Need Help! Tractor Won't Stay Running

[keegs]

I just fired up the tractor to do some snow clearing with the snowblower. It ran normally for about 1-2 minutes and then started to bog down on me. The idle is/was pulsing up and down until it completely shuts down. Haven't had any issues at all with the tractor as yet. I currently have a little over 1/2 tank of fuel. Yesterday I added 4 gallons of diesel and haven't had it running since. Could it be bad fuel? How do I troubleshoot this? We're getting a foot + of snow here tomorrow and I'll need to get it resolved or get out of town. Your thoughts please?

 

[AWSubie]

What is the outdoor temperature? Diesel starts to gel below 32’F but usually doesn’t start to impede the filter until around 20’F.

 

[Jonmad]

I just fired up the tractor to do some snow clearing with the snowblower. It ran normally for about 1-2 minutes and then started to bog down on me. The idle is/was pulsing up and down until it completely shuts down. Haven't had any issues at all with the tractor as yet. I currently have a little over 1/2 tank of fuel. Yesterday I added 4 gallons of diesel and haven't had it running since. Could it be bad fuel? How do I troubleshoot this? We're getting a foot + of snow here tomorrow and I'll need to get it resolved or get out of town. Your thoughts please?

You don稚 mention what the temp is there but you might want to disconnect the fuel line beyond the primary filter and see if you have good flow. My dealer tells me the paper in the filter holds water and then freezes. The biofuels make water like ethanol does. Good to use an additive for that. Hope this helps.

 

[keegs]

You don稚 mention what the temp is there but you might want to disconnect the fuel line beyond the primary filter and see if you have good flow. My dealer tells me the paper in the filter holds water and then freezes. The biofuels make water like ethanol does. Good to use an additive for that. Hope this helps.

Thanks.. I had it parked outdoors last night and it was down to -15. It's hard for me to tell from looking at the fuel filter but it doesn't look like the color of fuel. Haven't had this trouble before but I'm not up here too much in winter. It's running now. I'm thinking it will resolve on its own now that it's warming up. Is that a safe assumption? Is there anti-gel additive already in the fuel at the pump? ... Any recommendations on additives?

 

[mykleh]

I agree I would get a bottle of Power Service 911 my guess is your gelled up also get TWO new filters. my experience is one won't do it.. then get the white bottle for the rest of the fuel treatment moving forward..

 

[Jonmad]

It may not be that the fuel gelled but there is water in the filter and it froze. I would put diesel additive in the tank and change fuel filters. Make sure the additive will take care of any water in the tank.

 

[groundcover]

Hate it when that happens ! Change fuel filter,911 to tank and if you have a torpedo heater or some way to heat things up throw a heavy tarp over the tractor and warm her up ! May want to add a couple of gallons of kerosene too. Got tired of playing that game, even with Power Service, changed fuel suppliers, end of problem !

 

[Industrial Toys]

I always have a mish-mash of summer and winter fuel, and never know what it really is, so the fuel dealer is not to blame. Both for clear and dyed. I start to add a low temp additive when fueling machines close to winter, so I don't get caught.

 

[keegs]

I agree I would get a bottle of Power Service 911 my guess is your gelled up also get TWO new filters. my experience is one won't do it.. then get the white bottle for the rest of the fuel treatment moving forward..

I put 16 oz of anti-gel in the 1/2 full fuel tank and waited 15 mins. I wasn't sure what I was looking at earlier through the almost clear fuel filter container but now after running the tractor for an hour or so with the additive in the tank I can clearly see the filter cartridge. If I had to guess I was looking at frozen water. I bought a new gas filter cartridge for it as well. I was told that the cartridge container is threaded and that it should spin off. It's not coming off but it's pretty cold and the parts are plastic so I'm going to see if I can find a how-to online to confirm how it comes apart before I go any further. Thanks for the assist.

 

[Industrial Toys]

The problem is circulating the corrective agent, when your fuel system isn't working. HEAT is sometimes the ONLY solution.

 

[Reb954]

A couple weeks ago I had a similar thing happen. That morning it was -16F and I needed to clean up some snow before leaving town the next day. I waited until it showed -5F to start the tractor. The tractor started ok but smoked a lot and wouldn't run above an idle so I just let it idle for about another half hour. It still wouldn't run above an idle so I put my propane forced air heater on the fuel tank and filter.

While it was heating up I kept wondering why it wouldn't run right. Then I realized a couple weeks before I had fueled it up with fuel cans I had in the barn. 2 of them were from last winter so I knew they were fine but then realized one was filled last summer so it was the culprit. I put a double dose of Howes fuel treatment in the tank for 5 gal. of fuel.

After having the heater on it for 30 to 45 minutes it ran fine.

Tomorrow I need to move snow again so I will see how it runs. It should be fine though due to the temp is suppose to be on the plus side of zero.

 

[saxnbees]

Years ago, I owned a diesel VW that gelled up on me as I was driving down the road. Apparently, the fuel filter clogged up. On that car, the top of the filter just had a hole that the hose with an 'O' ring fit into. When I pulled off the hose, I looked into the filter and could see that it was dry.

