Oil & Fuel Water in the Fuel?

   / Water in the Fuel? #1  

wsp617

Silver Member
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
152
Location
Wisconsin
Tractor
JD 1070
I have a 1989 John Deere 1070 tractor. For the most part the tractor has been a tank and has always started right up and ran like a champ. I had back surgery in December so I hadn't operated until a couple weeks ago and even then it was just to scrape the driveway of snow. It seemed to run just fine then. Then I took it out to pull a deer camera and used it because of the deep snow. It was going just fine until again, I started up an incline. It started spitting and sputtering and then bogged down. When I down-shifted it seemed to cure the issue. The rest of that trip it ran fine.

Now last weekend I again took it out and when I got to an incline it spit and sputtered then died. I got it running again and headed back to the house. Again it killed. I got off and I looked under the hood but all looked OK. After sitting a few minutes it started up OK and I got back to the house.

I went to Farm/Fleet and got some stuff to remove water from the diesel fuel and put it in the tank. Later I used the tractor to again to scrape the driveway. It spitted and sputtered when I started but then seemed to improve with use so I thought whatever I put in the tank was helping. When I got done it seemed to be working normally so I took off down the road to see how it would do. It was fine until I got to the first hill....it died. I got it turned around but barely made it back to the house (200 yards).

Does this sound like a water in the fuel issue or plugged fuel filter? I bought a new filter from the dealer but haven't installed it yet. Anything I need to know there?
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #2  
Sounds like water. May be some jelling also. Change the filter and you probably will be ok.
 
   / Water in the Fuel?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Sounds good....thanks.
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #4  
May be an issue with blockage in the outlet of tank . May be some junk in the bottom of tank restricting flow . You mention inclines when it acts up .
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #5  
I was plowing snow just yesterday and my little diesel started to lose some power. I dumped the ice crystals out of the fuel filter bowl and that totally helped. Fuel filters are generally made from treated paper and if they become saturated with water/ice, the paper no longer lets as much fuel flow through as it should. With a Diesel engine you always have the maximum amount of air possible going into your engine and it's the fuel flow that you are using to control the revs and power, so a sudden drop in power is almost always a result of fuel starvation.

Turn your fuel tap off before removing the filter bowl, when you are reinstalling it, leave it slightly loose and turn the fuel tap on, then tighten it, that will bleed the air from the filter bowl and then you won't have problems restarting it. ;) try not to get too much on you or your gloves, it stinks something terrible.
 
   / Water in the Fuel?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I buy those blue rubber gloves from Harbor Freight and wear those to try and keep my hands clean. I know that diesel REALLY stinks for awhile when you get it on your hands.

I'm still concerned with the fact that it seems to happen when start up an incline. I'll start with the filter (hopefully tomorrow) and see if that fixes it.
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #7  
I'm still concerned with the fact that it seems to happen when start up an incline. I'll start with the filter (hopefully tomorrow) and see if that fixes it.

Personally I'd also be concerned. I use a Mr. Funnel for fueling because it eliminates water and dirt/contaminates before it gets in your tank. Lets assume you have some of that in the bottom of your tank now. I don't know if you can pump the fuel out of the tank but it seems before changing your fuel filter you want to make sure its not in the tank to send it into the new filter.

I assume going up an incline causing it can be done while the tank is relatively full . . . Correct ????

If so . . You could set the tractor on an incline and let it run to get whatever possible out of the tank and into the old fuel filter before changing it. I'm not saying running the tank dry . . But either by pumping out the tank or by running a lot of the fuel out into the old filter at an incline . . . Reduce/eliminate the cause and then change the filter would be my thought.

Think of it this way . . The incline shows the problem . . so unless the fuel filter bowl is so dirty that an incline starves the engine . . it has to be junk on the bottom of the tank. As others previously posted . . You could also pull the old filter off and dump the settlement and see how bad that looks and put it back on to run tractor at an incline as i suggested. To clarify . . While doing this don't be using the tractor . . Just running it standstill at an incline . . The goal is getting any tank bottom sludge or buildup . . . Outta there :)
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #8  
I have a 1989 John Deere 1070 tractor. For the most part the tractor has been a tank and has always started right up and ran like a champ. I had back surgery in December so I hadn't operated until a couple weeks ago and even then it was just to scrape the driveway of snow. It seemed to run just fine then. Then I took it out to pull a deer camera and used it because of the deep snow. It was going just fine until again, I started up an incline. It started spitting and sputtering and then bogged down. When I down-shifted it seemed to cure the issue. The rest of that trip it ran fine.

Now last weekend I again took it out and when I got to an incline it spit and sputtered then died. I got it running again and headed back to the house. Again it killed. I got off and I looked under the hood but all looked OK. After sitting a few minutes it started up OK and I got back to the house.

I went to Farm/Fleet and got some stuff to remove water from the diesel fuel and put it in the tank. Later I used the tractor to again to scrape the driveway. It spitted and sputtered when I started but then seemed to improve with use so I thought whatever I put in the tank was helping. When I got done it seemed to be working normally so I took off down the road to see how it would do. It was fine until I got to the first hill....it died. I got it turned around but barely made it back to the house (200 yards).

Does this sound like a water in the fuel issue or plugged fuel filter? I bought a new filter from the dealer but haven't installed it yet. Anything I need to know there?

When you start up an incline, the power required to keep the tractor moving at a fixed ground speed goes up. The governor doesn't exactly hold the rpm constant but the drop in rpm is relatively small. The net result is the fuel demand goes up. If there is a restriction in the fuel delivery to the injectors then the engine may cough and sputter or even stop.

I would check out the fuel delivery system from the tank out let to the injector pump. Most folks don't pay attention to the fuel filter recommended change intervals and it's not unusual for that to be a problem. Other possibilities include a clogged tank vent, restricted fuel strainer in the tank outlet, water freezing on the filter element, jelling when summer blend fuel is used at low ambient temperatures, kinked or damage fuel lines, clogged lift pump filters (not all tractors have these), air in the fuel delivery system, and finally problems with the pump and injectors (This is the last place I would look, the other problems are more common.).

Water in the fuel is a common problem and its cause is normally condensation in the tank when fuel levels are low. Try to keep you tank as full as practically possible. Fill the tank when you finish for the day so a tank full of moist air and lower night time temperatures don't cause large amounts condensed water in the tank. You can't stop condensation but you can minimize it. Also drain a little out of the fuel filter drain to drain off any water before starting up.

Use fuel blends appropriate to the season. Summer fuel for temperatures above freezing and winter blend when it's below freezing. If you get caught with summer fuel in the tank in cold conditions, add some #1 diesel or a good additive to help minimize jelling. If you live in a very humid environment, bacteria can be a problem forming a sludge that can clog the delivery system. Treat fuel with a biocide and try to keep the tank full. These bacteria live in the fuel/water interface so minimizing condensed water in the tank will help.

When you change the filter, make sure that you thoroughly clean the filter housing and follow the recommendations for bleeding the system before operating the tractor. Your owners manual should have this info. f you don't have instructions, I have posted a general set of instructions to help.
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #9  
I buy those blue rubber gloves from Harbor Freight and wear those to try and keep my hands clean. I know that diesel REALLY stinks for awhile when you get it on your hands.

I'm still concerned with the fact that it seems to happen when start up an incline. I'll start with the filter (hopefully tomorrow) and see if that fixes it.
Interesting problem, how much of an incline? It reminds of a situation where the fuel pickup line was sucking air on a slope.
Does it happen at all fuel levels?
 
   / Water in the Fuel? #10  
Another vote for changing the fuel filter. I had the exact same problem on inclines and changing the filter fixed it.
 

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