Richard
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 5,006
- Location
- Knoxville, TN
- Tractor
- International 1066 Full sized JCB Loader/Backhoe and a John Deere 430 to mow with
Ok Guys… helpppppppppp
Here’s the background.
Last winter I was cutting some paths through the fields so we could walk the dogs in ankle height grass instead of waist height grass.
As I was just about the farthest point from home (isn’t it always like that?) the tractor suddenly died. The way it died would be analogous to you driving along in your car (gas) at speed with the throttle set at a certain level…then someone reaching over and simply turning the key off. As the car dies, there is no sputtering, no coughing no power no nothing… just a coast to a stop.
That is the best analogy I can come up with as to what happened.
Ok, so we towed tractor home. By the way, it belongs to my wifes uncle who doesn’t like to spend 10 cents on fixing ANYTHING (nor washing as you will see).
Tractor sat over the winter & my wifes cousin (who also lives next door) was going to take it in to get fixed. I suggested we rule out the easy things first like fuel filter. Seems the fuel filter had not been changed in probably 10 YEARS!!!
Over time, he put new fuel filter, cleaned air filter (oil bath type), fixed the exhaust and we were ready to start it.
It refused to start. Finally, he was on top of tractor trying to start it (via shorting 2 wires as opposed to using a key or button which don’t exist!) and I was bleeding it. Finally it caughed, sputtered and started.
Smiling, he drove it to its usual parking space and left it for while.
Fast forward number of weeks and we go out to start it and it refuses to start. Bleed it again and there it sputters & goes. Again, we parked it without using it too much.
Go some more weeks and it won’t start again. I finally think it might be a weak battery (they are prone to pulling a 5 year battery off boat that hasn’t been used (yes, in 5 years) and look at that as a “new” battery since it’s not been “used”)
I put a FRESH battery on it and it STILL won’t crank over very well. I might add the starter smoked a little bit every now & then too. Probably all the oil on it simply getting hot.
Ok… so tinkering around, I take starter off and find a crack in the bell housing end of it, some chips on the bendix so I figure it’s got to be part of the issue. I take it out & have it rebuilt.
Now (and we’re finally getting to last week) we have new fuel filter, new battery, rebuilt starter and WOW, this thing cranks over like a bat out of … !!
Still won’t start so I bleed it again and it takes off. Moved it, turned off. Went to turn back on an hour later and had to bleed it again.
Today, I jumped on it and fired right up. Put my new finish mower behind it & started cutting the field.
Got the field about ½ done and just like back in winter, the engine just died, as though someone turned off the “ignition”.
It has only sputtered once since then and I’ve been trying to start it for probably 2 hours.
On the fuel pump are two bleeders (I presume). I’ve taken the lower one off and when I get fuel squirting out of it, replace screw and remove top bleeder. Sometimes I get fuel squirting out of the top and sometimes I don’t.
It’s making me think there might be some kind of primary & secondary pump inside this fuel pump and I might have an issue on the secondary side?
One time while I was trying to start it I wondered to myself if perhaps something was loose inside the pump and maybe if I wiggled the throttle it might change the relative position of what ever might (possibly) be loose. Interestingly enough, the tractor DID start all the sudden suggesting that maybe that was something to think about.
Moments later, tractor died
Some facts:
As I try to start it, there is NO sputtering, NO smoke coming from tailpipe, NO coughing no NOTHING. It’s as though the fuel is shut OFF.
I DO think that every time I’ve tried (and succeeded) to start it, by happenstance, the “first” injector was cracked to bleed it (nearest the fan blade).
Sometimes I get NOTHING squirting out the upper bleeder hole (again, presuming that is in fact what it is) and sometimes I get a STREAM shooting out the upper hole. When I get a stream shooting out, the tractor coughs/sputters and has usually started if only briefly.
My assessment is since there is NO signs of fuel getting to any cylinder, it’s not an injector issue but either the fuel pump is on its last leg or perhaps, we might have some kind of trash in the fuel line (which is possible). When I say no fuel to cylinder, I mean no STREAM of fuel… it does “bubble out” but no real pressure unless tractor starts.
There is what appears to be a fuel inlet on the back side of the fuel pump (opposite of fan side). Is that in fact the fuel inlet and if so, might there be some kind of screen/filter in that location?
I’ve tried to remove it and honestly, as I unscrew it I can loosen it up some then all the sudden I can NOT loosen it any more and the tube will NOT separate from the pump. Kind of frustrating actually! It seems to unscrew it from one side, actually tightens it up on the other side.
Ok, so that’s the basic story, any thoughts WILL be appreciated!!!
