Older Lull telehandler won't run

[caver]

First off this is not my unit but it is currently sitting on my property. Back in November the contractor hire to raise my bents unloaded this unit at the start of our road. He got about 1/4 mile down the road and it acted like it was starved for fuel. He assumed the filter was plugged and proceeded to swap out and purge any air. About this time they came down to get me as I wondered why they were running late. It was in a narrow spot so we towed it another 4/10 of a mile to my property with my truck and my backhoe behind it as needed. Sometimes it would sputter. I know at one time he bypassed the fuel pump with a brand new electric pump. He had me take the injectors to be rebuilt as I was headed that way. I recall he had the injector pump rebuilt a year ago??
After a couple months I asked if he was going to get it off the property? When I stopped by they were putting a new starter in it. I guess too much starting while running it off a battery booster. It's an old unit Highlander II I believe is the model. One thing early on that I thought was odd is that ether seemed to have no affect on it. He questioned that too. The most they get out of it is a stumble or 1 second run. I wonder if the compression is bad? I suggested early on to list it on MP and cut your losses. I watch these kids on YT take some old derelict junker in the woods and get it running. He ended up buying another used unit and weeks later got my bents raised while the Amish crew got the purlins and roof base on.

 

[CliffordK]

It sounds like he's working on it. But, perhaps replacing parts like a blind man.

He needs to winch it up on his truck (or push it with his working telehandler), and get it into the shop where he can take a good look at it.

Bad Fuel? Not getting fuel through injector pump and through the injectors?

 

[5030]

What the hell are 'bents'?????

 

[Eagle1]

Main frame structure of timber frame builds. The bends are put up and then joined to each other.

The Typical Bent – Vermont Timber Works

 

[caver]

It sounds like he's working on it. But, perhaps replacing parts like a blind man.

He needs to winch it up on his truck (or push it with his working telehandler), and get it into the shop where he can take a good look at it.

Bad Fuel? Not getting fuel through injector pump and through the injectors?

He would probably have to tow it back to the highway assuming he hauled it on a trailer. It's a narrow gravel road for 3/4 mile. Also limited turn around opportunities.

I agree he needs it in a shop or his home. He had a different guy helping him with the starter replacement but I didn't ask of his credentials.

 

[CliffordK]

Assuming he has a working telehandler, it should have the power to yank the old one around. A big tractor would also do fine. And could be used to lift the fork to a place where it is off the ground. And tow it back to where he can winch it up on a trailer. One load to bring the rescue rig, and take the old one home. Then the next load to come back and snag the rescue machine.

That one may be pretty old, but I've watched some go up for auction recently. Even the battered ones go for over $10K, and often over $20K. Not something that a lot of people would choose to willingly abandon.

Surely it would even be worthwhile to replace the engine if needed. I see some may even be running a basic Cummins 6BT, which should have a lot of support.

 

[caver]

I can be annoyed when people don't follow up with their posts and here I was doing the same thing.
Follow up.
He had a more knowledgeable mechanic come over last fall. Well here's what happened. Originally they unloaded at the highway and it dies a quarter mile down the gravel road. I helped tow it to my property after he changed the fuel filter but that didn't help. The parts cannon was thrown at it but this mechanic noticed he had gotten a gasket wrong when he swapped the filter out the first day it died. Sometimes it's the simple things. He thought he got the gasket back right but the last mechanic realized he had it on wrong allowing air to get sucked into the fuel system. No telling how many months and hours he spent trying to fix this thing.

 

[ning]

Glad to hear it, and many thanks for the wrap-up post - it's really valuable to get these little tidbits of fix-it knowledge into the brain, never know when it'll come in handy.