weather related issue

[dontKnowMuch]

hi,

first the background:

my JD 4310, which is new to me this year, but has 880 hours on it, started having trouble running recently. First i thought i had water in the diesel, so i replaced all the fuel, got a new fuel filter and hoped it would resolve my issue. The temperature here in CT at the time was hitting the mid 40's, but overnight getting to around freezing. It occurred to me that one possible issue would be freezing in the lines... But i dismissed this because the first time this happened it was while i was using the tractor and had been using it for about an hour and the temperature was somewhere around 40 degrees. I figured because i was using it for a while, and the temp was almost 10 degrees above freezing, it probably wasnt that.

After changing the fuel out, and adding some new fuel, i could get the engine to turn over, but the machine would die out after a few seconds of running. I waited for a warmer day, almost 45 degrees out, and i did get the engine to run for a few minutes, but it died out again.

Today, a month later and we had a freakish 57 degree day. So on a hunch i went out and tried to turn over the engine and it turned right over and was running strong fifteen minutes later.

Can someone help educate me on 1. what i might be able to do to get my machine to run better at cooler temps, and 2. what they think the issue is. I admit ive never been mechanical, and this is just the beginning of a long road of learning for me, but im determined to get there!

Thanks!

 

[jbrumberg]

DontKnowMuch- Welcome to TBN. It reads like some contaminate was or may still be in your fuel system. When the engine started to bog down/die was there white smoke? Older fuel can also be contaminated with water, crud, algae. It could also have had the wrong grade fuel for colder temperatures.

There are all kinds of fuel additives available that can stabilize diesel fuel, remove water, minimize hydration during storage, raise cetane, increase lubricity, remove crud and algae, etc. There are two common brands PowerService and Howes. Both have additives to address the aforementioned conditions.

I also use a fuel/water filter funnel to remove water that has/may have accumulated in my diesel jerry can when I refuel the tractor. They really do work.

Does your 4310 have an engine block heater? I use mine in temperatures <32ｺF. I also have an hydraulic filter preheater which I use concurrent with the engine block heater.

The TBN search engine is really decent at retrieving old topics. There are probably an 100 threads on fuel management and at least 10,000 opinions.

Good luck with your new tractor and your learning curve.

Post freely and often.

 

[dontKnowMuch]

Thanks Jbrumberg,

when i first suspected water in the fuel, i changed out the fuel and in the process i also cleaned the bottom of the tank. Then put new diesel in with additives. I did get the tractor to turn over for about 5 minutes, so i was hoping that if there was an issue in the feul line, that five minutes would have cleared that out.

is it possible that theres something deteriorated in my lines that when its chillier that it limits my fuel and that is causing my issue?

I didnt see any white smoke and i do think theres a block heater, but i have never used it and had just assumed that was for use when it started getting REALLY cold. I dont plan to use the tractor in the real cold weather so just hadnt explored that.

I really feel whatever the issue is, if its warm out the tractor is running fine, but if its getting down into the 30's and low 40's its acting up and begins stalling out. Ran the tractor all summer/fall without this issue popping up and this is the first cold season i have had it.

 

[jbrumberg]

dKM- 5 minute run time is a little short to clear your fuel system, but I certainly am no expert. I would not be using my preheaters in your temperatures either. Just out of curiosity are you using bio-diesel? And what additives?.