L3540 hydro power questions

[jonsstihl]

I didn't catch that you replaced the fuel line. Now you need to go throw out that chunk of line that you kept on the spare parts shelf (if your like me) , since it seems to have been the culprit.

 

[rScotty]

I didn't catch that you replaced the fuel line. Now you need to go throw out that chunk of line that you kept on the spare parts shelf (if your like me) , since it seems to have been the culprit.

A curious person could take that old fuel line, hang it up, and do couple of tests to see if it was indeed the culprit.

 

[hunt4570]

I didn't catch that you replaced the fuel line. Now you need to go throw out that chunk of line that you kept on the spare parts shelf (if your like me) , since it seems to have been the culprit.

Throw it out??? It might come in handy sometime!

 

[hunt4570]

A curious person could take that old fuel line, hang it up, and do couple of tests to see if it was indeed the culprit.

I do still have it, what kind of tests?

 

[rScotty]

I do still have it, what kind of tests?

Easiest one I can think of is to just hang it up, fill with diesel and then seal both ends sort of like they were on the tractor. That system doesn't have much pressure....mostly just diesel & gravity.

So if it were me, I'd find a couple of smooth shanked bolts to fit the hose and stick one in the end....fill with diesel, then plug the other end. Making sure to be clamping those ends with whatever same type clamp it had on the tractor.

Whole idea is looking for leaks you cannot find any other way. Suction leaks form first at the ends where the hose attaches and also at any bends.
Then hang it up. or drape it over a roundish gate post or something in the sunlight... see if you find out anything.
It ought to stay dry...nothing but diesel inside and air outside....but will it?

rScotty

 

[hunt4570]

Easiest one I can think of is to just hang it up, fill with diesel and then seal both ends sort of like they were on the tractor. That system doesn't have much pressure....mostly just diesel & gravity.

So if it were me, I'd find a couple of smooth shanked bolts to fit the hose and stick one in the end....fill with diesel, then plug the other end. Making sure to be clamping those ends with whatever same type clamp it had on the tractor.

Whole idea is looking for leaks you cannot find any other way. Suction leaks form first at the ends where the hose attaches and also at any bends.
Then hang it up. or drape it over a roundish gate post or something in the sunlight... see if you find out anything.
It ought to stay dry...nothing but diesel inside and air outside....but will it?

rScotty

Well.... unfortunately the fuel filter end I cut off so as to match the correct size at the parts store.

 

[rScotty]

With any luck the new one fixed it.
Half a test is still better than none.

BTW, most rubberish fuel lines have an ID compatible with soft copper tubing ...if you ever need to splice rubber fuel lines together. I keep a few feet of soft copper tubing just for that purpose along with the right size & type of hose clamps.
It is best to use a hose clamp that will continue to put compression on the hose as the rubber compresses. Worm gear type hose clamps don't do that.

I admit to being an oddball mechanic - always been more interested in why something went wrong than in what it takes to fix it.

rScotty

 

[hunt4570]

With any luck the new one fixed it.

I admit to being an oddball mechanic - more interested in why something went wrong than in what it takes to fix it.

rScotty

And did the hose fix it, or did draining the tank do it, and what to do with the 5 gallons of fuel I drained out of the tank?

 

[rScotty]

And did the hose fix it, or did draining the tank do it, and what to do with the 5 gallons of fuel I drained out of the tank?

Yep. BTW, I edited my message above. More info there now.

I'd eyeball that 5 gallons of diesel and probably just use it. Diesel is a mix of various fractions anyway. Most anything that will dissolve in diesel will burn fine in small quantities. "Diesel Fuel" is a range of carbon chains rather than a discrete chemical. And diesel fuel naturally has a percentage ofother carbon compounds - alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, and the ring compounds. Plus you have already been burning it.

And if there is water underneath the diesel, the two do not mix. So the interface is easy to see and avoid. Use a flashlight at an angle; diesel and water have different reflections.

When filling from a five gallon jug to the tractor I always leave the dregs behind.

 

[hunt4570]

Alrighty, took your advice

Yep. BTW, I edited my message above. More info there now.

I'd eyeball that 5 gallons of diesel and probably just use it. Diesel is a mix of various fractions anyway. Most anything that will dissolve in diesel will burn fine in small quantities. "Diesel Fuel" is a range of carbon chains rather than a discrete chemical. And diesel fuel naturally has a percentage ofother carbon compounds - alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, and the ring compounds. Plus you have already been burning it.

And if there is water underneath the diesel, the two do not mix. So the interface is easy to see and avoid. Use a flashlight at an angle; diesel and water have different reflections.

When filling from a five gallon jug to the tractor I always leave the dregs behind.

Alrighty, took your advice and went to strain and reuse that fuel. I had drained it into a white 5 gallon bucket and when getting ready to pour I could see the line between the diesel fuel and water. So I poured slow and kept an eye on things so as to not mix them. Things went fine and I had 1/2 to1 gallon of water maybe in there so I'm thinking that was a lot of the culprit giving me problems.

Again, thanks everyone for the help!