JD 855 stalling

[laurelrun]

Finally finished basic maintenance and overhaul of my 1989 855. Ran fine at idle yesterday for 45 minutes to get the engine hot for oil and hydraulic fluid changes.

Today, running it again to go reconnect the FEL, and it stalled after about 5 minutes. Idled down and then quit slowly.

Thinking perhaps it's an air leak in the fuel filter assembly, one of the parts I didn't replace. Thoughts?

Thanks everyone in advance for any help or ideas.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Finally finished basic maintenance and overhaul of my 1989 855. Ran fine at idle yesterday for 45 minutes to get the engine hot for oil and hydraulic fluid changes.

Today, running it again to go reconnect the FEL, and it stalled after about 5 minutes. Idled down and then quit slowly.

Thinking perhaps it's an air leak in the fuel filter assembly, one of the parts I didn't replace. Thoughts?

Thanks everyone in advance for any help or ideas.

If you didn't touch the filter or disconnect it, that's unlikely but easy to check. Open the tank valve and then uncrew the bleeder screw and see if you have fuel filling up the filter and expelling air bubbles.

Fuel starvation is the usual reasons for a run down on a diesel. That can be caused by a fuel blockage at the tank outlet or a plugged filter. If you have a solenoid operated fuel shut off, the power supply to the solenoid or the solenoid itself can fail. That usually results in a quick shutdown rather than a run down which takes place more gradually.

the first place I would look, asuming you have fuel in the tank, is the fuel filter. Take the out let fitting off and make sure the tank valve is open. See if you have fuel to the injector pump. If you don't move to the other side and see if you have incoming fuel to the filter. If you do, the filter is clogged. If you don't the fuel outlet is most likely clogged. The fuel supply tube could be crimped also but more often then not there is some trash in the tank outlet strainer.

 

[Willl]

Idled down and then quit slowly.

Sure sounds like fuel.

 

[brewdog]

That happened to me once. I failed to open the fuel shut off valve completely after changing the fuel filter. I would idle, but that was all.

 

[laurelrun]

Thanks for the feedback!

To explain further, I did replace the fuel filter element. We did bleed the lines but I think when we had the filter assembly off the tractor to repair the muffler, that the elbow coming into it is now loose and sucking air.

When I first bought the tractor I had a mechanic look it over and he suggested that the filter assembly should be replaced. For $50, it seems like a good preventive fix to try. I'll update if that solves the issue upon installation and bleeding.

 

[laurelrun]

Update on my issue, but unfortunately not a positive one.

Replaced the entire fuel filter unit, bled the lines well. She started right up, and I felt really great. Then after a few moments it stalled again.

Pump seems to be working fine.

I'm scratching my head and thinking the next answer is to try draining the entire fuel tank, cleaning out any water or trash and starting with fresh fuel.

Thoughts?

 

[Wnc3]

Crack(loosen) the fuel line on the top of each injector one at a time while running or pumping the manual pump to get the air out of the lines. If it is all fuel and no air move to the next and repeat.
Did you fill the fuel filter with diesel before you tried to restart?

 

[Wnc3]

I still think it is air, but your next step is what you we thinking....
Drain and refuel.
Diesel ain't what it usta be...

 

[moship]

I had a very similar problem with my JD750 and it was due to the fuel going bad. Replace the diesel with fresh before doing anything else. It's crazy what can grow/survive in diesel.

Keep us posted.

 

[laurelrun]

Thanks guys. I'll let you know how it goes.

Read a thread about stalling where the issue was a clogged return line, so I'll check that too.

There was definitely old fuel in the tank when we bought it back in November. So I am leaning toward that as a solution. Will keep you all posted.