Dropped Plastic Gas Nozzle into the Tank - Suggestions?

[Nuru]

Nuru,
I voiced the same doubts in a previous post here. In my view the nozzle simply can't clog the fuel outlet. If it makes you feel better than, by all means, get it out but there is a simple test to see if it's causing fuel problems. Shut off the petcock on the tank, disconnect the line from the carb and open the petcock with the line in a jar or fuel can. If it's running out than the nozzle isn't the cut out problem.

Rob

Actually Rob, I am agreeing with KennyD on his post and also your suspicions too, as it would seem peculiar for the nozzle to only affect the engagement of the mid-PTO and not any other mode. So i am gonna check out the switch - did not get a chance to look at it yesterday or today. My next opportunity is Saturday.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Actually Rob, I am agreeing with KennyD on his post and also your suspicions too, as it would seem peculiar for the nozzle to only affect the engagement of the mid-PTO and not any other mode. So i am gonna check out the switch - did not get a chance to look at it yesterday or today. My next opportunity is Saturday.

Well....While I think you guys might be right, dont count the other options out.
My FIL's F925 ran like a top...until he used the PTO/Mower...looked into everything. What the issue was all along was a clogged fuel filter (it was a relatively new filter so he didnt look there first).
Diesels require barely any fuel to run and idle, so under normal circumstances it ran fine...but when worked there simply wasnt enough fuel supply. New fuel filter and life was good once again.

I guess the question would be how she dies when the PTO is engaged?

 

[yankeerider]

I'd recommend against trying to suction the part out with a shop vac. You could end up with a big bang due to an excess of vapor and sparks from the vac or its motor.

 

[nmu98]

any luck nuru?

 

[Riderguy]

Well, i had one of those spectacularly silly moments where I relaxed while filling my tank with fuel and bang the entire autofill nozzle fell into the tank. I tried initially to fish around in there to get it out but no luck sofar. And now for some weird reason, I cannot cut on my MMM as the tractor stalls each time, but runs fine without turning it on - sounds familiar to anyone?

I was filling my JD3720 with one of those yellow 5 gallon containers. Sure enough the white slinky-like tube falls into the tank. It ran fine but bugged the heck out of me. It took me 2 hours to get the thing out. I used a combination of the grabber device that was thumbnailed above, along with a flexible light for seeing in the tank and a magnetic expandable rod (the thing that looks like an antenna with a big magnet on the tip) to grab and fish the nozzle out. The grabby thing was not long enough, but the magnetic rod was, so I got it in there and was able to raise the nozzle up enough to grab it. A total PITA, but it did work. Patience is the key. A beer or two after helps immensely.

Scott

 

[Nuru]

any luck nuru?

PTO/Engine shutoff:

Researching this a bit more (called my local dealer), I am gonna try and check out my relays as if my seat switch was on the blink the tractor probably would not run. So it is probably my PTO relay that has an issue. I asked my local dealer how to check it out and I will check it out this week sometime before Saturday so I can get the part in before Saturday. I am also gonna buy a plastic or metal fuel caddy or make one out of a 30 gallon barrel I have. No more potential for this to happen again. i have been thinking about this for a while and now I am gonna pull the trigger on it. I am leaning towards the purchase as some of them are DOT approved and tested - YouTube - Todd Enterprises Gas Caddy DOT Compliance Tests


Fuel tank visitor: well, I think there are two options:

A) Drain Tank and try to fish it out. Since it is the type that has a spring that performs the "anti-spill" shutoff, I may try a magnet tipped extension wand and a 3 foot pick-up tool with the extensible grabbing end.

B) Empty the tank, Drop the tank and dump it out (2 hours to drop and reinstall)

I am more inclined to try "A" myself (no vacuum though, unless tank is dry before I do it). I wish I had a buddy with a drain camera:thumbsup:

I will let you all know how I fair by Saturday evening.

 

[Nuru]

I was filling my JD3720 with one of those yellow 5 gallon containers. Sure enough the white slinky-like tube falls into the tank. It ran fine but bugged the heck out of me. It took me 2 hours to get the thing out. I used a combination of the grabber device that was thumbnailed above, along with a flexible light for seeing in the tank and a magnetic expandable rod (the thing that looks like an antenna with a big magnet on the tip) to grab and fish the nozzle out. The grabby thing was not long enough, but the magnetic rod was, so I got it in there and was able to raise the nozzle up enough to grab it. A total PITA, but it did work. Patience is the key. A beer or two after helps immensely.

Scott

thanks Scott; I have the mag-tiip tool already and I am trying to get a long (3ft) grabber tool. I kinda checking around for someone local who has a flexible drain camera to help. So i am planning how I can do it.

 

[Nuru]

I'd recommend against trying to suction the part out with a shop vac. You could end up with a big bang due to an excess of vapor and sparks from the vac or its motor.

.

