Oil & Fuel Fuel Starvation prob

Larry_Sheehan · Apr 29, 2008

I changed my fuel filter a few weeks ago, and once I had bled the system, my 3510 seemed to run OK. Yesterday, I was shredding (running engine at the setting for 540 PTO RPMs) and the tractor would bog down and stall. It would restart and idle OK, but stall again soon after resuming high prm operation.

I took the side cover off, and watched and the fuel bowl empties just prior to the stall. At idle it seems to be able to keep up, but at higher engine speeds it draws down and stalls the engine.

The fuel cutoff solenoid is activating properly and the cutoff valve is full open.

I'm stumped - could I have gotten the filter clogged that quickly? Would a WIX filter be less forgiving (easier to clog) than the Mahindra branded one?

Suggestions on how to isolate this problem are welcome.

George2615 · Apr 29, 2008

Does your 3510 have a fuel pump in the tank? From what you describe with the fuel bowl going empty before stalling at higher RPM it sounds like the pump is not running. Perhaps a fuse blew or power wire to fuel pump isn't making connection. At idle there is enough gravity flow to keep it running.

RedRiver · Apr 29, 2008

trash in the fuel tank/fuel lines?

Larry_Sheehan · Apr 29, 2008

Based on the wiring diagram there's no in tank fuel pump.

RedRiver said:
trash in the fuel tank/fuel lines?

I don't think so, I checked the filter by blowing thru it and it seems to be free flowing (diesel sure tastes funny). I've never filled the tank without the straioner in place. Is there an easy way to check?

WHat I see is that the filter bowl starts out full and drops to about 20% full at idle. I can see fuel flowing down the indes of the bowl, but it looks intermittent, the level will drop then recover then drop again. This is at about 1000 RPM. above idle but not PTO speed.

MFRED · Apr 29, 2008

Sounds like something floating in the tank. When under suction it gets lodged in the tank pickup then releases when not under suction. Could be anything, I had a small piece of tree leaf do it to one of mine. It will drive you nuts.

Larry_Sheehan · Apr 29, 2008

MFRED said:
. It will drive you nuts.

More of a nine iron in my case.

I guess I'll try to see into the tank looking for floaters.

RedRiver · Apr 30, 2008

MFRED said:
Sounds like something floating in the tank. When under suction it gets lodged in the tank pickup then releases when not under suction. Could be anything, I had a small piece of tree leaf do it to one of mine. It will drive you nuts.

Exactly what I was thinking about. We had a tractor in our shop once that had a 3"x3" clear piece of plastic in the fuel tank, now that was difficult to find! Always lock your fuel cap, mischievous neighborhood kids can end up costing you a lot of money.

Larry_Sheehan · Apr 30, 2008

Well I lucked out - it's fixed.

I removed the supply side and watched while I drained the tank, and it ran in a nice steady stream all the way to the end. (At this point I decided that it probably wasn't foreign object in tank).

Backtracking, I didn't have this issue till I changed the fuel filter, so next step was to open filter, and blow out the inlet side of the filter adapter housing. This seemed to be obstructed, so I removed the adapter housing from the tractor, and on the bench, It was obviious the the fuel cutoff was closed, even though the level indicated open. DIsassembled it shutoff petcock, and foud the problem was that it had been assembled wrong! There is the cast lever which has some nubson the inner side. They are supposed to engage a slot on the nylon valve core. For some reason there was a spring inserted between the valve core and the switch lever which was preventing it form engaging completely. I didn;t have the shop drawing, but it seemed more logical that the spring was supposed to be on the other side, maintaining pressure against the lever, so I reassembled it that way.

Operated for 1.5 hrs at PTO speeds (shredding the field) and it ran perfect.

I'd love to know when the spring got moved, but I guess that'll be a mystery forever.

THANKS to all who suggested how to continue diagnosis. I really appreciate the expertise.