Most recently yes. Learning as I go. Actually have a diesel mechanic coming to look at it tomorrow.
In other news I discovered what the thermostart plug is and was suprised to see it still worked. Not that it will matter much here in south Texas.
As a further data point, I loosened the #1 high pressure line at the pump, and there is no fuel coming up into the line when cranking at full throttle. So the problem lies somewhere between the pump bleeder valve and pump exit.
They used it for mowing but upgraded to a zero turn. They don't believe anything is wrong with it but have tinkered with it some and believe it to fuel delivery related.
An update.
When the injector pump bleed screw is open fuel pulses out with timing of the engine, so that leads me to believe the pump is doing something.
But when I removed the injector lines at the injectors, and put paper in front of it, there is no sign of spray from cranking the engine.
The engine turns over great, and starter is new. Just no ignition. I'm guessing injector pump or injectors, but I'm not too familiar with those devices.
Pardon the noobyness of this post. A neighbor recently gave us their old Deere 650 that had been sitting unused for the last 5 or so years. I have rebuilt many engines successfully but not of this size and have no experience with diesel so this is new to me. We drained and filled all fluids...