it is loose. You mention "draining the battery". What do you mean by that? Do you store your tractor outdoors? If so, you probably have water in the fuel.

 

[pretendfarmer]

By "draining the battery" I mean I cranked it until the battery was almost dead. When I say "fuel block" I am talking about these two lines below the injection pump bleeder. The right hand one seems a tad "loose" meaning it will move back and forth with a wrench.

How to bleed air out of the fuel system

 

[Neat 1500]

Stuck plunger in the injector pump or stuck injector itself. * Get it running and lightly tap the injector pump around the body and see if it frees up.

* I have heard of this being done and working BUT do it at your own peril. YMMV

 

[careyo63]

Being outside I'm guessing bad fuel. Cheap and easy to check. Bring a good fresh gallon of diesel with you next time and a empty can. Drain the Tank, Fuel Lines and Fuel bowl and then Bleed your lines and fuel bowl/filter and pump then see how it runs. If no difference you can always reuse it but would have to be a few gallons for me to do that. Make sure to fix the loose line. The Cyl. it goes to is my bet and maybe sucking air through it.

 

[pretendfarmer]

I should have mentioned that I had just used the tractor 3 days before I had the issue, so "bad fuel" seems unlikely. It's not like the tractor was sitting for a long period of time at all. I can certainly drain the tank, but I really don't think it's the fuel. It has about 3 gallons in it.

 

[California]

Just put fresh fuel in the filter bowl then, as a diagnostic test.

You mentioned fuel spurts at the entrance to each injector, but then a loose connection in one of the two high pressure lines after it leaves the fuel pump. It would spurt fuel at the pump if that pump connection isn't secure. Could the high pressure lines simply be loose from a bracket that is designed to align them? If so, that's harmless.

 

[careyo63]

When I say "fuel block" I am talking about these two lines below the injection pump bleeder. The right hand one seems a tad "loose" meaning it will move back and forth with a wrench.

That IMO. would be just like leaving the Fuel Bleeding screw loose.

 

[pretendfarmer]

Just put fresh fuel in the filter bowl then, as a diagnostic test.

You mentioned fuel spurts at the entrance to each injector, but then a loose connection in one of the two high pressure lines after it leaves the fuel pump. It would spurt fuel at the pump if that pump connection isn't secure. Could the high pressure lines simply be loose from a bracket that is designed to align them? If so, that's harmless.

When I say "fuel block" I am talking about these two lines below the injection pump bleeder. The right hand one seems a tad "loose" meaning it will move back and forth with a wrench.

That IMO. would be just like leaving the Fuel Bleeding screw loose.

There is no fuel leaking from the area, but there is movement. Is there a rubber piece in there that allows for a bit of movement side to side?

 

[California]

If you don't have a dribble or spurt at the connectors shown in Carey's photo, and do have pressure spurts if you loosen the lines at the injectors, then those high pressure lines are intact and they aren't the problem.

I still suspect bad fuel, if it is obvious that fuel is reaching the injectors.