I was planning to use a 7 foot plastice tube and an adapter to keep the vac far away from the tank. But the more i think about it. I probably will not introduce fuel vapor exciter technology in the tank

 

[Nuru]

Well....While I think you guys might be right, dont count the other options out.
My FIL's F925 ran like a top...until he used the PTO/Mower...looked into everything. What the issue was all along was a clogged fuel filter (it was a relatively new filter so he didnt look there first).
Diesels require barely any fuel to run and idle, so under normal circumstances it ran fine...but when worked there simply wasnt enough fuel supply. New fuel filter and life was good once again.

I guess the question would be how she dies when the PTO is engaged?

Dave; It did not shutoff until I stopped and then was doing some other work. I ran the engine at PTO speed without the mower on and it ran fine right after the it started shutting down on me when I engaged the PTO. I will try the relay first, and if that does not work, i have a few more things I can try. If they all fail, then it will be a trip to the dealer and take my hit ($$$) for the tank and the PTO issue. Oh well, we will see.

 

[Nuru]

Hmmm....
While its easy for me to say, It doesnt look overly complex or hard to remove the tank....
The way I see it is yes..if the other ideas work, then your good to go in short time...but I hate investing time & money in things that have a high probability of failure...

Draining & Removing the tank is 100% sure to get it out.

Yes, that might be the final solution to the tank visitor.

 

[nmu98]

NURU,
to test your PTO relays, remove any driveshafts from your PTO's. This whay when you turn on the PTO there will be no drag or any reason for the machine to shut down. If it still does it then you know you have a switch problem. If it stays running, you know its a fuel problem.

 

[Nuru]

NURU,
to test your PTO relays, remove any driveshafts from your PTO's. This whay when you turn on the PTO there will be no drag or any reason for the machine to shut down. If it still does it then you know you have a switch problem. If it stays running, you know its a fuel problem.

NMU; Actually, wouldn't it be easier to first just switch in another relay from the panel, and if it still shuts down, then I would probably have determined that it is not the relay.

 

[nmu98]

What other relay? I thought you were testing the seat switch to see if that was shutting you down when you turn on the PTO. You could use your rear PTO if your mower was hooked up.

I don't think I am following you...

 

[tanuki02]

The last post will not tell you anything. The pressure is not even close to the fuel pump. I did the same thing a year back, I use a 24" tool to very slowly hunt around the bottom of the tank. when you find something work very slowly to try and move what ever you catch. got mine on the third try.

DR

 

[Nuru]

What other relay? I thought you were testing the seat switch to see if that was shutting you down when you turn on the PTO. You could use your rear PTO if your mower was hooked up.

I don't think I am following you...

Sorry, i was told to switch the relays around to see if one is out. I looked and none of those would do this. I also determined that of the seat switch was on the blink, then there would be issues with the tractor running at all. I tried the rear PTO and it worked fine, tried the MMM engine shutdown. So I decided to look at the MMM itself - found the issue - apparently the last bump I hit that really shook the unit, cause the MMM to jog back into a position where it got hit by the tractor and it bent the shell enough to stop the blade. It is close but I never had an issue before. So I took the mower deck off and then I banged on the inside of the shell until the blade would clear. hooked it back up and tried it out - works ok, but now I have the blade on the right side occasionally impacting the shell when the unit leans to the right So I gotta take the MMM off again and bang it a bit more - or buy another used deck

 

[Nuru]

The last post will not tell you anything. The pressure is not even close to the fuel pump. I did the same thing a year back, I use a 24" tool to very slowly hunt around the bottom of the tank. when you find something work very slowly to try and move what ever you catch. got mine on the third try.

DR

tanuki02, Well it is way more than 24 inches to get to the bottom of my tank, as the base of the tank is under the cab near the foot step. I am gonna get one of those drain cameras and slowly snake it into the top portion of the tank, where I think this nozzle is actually residing. I really do to think it made it all the way into the bottom porting of the tank. I got a fuel caddy on the way and so ii will install quick connects so I can reverse the pump and empty the tank and then run the camera into the tank.

 

[Nuru]

I think my remaining issue with the deck is that I missed a deflected point that is above the blade where it is located at rest, I will check tomorrow or next Saturday. I think when the unit has the MMM engaged the normal oscillations cause it to nick the shell when the MMM suddenly changes suddenly to an angle.

 

[tanuki02]

The bottom of my tank may have been more that 24" but I found th plastic nozzle and with very slow and CARE got it out.
The glass catcher after i hit a tree jammed into a blade. my 4300 shut down took a while to find.

Glad you located the problem ,without a lot of cost and parts. it did not sound like a switch or a relay to me, but just my 4 cent worth. (can't get nothing for 2 cent any more).

DR

 

[Nuru]

Yeah, I am gonna take a good look at the deck next Saturday and try to make sure the deck clearance is proper. I am also gonna check the blade this time to make sure it is not needing replacement.

On the nozzle in the tank, I am gonna try a drain camera to see in there. I don't know if the nozzle stayed up on the high side of the tank or fell into the lower section.

 

[nmu98]

Wow, you must have really hit a good bump. Is this a 7 iron deck?

With heat you should be able to get the shell back to the like new position.