troubleshooting my MF 35

   / troubleshooting my MF 35 #11  
Thanks for the reply. I took apart that glass bowl and cleaned it, it actually wasn't that dirty. Did shine a light into tank but couldn't see as far as the outlet, since the fill cap is on the opposite end of the tank. I'm really trying to get this fixed quickly!! I need to check anywhere else there is a screen or filter.

When I was bleeding the system I took out the two bleed screws on the pump and when I cranked the engine fuel was spurting out quite far, so hopefully this means the pump is functioning.

Also, I pumped on the priming lever, and it did seem to push the fuel through the system, what's not clear from that that diagram is where any micro screen filters might be?

The one pictured at the top is the fuel cutoff and screws into the tank. The microscreen stands above it on the inside the tank. The second is in the sediment bowl. Also you have inline fuel filters that might need attention if they haven't been changed in awhile. An air leak some where in the fuel delivery will cause a prime loss. Bad diaphram will do the same thing. The Perkins engine is very sensitive to contamination. Are you working from a service manual?
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   / troubleshooting my MF 35
  • Thread Starter
#12  
I have the service manual from AGCO, but it seems to have everything in there but this particular situation. Yes I need to check the screen in the tank for sure. Need to revisit any screens around sediment bowl, because I just removed it and cleaned it out, but didn't look further around there. Just put in two new AGCO fuel filters.

Where and what, is the diaphragm?



The one pictured at the top is the fuel cutoff and screws into the tank. The microscreen stands above it on the inside the tank. The second is in the sediment bowl. Also you have inline fuel filters that might need attention if they haven't been changed in awhile. An air leak some where in the fuel delivery will cause a prime loss. Bad diaphram will do the same thing. The Perkins engine is very sensitive to contamination. Are you working from a service manual?
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   / troubleshooting my MF 35
  • Thread Starter
#13  
OK, so now that I'm thinking I didn't see a screen like the one that is in the diagram above the glass sediment bowl. #31 in that diagram. Just did a quick search for that part number, doesn't look like it will be easy to find.
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35 #14  
OK, so now that I'm thinking I didn't see a screen like the one that is in the diagram above the glass sediment bowl. #31 in that diagram. Just did a quick search for that part number, doesn't look like it will be easy to find.
The screens can easily be cleaned with some carb cleaner spraying in the oposite direction of flow to clear the screen. If the cutoff has at one time been removed, there is a chance the vertical screen tube is gone thus allowing larger debris to enter into the fuel system and should be filtered by the large canister filters. The next time the engine quits after running look to see if the glass bowl is empty. That would be a clue. As other have mentioned if the tank filler cap is not vented properly could restrict flow somewhat. That too is easy enough to verify by leaving it slightly loose while using it, but not so loose as to have fuel spilling out while driving the tractor. Check for flow from the tank before tearing into it. The cutoff with a screen are a readily available part that fits several types of vintage MF tractors. My 135 has a TO30 fuel cutoff on it. :D
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35
  • Thread Starter
#15  
The screens can easily be cleaned with some carb cleaner spraying in the oposite direction of flow to clear the screen. If the cutoff has at one time been removed, there is a chance the vertical screen tube is gone thus allowing larger debris to enter into the fuel system and should be filtered by the large canister filters. The next time the engine quits after running look to see if the glass bowl is empty. That would be a clue. As other have mentioned if the tank filler cap is not vented properly could restrict flow somewhat. That too is easy enough to verify by leaving it slightly loose while using it, but not so loose as to have fuel spilling out while driving the tractor. Check for flow from the tank before tearing into it. The cutoff with a screen are a readily available part that fits several types of vintage MF tractors. My 135 has a TO30 fuel cutoff on it. :D

Cool, well I know what to check on next, I'll report back.
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35
  • Thread Starter
#16  
So, since I had the tractor in the garage today I went ahead and...

- cleaned out, refilled the air filter

- changed the oil and filter

I didn't do anything to the fuel system since I last tinkered with it. It fired right up, then I trucked out to the field and did some laps, it ran fine, no faltering.

I'll run it harder next week and report back, but meanwhile it feels good to have fresh fluids and clean breathing! Already did the tranny fluid last month.

Oh, one thing I did notice was there was a 1/4 of what appeared to be water in the glass on the bottom of the first fuel filter, hadn't seen that before.
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35 #17  
You can get a bad batch of diesel with water in it, happened to my F350 a while back. But that's what that water separater is for...

Rancher
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35 #18  
yup... and I'd dump the water and then add in some treatment like diesel clear.

if any of the water made it to the filter it will (can) plug it...
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35
  • Thread Starter
#19  
OK, thing was running fine for about 45 minutes, then shut off again. Cranked for about 10 seconds, 5 different times or so, then it finally cranked and got me back to the barn.

I have a question: What if it's sucking air into the fuel system through any warn gaskets/seals? When it shut off last night I was keeping an eye on the fuel bowl and I'm quite certain there was no irregularity with that, so it seems like it's not necessarily starved for fuel, maybe.

At the fuel bowl there is a gasket, what if it's sucking air there? Would that describe the shutting off? Then as I repeatedly crank I pushing fuel and therefore the air through the system and out? Just me brainstorming here. This is getting to be quite a random disturbance, since after I changed the fuel filters it cranked and ran fine for a bit.
 
   / troubleshooting my MF 35 #20  
Could the lining of a rubber line be collapsing? I dont think that tractor came with any rubber lines but just a thought.
 
 
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