2008 TC40DA loosing power

[Fields_mj]

I picked up a 2008 TC40DA in Jan to replace my old Ford 1710. Time will tell, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be some of the best money I've ever spent. That said, I do have one issue with it. After its been running for a while (30min to an hour), it acts like its starving for fuel, or developed an air leak. It looses power, and after several seconds, it dies. It will start right back up, but then does it again within a few minutes. The more I keep going, the more quickly it happens. After 4 trys, it's almost instant. If I walk away for a while (30 min), it will run for another 10 or 15 min before the problem comes back. I first noticed it this spring, but it wasn't as frequent. AFTER the problem started, I had some work done to it at a dealership which included replacing some leaking fuel lines. Problem seems worse after that, but I didn't have a lot of time on it prior so its hard to say.

I thought it acted like a clogged fuel filter, so I swapped that out last week and the problem still exists. I do notice that when the machine is running, the fuel bowl on the filter has about an inch of air at the top, but I can't see the fuel bowl from inside the cab (LOVE having a cab with AC), and by the time I get out of the machine after it dies, the bowl is full of fuel again. I'm normally running the machine in the back yard moving logs or totes of firewood, and I'm normally not running over 1500 rpm, often lower. My thinking is that either I have a lift pump that is weak, or I have air in the line prior to the fuel filter and its eventually getting to the fuel pump and injectors. Problem with that is that I'd think that it would pretty quickly work its way out and back through the return line.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[nyone]

Could be some junk in the tank clogging the outlet. Next time it's happening instantly take off the fuel line right below the tank and let her drip for a bit. Low flow there and it dosnt matter how good the rest of the system is.

 

[WM75Guy]

Sounds like an issue where fuel is getting choked off from the tank. After it sits enough fuel flows through to let it run for a little longer. From the tank to the fuel filter, the clear bowl, is gravity fed. Coming out of the bottom of the tank is a pretty small elbow, doesn't take much crud to block it. If that is the case that involves removing the tank and cleaning it out. Also, though uncommon, the cap may not be venting so you get a vacuum in the tank. Easy to test that, trying running it with the cap loose or off while sitting still and see if it stops.

 

[Fields_mj]

I think I had tried running it without the lid on at one point, but can't recall now. I've been worried that there might be junk in the tank or in a fuel line, but it seems like the issue would be more sporadic if it was something in the tank. If its stuck in the drain or elbow, that could explain it. I'm pretty sure the dealership replaced that fuel line, so I'd be a little surprised if there was something in it. That doesn't mean they did anything with the elbow though so its still worth checking. I also wasn't sure if there was anything between the tank and the fuel filter. Glad to know that there's not.

When the machine is running, should the bowl on the filter always be full of fuel? If so, that will be a pretty obvious way for me to confirm the fix because the air appears in the bowl almost instantly when I start the machine. Unless the o-ring on the bowl is leaking some air, I don't understand how that air gets in there.