Oil & Fuel diesel wont start

jaybirdt · Jan 19, 2003

Hi everyone, hope some of you diesel experts can help me.I just bought an iseki 1910 tractor from North Carolina and live 20 miles south of Buffalo NY.The tractor was sent by the dealer with fuel oil in it he said its similar to home heating oil and is better for the tractor as it has sulfer and lead in it.The fuel was not treated so when I got it home it started to die as I was comming up the driveway.The temp was about 18 degrees out and its not in a heated garage.Now the tractor will not start.I checked the fuel filter and couldnt see any wax.I added some diesel anti gel but it still wont start.I heated the barn some today and didnt even get any smoke.I drained the fuel filter when I checked it did I get air in the system?Do I need to drain the tank and refill it with winterized diesel and bleed the system and if there is water or wax in the injection pump how do I get out? thanks in advance as this is my first diesel and I understand they can be a little tricky in very cold weather

RoyJackson · Jan 19, 2003

If this is a new machine, contact the dealer you bought it from. If it's a used machine with a warranty, contact the dealer. Doing any work could void any warranty.
Did you get a manual with the tractor? Read the trouble shooting section.
If not new, and no warranty you can dig into it some. If you don't know anything about diesels, you should bite the bullet and send it to a mechanic.
Don't use ether!!!!
You might try thinning the fuel out with kerosene. About a quart to each gallon fuel capacity might do the trick. If you drain the system, just put a gallon (1 qt.kerosene/3 qts. diesel mix) in the tank.
Does the starter turnover? if not, you know to jump start, right? Your battery might be too weak to turn the engine over quick enough for ignition. If your machine has glow plugs or another cold start assist, make sure you use that.

Did you drive this machine before you bought it? Just curious...

kubmech · Jan 19, 2003

The first thing I thought of was: This is a used tractor purchase, they did a quick filter change before they shipped it off to you. Maybe they forgot to turn the fuel back on. There was enough still left in the filter bowl to get it on and off the truck and then nothing. Make sure the fuel is turned on, some have a shutoff at the tank as well as at the filter. If you drained the fuel bowl then you should bleed the system. Nothing elaborate, just unscrew the filter a little to allow fuel to fill the filter. Then crack the bleed screws till fuel runs out steady with no air. That should get you going again. The bleed screws are most likely on the filter housing and at the entrance to the injector pump. May be phillips head and most likely 10mm bolt head size.

JimMc · Jan 20, 2003

Been there - done that!! /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

bgott · Jan 20, 2003

Maybe it's out of fuel?

northcreek2624 · Jan 20, 2003

Jay,where do you live ?I'm in Lakeview.My tractor started OK today(10 degrees)but,don't ask me how or why.
Sorry I'm no help but,I'm new to Diesels too........Mike

frank_f15 · Jan 21, 2003

you can't be too far from northcreek and me, my tractor starts fine, even in cold weather, just 10 sec. on glow plugs and she fires right up. assumming the fuel vale is in the correct position(on my tractor it is opposit from what i would expect) it may have gelled, know u said u agged anti gel, but it might take a while for it to ungell the lines.just my thoughts. where u located?

Hoeman00 · Jan 21, 2003

Some of these tractors need a FULL fuel
tank to get enough pressure to bleed air out of
fuel filter if it doesn't have a handpump.
If u can get a torpedo heater aim it toward motor
and leave on for a few hours.
Just heating shop will take along time to warm up
tractor.
Most home heating oil doesn't have any conditioner
in it.
Buy offroad diesel and fill it up.
My local fuel dealers diesel ,heating and offroad, all
comes from same tank.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 21, 2003

Where I am at offroad is definately different. a lot higher sulfur and stuff in it. Stinks horrible in my torpedo heater.

rdbrumfield · Jan 21, 2003

I haven't read all the replies, but after you have bled all the lines to the injector pump, be sure to have diesel coming to the pump without air, and retightened. Crack the injector lines right at the injectors, one-half turn will do. If you have a compression release use it, if not just turn the engine over until fuel starts squirting from the line and tighten them. A diesel will not run with air in the lines period. You might check all the plumbing from the tank to the pump and be sure nothing is cracked. It might be sucking air into the system. If you can pressurize the tank lightlly it might help you find a leak if there is one.
My JD sounded like it had jector, in fact the dealer talked me into replacing them, only 1200 hrs. It didn't help. Ran fine if I didn't throttle up. I finally found the problem. piece of the plastic tank that had been floating around in there since new had worked it's way to the 90 degree fitting just before the filter and jammed letting enough fuel through to let it run at idle. Gave me a fit for a couple of days though.