Jd 320 fuel starvation?

[Eric Barney]

The two places I would look for air entering the fuel system first: (and second.) The pickup tube in the tank. These corrode from the ethanol in gasoline, and may be clogged, or have pinholes in them. The fuel pump. May have bad check valves, or leaking diaphrams. Look for fuel leaking from the vent hole in the pump body. Newer replacement pumps have a vent tube to safely direct the fuel away from the hot muffler should a leak start. If this tube does not exist on your fuel pump, it is probably the original, and it is bad.

The carburettor may also be getting re-clogged from tiny pieces of the fuel pump's disintigrating rubber diaphrams. I have experienced this many times on engines equipped with mechanical pumps and carbs. Inline filters are frequently upstream of the pump and carb. Particles from a failing pump are free to enter the carb. and clog the jets.
Since you did mention the hard line in the original post, I assume that you have already changed the tank pickup tube.

 

[Gumby542]

I cleaned the tank and just found more black chunks in the filter. Guessing maybe from pickup tube?

 

[Frankman]

My pickup tube is metal. I hate to take this pile to a dealer.

 

[JD 420]

Where is the fuel filter located in the line on yours. It should be right after the fuel shut off valve but before the fuel pump. Disconnect the fuel line from the shut off valve and stick the fuel line going toward the engin in a container with fuel in it and see if the bubble go away and it runs correctly if it does then you know the problem is between the tank and the shut off valve. If it still has bubbles in the filter then you know the problem is between the fuel pump and the shut off valve.

 

[Frankman]

The filter is just after the shutoff valve. Will try an mess with this mess in the am... Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Gumby542]

SO here's where I'm at after today. With fuel filter out, I get a very steady stream of gas from out of the line. Once the fuel filter is in, I get no fuel flow. I have tried with and without the cap and with 3 different fuel filters (one from the tractor, one from my running tractor, one new one). I still have the same issue where the tractor filter goes empty and it stalls out

 

[Gumby542]

Another few hrs in- the hard piece of tubing that connects the tank line to the shut off line was plugged. I now have fuel coming from the filter in a steady stream. However the tractor is still stalling out. I believe that my next step to rule out is fuel pump. I'm going to take off the fuel line into the carb and see what I get for fuel. After that, I go to carb. We'll see how I make out tomorrow

 

[deerseeker001]

i just went through this with my L130 TOOK it in to my repair guy it was a dirty carb,runs like a clock now

 

[Frankman]

Gumby, sounds like we are definitely having similar problem..... I have not been able to mess with mine. I have a great neighbor who let me use his zero turn to mow.... Hope to figure something out this weekend if possible. Have a friend whom was a small engine tech for years.. He is also stumped with this issue and is leaning towards it being a fuel pump issue?

 

[rabtfarm]

I was looking at the 320 JD Parts catalog and your engine is not what I would call a simple lawn mower: fuel injected with a fuel pump, regulator, etc. I would definitely have a JD dealer/repair shop look at this. Some make house calls if the unit is in pieces everywhere.