B2710 hesitant to start

mangoland · Nov 25, 2004

When I first got my B2710 from the shipper, it would start up with no reluctance. There was fuel in the tank from So. Cal, where it was purchased. Now that I have put some local fuel in the tank and changed the oil/filter, it is reluctant to start, ie it starts then dies a couple of times, the third time it falters a bit, then runs fine afterwards. After this little routine the tractor runs fine with no problems I can discern.

Is the variation in diesel fuels from different brands enough that it might cause the symptoms? I know that everyone is thinking "fuel filter, fuel filter!" but the fact that she runs fine once started and shows no bogging down makes me think not. It has 82hrs on it, and I've used it for about the last 10hrs.

Thanks for any thoughts,

Al

cp1969 · Nov 25, 2004

I sounds to me as if it's getting air in the injection system somehow. Injecting insufficient fuel is about the only way to make a diesel die.

Fixing any leak there may be and then re-priming the fuel system will fix this, but I don't know where to tell you to look for the leak.

v8dave · Nov 25, 2004

Troubleshoot the cheap and easy stuff first.

It sounds like this tractor was purchased used and shipped some distance. If that is the case I'd suspect sediment was stirred up in the tractor's fuel tank. A fuel filter is a lot easier and quicker to change than trying to run down an air leak into the fuel system. Like you say, your symptoms sound like a dirty fuel filter (from sediment).

cp1969 · Nov 26, 2004

If it was a dirty fuel filter, it wouldn't 'run fine afterwards' as he described. I have never heard of a fuel filter (which was dirty enough to cause problems) cleaning itself. Low speed operation is the last place where a restricted fuel filter makes itself known--the first indication is a loss of power at high power settings, not low. You get plenty of warning that the fuel filter needs replacing--power falls off on the high end first, long before any start-up or idling problems occur.

Also, with only 82 hours on the machine, a clogged fuel filter is possible, but extremely unlikely.

btolle · Nov 26, 2004

I would try changing the fuel out. Drain what's in there and refill but get it from someplace other than where you bought the first new tank full.

I have seen instances where a fuel truck driver put the wrong type of fuel in the station's tanks. Last time I saw it was when a friend of mine got a tankful of diesel in his Ford Ranger pickup that had a gas engine in it.

Bill Tolle

Henro · Nov 26, 2004

I have never heard of a fuel filter (which was dirty enough to cause problems) cleaning itself. Low speed operation is the last place where a restricted fuel filter makes itself known--the first indication is a loss of power at high power settings, not low. 

Here is an experience I had this summer, for what it's worth.

I have a B2910. I was doing a lot of earth moving, related to a lot of large dump trucks of fill I had dumped in my driveway. Lost count now, but perhaps easily more than 500 tons...

Anyway, I started to have a problem. The tractor had about 380 hours on it at the time. Loosing power sometimes, even when the engine was unloaded and I was sitting still. Engine could hardly keep running when unloaded. I got real worried as my 2-year warranty was about to expire. Called the dealer and made an appointment to have the tractor picked up. This problem would come and go. The tractor had all the power I needed, then could not do any useful work, then worked fine again...

I figured, just for the sake of it, I would change the fuel filter before the tractor was picked up.

Then I thought, why not change the fuel filter. Changed the filter (which was obviously plugged, as the put it on your mouth and blow through it test prooved) and the tractor has performed flawlessly since, and now has 530 hours or so on it.

So in my experience, it IS possible for a few filter to somehow clog and clear, even when the engine only requires low fuel flow like at idle.

That is my experience anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

mangoland · Nov 26, 2004

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I took a good look at the fuel system today. I don't have manuals for it yet, but I do have the parts list/exploded diagrams.

What I see is three vacuum hoses running from the fuel filter, the fuel pump, and the aft injector. They all disappear behind the firewall and into the panel somewhere. Those lines don't appear on the diagram, so I don't know the description, but I assume that it is some sort of auto air bleed system. When I pulled one off, the hose was under vacuum even though the tractor had been sitting for a day. That would say to me the system can't be leaking so much. I replaced the hose and restarted. It took more cranking and black smoke than usual, but when it took it didn't hesitate and die, but ran normally the first time.

So I'll keep poking, but wierd fuel is still a suspect. It would be good to clean the filter on general principles. I have gotten less than excellent gas in the past, although I am pretty sure this stuff IS diesel. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

B2400 · Nov 26, 2004

You may want to check your fuel cap and see if it is venting properly. You stated that when you pulled the line off it was under vacuum. I believe that there shouldn't be a vacuum any where in the system. I could be wrong, but it might be worth checking.

Bird · Nov 26, 2004

( You may want to check your fuel cap and see if it is venting properly )

I'm bettin' you've hit upon a solution. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

nykyfyr · Nov 26, 2004

How long was the fuel sitting the tank when you received it. If it was sitting in their a couple years you really might want to swap it out or cut it with some fresh fuel.

Just another note. Depending on how old your B2710 is, you might want to think about changing all the fluids (even with only 80 hours). I recently purchased mine with 200 hours. Although I was told the oil was changed, it was not; black as black is, it was. I also began having some steering problems after using it for roughly 50 hours and decided to change the hydraulic fluid and filter. Darn good thing I did. The hydraulic fluid was black as molasis.....terrible.

One final note. The early B2710's had only one hydraulic filter. I've got the shop manual and I went nuts looking for the second filter only to fond out I only had one.

I LOVE my B2710. Mine came with a 7 1/2 foot backhoe, FEL and mid mount mower. I've been excavating around the house and moving some pretty good size boulders with it. GREAT machine!!!