Unless things have changed, if you get Power Service Diesel 911 and read the instructions, you will find that they say to fill the filter with the 911 and then put the rest into the tank. That is exactly what I did. Somehow, the 911 breaks up the paraffin that is clogging up the filter. When the engine started, it smoked for a bit until the filter filled with treated fuel.

After that, I changed fuel stations and always used Power Service white bottle in the winter and never had a problem again.

So, if you can get the 911 directly into the fuel filter when this is happening, you may not need to change the filter at all.

 

[arizona98tj]

My similar experience from a couple of weeks ago. Summer fuel to blame it was.

 

[keegs]

Well guys.. I got up yesterday did some X country skiing and when I got back to the house fired up the tractor. We had a fair amount of wind overnight Friday and the driveway was covered over pretty good.....well good for skiing anyway ... Ran the blower up and back and parked it. The tractor had been parked outside overnight again and the temps were in the -5 - -10 F. range.

I loaded up the log hoop and carried in a few bags of coal before going in for a cup of coffee and a bran muffin.

I decided to make a trip into town before the big snow storm forecast for Saturday.Sunday. I had to move the tractor some to get the truck out of the garage and she wouldn't start. Not ever an cough out of her. The fuel filter looked slushy so I unscrewed it and emptied the frosty mix and replaced the filter cartridge.. When I screwed the filter and bowl back on the bowl filled with green fuel. I also added another 10 oz or so of the ant-gel to the tank. I waited about 15 minutes and tried to start it and again not even a cough. The battery is original (about 6 yo) and didn't have a lot of mojo in it. I ran it down to nothing.

By this time it was gettin on 2PM and my concern shifted to the storm heading my way. Running out for a new battery would have taken a few hours and I wasn't sure whether even with a fully charged battery she would kick over. I wrapped the tractor in a black plastic tarp and headed home.

I'm not near a filling station so I have to use cans. I added 5 gallons of fuel in mid December and another 4 gallons on Wednesday and I have slightly over half a tank. I think the tank is about 13 gallons (not sure). So my sense of it is that most of the fuel should be a winter blend. As I see it the problem is either the very cold, sub zero temps or it's something in the fuel (water????) or something missing from the fuel (anti-gel agent) and the fuel line somewhere south of the filter is still clogged. I don't have a propane heater but I'm thinking I will be getting one soon. Thank you all for the tips and suggestions. This is a great site and while I don't usually have much to contribute to the various threads,I hope those reading through this will get some insights.

 

[Jstpssng]

Did you bleed the system after changing the filter?

 

[dodge man]

You need a new filter. When mine gelled up that filter was ruined, it never did thaw out. I left the plugged up filter around for weeks and it was still plugged up.

 

[keegs]

Did you bleed the system after changing the filter?

Js ... I don't know how to do that. I change the oil and trans fluid and filters but the tractor hasn't had any issues so beyond that I haven't had the need to do anything with it. As I mentioned, screwing the fuel bowl/new filter/cartridge back on released a valve somewhere above allowing fuel to refill the bowl. Is there a union or bleeder somewhere south of the filter?

 

[Jstpssng]

What we've been calling a filter is actually just for catching sediments and water. On mine it's a metal screen, rather than paper; yet still does a good job keeping the water from getting past. The filter is farther down the line and is similar to an oil filter.
There should be a bleeder screw there, and you use it just as you would when bleeding the brakes on your auto. Hopefully you got your battery charged or replaced.

PS: Dodge Man has some sage advice. It's a good idea to keep a spare fuel filter on hand this time of year.

 

[keegs]

What we've been calling a filter is actually just for catching sediments and water. On mine it's a metal screen, rather than paper; yet still does a good job keeping the water from getting past. The filter is farther down the line and is similar to an oil filter.
There should be a bleeder screw there, and you use it just as you would when bleeding the brakes on your auto. Hopefully you got your battery charged or replaced.

PS: Dodge Man has some sage advice. It's a good idea to keep a spare fuel filter on hand this time of year.

Okay thanks.. I stopped in at the dealer on Thursday for a fuel filter and anti-gel. I'll give them a call on Monday and see what they have on this.

 

[saxnbees]

I just checked the directions for PS 911 and I think they have changed since I had to use the product. This may be necessary due to changes to diesel engine technology. The current directions say when the fuel has gelled to:

1. Add 16 ounces of 911 to 20 gallons of fuel in the tank. So, you will probably only need a portion of the bottle in the tank to re-liquefy the fuel in the tank. Make sure to save out enough for step 2.

2. Remove the fuel filter and fill it with a 50/50 blend of 911 and diesel fuel.

3. Start the engine and let it warm up.

4. Add PS white bottle to tank to prevent future problems.

If the fuel in the tank has not gelled but the fuel filter has frozen due to water, the directions say to remove the fuel filter and fill with 50/50 911 and fuel. Here is a link to the directions.

Diesel 9•1•1 - Power Service


I believe 911 has alcohol in it so you do not want to use it on a regular basis, but according to the directions, 911 will remove ice from the system as well.