New PT-422 Stalls

[Phils]

I'm with the others: check the elbow coming out of the fuel tank for debris. Mine had it. I couldn't see it by looking in, I had to unscrew the elbow to see it, and then it was easy to clean it out. It was milky colored glue residue, I guess, but invisible when submersed in gas.

You can remove that fitting if you have 1/3 tank of gas or less. Just unbolt then tilt the tank until the fuel level is below the fitting and gas cap.

The clear filter can help.

Also, when it quits look into the fuel tank and see if bubbles are coming up out of the fitting, a sure and quick check for the vaporlock problem.

I suspect that I may have had more of a vaporlock problem than most. Our gas in CA is worse and lower octane than the rest of the country. The temps in my area are warmer than most. I've tried more fixes than many. My PT no longer shuts down from vaporlock but the gas in the lines will turn to vapor a few minutes after turning the machine off after a period of hard work. I use an electric fuel pump now and can hear the difference when it's pumping vapor or liquid, but it'll still restart and run fine.

IMHO these are hot-running machines with a poorly designed exhaust system and a thin fuel hose running next to it.

And I love it anyway... I hope you get as much satisfaction from yours as most of the rest of us.

Phil

 

[MCGN]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I went ahead and drained the fuel tank, removed it an cleaned out the elbow. There was something inside which may have been causing the problem. I also changed the hose to the black fuel hose and put in the new fuel filters.

I have used it for a couple hours today (not continuously - the day job gets in the way) and have not experienced any problems - so hopefully this will do the trick. I have another 20 yards of mulch and 10 yards of topsoil to move on Saturday so that will be a good test.

Other than this problem (and my first experience changing the oil) the machine has been great.

 

[BobRip]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I went ahead and drained the fuel tank, removed it an cleaned out the elbow. There was something inside which may have been causing the problem. I also changed the hose to the black fuel hose and put in the new fuel filters.

I have used it for a couple hours today (not continuously - the day job gets in the way) and have not experienced any problems - so hopefully this will do the trick. I have another 20 yards of mulch and 10 yards of topsoil to move on Saturday so that will be a good test.

Other than this problem (and my first experience changing the oil) the machine has been great.

Sounds like you found the problem. If it happens again try adding some choke. If that helps then it is definately a fuel problem I also had trash in the elbow from the tank top sealant.

 

[TheBigHeadKid]

If so many of us have had crap in the elbow, has anyone told Terry or crew about the glue problem. Mine looked like the cement (glue) used to hold the female coupling/fitting to the bottom of the tank starts to break down with the gasoline and starts to chip away and those pieces get caught in the elbow instead of being caught in the filter. I really have though about a standpipe filter inside the tank instead of the elbow...

- I looked back this morning and there was a previous discussion with pictures of what looks like chips of glue/cement.

* I hope that was your problem.
DWG

 

[Clarke]

It wouldn't help to tell Terry. Actually we only think these tractors are made in Tazewell. They are really imported from China.

sg

 

[J_J]

It wouldn't help to tell Terry. Actually we only think these tractors are made in Tazewell. They are really imported from China.

sg

How in the heck did you come up with that bit of knowledge, or is that just BS.

 

[J_J]

It wouldn't help to tell Terry. Actually we only think these tractors are made in Tazewell. They are really imported from China.

sg

How in the heck did you come up with that bit of knowledge, or is that just BS.

 

[Clarke]

It's BS but maybe I insulted the chinese there tractors may have a little better workmanship and are more reliable. (Just kidding.)

sg

 

[Marks481]

You taken a look at the heavy machinery that comes out of China? Try swinging by Harbor Freight, and taking a look at one of their RF-31 mill clones before you starting saying things like that. The good imported stuff like Grizzly, WMH/Powermatic, General is good because the customer supplied QA representative rejects the bad stuff before shipment (and I have heard that the rejected stuff is then spray painted red...).

Wait until you drain the oil out of a mill's gear case, and find it is 25% sand from the iron casting process that was never cleaned up prior to assembly. Then you grind off the nice paint job and find a significant portion of the heavy iron casting is actually bondo filling in all of the casting defects.

Are you sure that you aren't confusing quality in a tractor for stream-lined stamped steel (or plastic) cowlings that look nice? I haven't looked closely at the tractors, but I know what the heavy machinery looks like.

 

[horse7]

I'm sure PT has a never ending stream of Chinese companies lining up at their door trying to convince them to sub out to China and just stick the PT label on.

The typical problem is though, once the Chinese get in the door they don't need you anymore (the Indians sub out subsections that are too small for the Chinese to take over whatever is being produced. The Americans tend to learn this the hard way, or maybe not at all).