Tractor Won't Stay Running Post Diesel Algae Bloom

[nobbyv]

Hey guys,
I've got a Long/FarmTrac DTC360 w/ a 4-cyl Mitsubishi diesel. Last year, I had a real bad diesel algae bloom from some crappy fuel. I treated with biocide, flushed twice, treated with biocide again, and changed the fuel filter twice. Now, it doesn't seem to want to stay running. If it's sat for awhile (couple days or longer), it will usually start right up and run perfectly for 10-20 minutes. But eventually, revs will drop and it will start to sputter and generally will stall. It'll start back up, but especially under any load it'll stall again within 30-60 seconds.

I have a shutoff right after the tank, and if I pull the fuel line off and open it up fuel seems to flow out of the tank without issue. I disconnected the fuel line from the filter side and blew some compressed air through it; doesn't seem to be clogged. The filter looks fine; I pulled it out to make sure it wasn't clogged and it looked new. I replaced it again it just in case.

What always seems to work for whetever reason is when I remove the filter. After putting it back on, even the same filter, it'll fire right up and run strong for 10-20 minutes again, only to eventually start sputtering.

Could an air lock/bubble allow the engine to run strong for 10-20 minutes before causing problems? Or is it more likely I still have algae in the tank?

 

[Peter 315]

Check and clean the vent on your fuel cap.....

 

[5030]

Microbial algae is extremely hard to get rid of without taking all the impacted components off and apart and flushing them numerous times with clean diesel fuel. I'd say you still have some in the injection pump myself. Always pre treat with bio cide (like Power service Bio-Kleen and never use fuel with made with any non petroleum products, especially if it sits any length of time. It may smell like French fries when it burns but it will euchre a fuel system if it sits in it longer than a month.

It will also destroy the membrane in a fuel pump. You might have a destroyed pump. Been there, did that to the tune of 1000 bucks and I did the work myself.

 

[JimRB]

I do not know your tractor but my tractor has a filter by the tank and one by the fuel pump on the engine. The tank itself can have a layer of crud that sloshes to clog the downtube but that does not seem to be the problem for you. For me my filters would turn nasty after a few hours.

I doubt that you would have air bubbles in lines. Internet theory of course!

 

[TractorGuy]

Check and clean the vent on your fuel cap.....

You could try just removing the cap when it shuts off to see if it's got a vacuum in the tank.

I chased a problem on my backhoe with rust in the tank. Cleaned the tank, replaced the filters, I even replaced all the lines. You could let it sit and it would fire right up and run 5-10 minutes then die. It had one little chunk of crud in the banjo fitting where the fuel line connected to the sediment bowl. Cleaned that little crud out and off it went to work. It doesn't take much of a restriction to cause one not to continue running.

 

[FTG-05]

I found an algae bloom in the fuel tank of my RTV900. I'm wondering if I have the same problem. Already bypassed the mechanical pump with a 12 vdc electrical pump. I don't want to think about replacing the injection pump.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I only had this problem on a JD 770. EVERYTHING had to be cleaned! And all at the same time. Pressure washed fuel tank. It's like cancer, you have to get it all.

Only real dollar cost was the fuel filter. Well more than one, because I didn't know what was happening.

Start at the fuel tank. Clean it up COMPLETELY. That's where this problem starts. NOT at the injector pump.