I might add that the two bleeders are circled in red and the fuel inlet is also circled with the funky backward screwing part circled. you can see the threads on both sides of the nut....well...above it anyway.
Here’s the background.
Last winter I was cutting some paths through the fields so we could walk the dogs in ankle height grass instead of waist height grass.
As I was just about the farthest point from home (isn’t it always like that?) the tractor suddenly died. The way it died would be analogous to you driving along in your car (gas) at speed with the throttle set at a certain level…then someone reaching over and simply turning the key off. As the car dies, there is no sputtering, no coughing no power no nothing… just a coast to a stop.
That is the best analogy I can come up with as to what happened.
Ok, so we towed tractor home. By the way, it belongs to my wifes uncle who doesn’t like to spend 10 cents on fixing ANYTHING (nor washing as you will see).
Tractor sat over the winter & my wifes cousin (who also lives next door) was going to take it in to get fixed. I suggested we rule out the easy things first like fuel filter. Seems the fuel filter had not been changed in probably 10 YEARS!!!
Over time, he put new fuel filter, cleaned air filter (oil bath type), fixed the exhaust and we were ready to start it.
It refused to start. Finally, he was on top of tractor trying to start it (via shorting 2 wires as opposed to using a key or button which don’t exist!) and I was bleeding it. Finally it caughed, sputtered and started.
Smiling, he drove it to its usual parking space and left it for while.
Fast forward number of weeks and we go out to start it and it refuses to start. Bleed it again and there it sputters & goes. Again, we parked it without using it too much.
Go some more weeks and it won’t start again. I finally think it might be a weak battery (they are prone to pulling a 5 year battery off boat that hasn’t been used (yes, in 5 years) and look at that as a “new” battery since it’s not been “used”)
I put a FRESH battery on it and it STILL won’t crank over very well. I might add the starter smoked a little bit every now & then too. Probably all the oil on it simply getting hot.
Ok… so tinkering around, I take starter off and find a crack in the bell housing end of it, some chips on the bendix so I figure it’s got to be part of the issue. I take it out & have it rebuilt.
Now (and we’re finally getting to last week) we have new fuel filter, new battery, rebuilt starter and WOW, this thing cranks over like a bat out of … !!
Still won’t start so I bleed it again and it takes off. Moved it, turned off. Went to turn back on an hour later and had to bleed it again.
Today, I jumped on it and fired right up. Put my new finish mower behind it & started cutting the field.
Got the field about ½ done and just like back in winter, the engine just died, as though someone turned off the “ignition”.
It has only sputtered once since then and I’ve been trying to start it for probably 2 hours.
On the fuel pump are two bleeders (I presume). I’ve taken the lower one off and when I get fuel squirting out of it, replace screw and remove top bleeder. Sometimes I get fuel squirting out of the top and sometimes I don’t.
It’s making me think there might be some kind of primary & secondary pump inside this fuel pump and I might have an issue on the secondary side?
One time while I was trying to start it I wondered to myself if perhaps something was loose inside the pump and maybe if I wiggled the throttle it might change the relative position of what ever might (possibly) be loose. Interestingly enough, the tractor DID start all the sudden suggesting that maybe that was something to think about.
Moments later, tractor died
Some facts:
As I try to start it, there is NO sputtering, NO smoke coming from tailpipe, NO coughing no NOTHING. It’s as though the fuel is shut OFF.
I DO think that every time I’ve tried (and succeeded) to start it, by happenstance, the “first” injector was cracked to bleed it (nearest the fan blade).
Sometimes I get NOTHING squirting out the upper bleeder hole (again, presuming that is in fact what it is) and sometimes I get a STREAM shooting out the upper hole. When I get a stream shooting out, the tractor coughs/sputters and has usually started if only briefly.
My assessment is since there is NO signs of fuel getting to any cylinder, it’s not an injector issue but either the fuel pump is on its last leg or perhaps, we might have some kind of trash in the fuel line (which is possible). When I say no fuel to cylinder, I mean no STREAM of fuel… it does “bubble out” but no real pressure unless tractor starts.
There is what appears to be a fuel inlet on the back side of the fuel pump (opposite of fan side). Is that in fact the fuel inlet and if so, might there be some kind of screen/filter in that location?
I’ve tried to remove it and honestly, as I unscrew it I can loosen it up some then all the sudden I can NOT loosen it any more and the tube will NOT separate from the pump. Kind of frustrating actually! It seems to unscrew it from one side, actually tightens it up on the other side.
Ok, so that’s the basic story, any thoughts WILL be appreciated!!!
I might add that the two bleeders are circled in red and the fuel inlet is also circled with the funky backward screwing part circled. you can see the threads on both sides of the nut....well...above it anyway.
