5083e - wont start-gelled fuel.

[gocards1177]

Need some help from the diesel fuel gurus. I went out this am to drive my tractor to the dealer for the AC fix. While it was idling and warming up, I started the process if taking the loader off. After running for a few minutes it died.

Back story: After I finished mowing last week, I filled up the tank with mostly fresh fuel and about 6 gallons of fuel from last year. I have about 20-something gallons of fuel from my adding-gas-to-diesel fiasco that I had in a plastic barrel siting behind my shed since last summer. I thought I could get away with diluting it a bit at a time to full tanks, but I was wrong.

Drained the tank and the fuel was cloudy. Could see blobs of wax/gel. Same in fuel filter and lines once I finally got that taken apart. Rinsed out the filter with fresh fuel. Filled tank with 9 gallons. Bled the lines. Wouldn't start after several 20 second cranking episodes with 5 min resting the starter between. Bled the lines again and could still see gel/wax.

Went and got some diesel 911 additive. Added appropriate amount to tank with another 9 gallons of fresh. Filled filter half 911, half diesel. Bled lines. Dead able to do three more 20 second starting attempts before the battery finally ran down.

The whole time there was white smoke, so I think I'm on the right trail.

Should I just charge the battery and keep trying? Also thought I might go get a new fuel filter tomorrow.

 

[beenthere]

After I finished mowing last week, I filled up the tank with mostly fresh fuel and about 6 gallons of fuel from last year.

Do I read correctly that the 6 gallon of fuel from last year was gasoline, and not just old diesel ?

"A bit at a time" wouldn't be 6 gal gas to 12 gal diesel IMO.

Now I get confused when you refer to "fuel" in the rest of your post, as don't know if it is gas or diesel.

Doesn't sound good for a happy outcome. Check it out with your Deere dealer in the morning and before trying to start and run your tractor anymore, get some good direction how to clean things out. Hope no damage has been done that isn't recoverable without great expense.

 

[Wnc3]

Absolutely change the fuel filter. Also, my pickup tube in the tank on a 997 JD mower was plugged up with the gel you described. Red dye fuel seems to separate over time.

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . . Should I just charge the battery and keep trying? Also thought I might go get a new fuel filter tomorrow.

Charge the battery overnight and change both fuel filters before you try starting it again.

 

[Wnc3]

I missed the gas mix up....drain it all: tank, filter, lines, return lines, injector lines. Put in fresh diesel and purge air from lines. Should go, unless injectors got clogged

 

[gocards1177]

Do I read correctly that the 6 gallon of fuel from last year was gasoline, and not just old diesel ? "A bit at a time" wouldn't be 6 gal gas to 12 gal diesel IMO. Now I get confused when you refer to "fuel" in the rest of your post, as don't know if it is gas or diesel. Doesn't sound good for a happy outcome. Check it out with your Deere dealer in the morning and before trying to start and run your tractor anymore, get some good direction how to clean things out. Hope no damage has been done that isn't recoverable without great expense.

Sorry I wasn't clear. Last august or so, I was topping off my 30 gallon tank in my diesel tractor and accidentally added about half of a gallon of gas. I had called my dealer at the time and they said don't worry about it, but I'm generally a cautious person. So I drained all that and placed it in a barrel. There it sat last week, I added about 6 gallons of that to a full tank - or about 24 gallons if fresh diesel. I thought I could get away with it, because otherwise I had about 30 gallons of brush pile fire starter.

 

[gocards1177]

Absolutely change the fuel filter. Also, my pickup tube in the tank on a 997 JD mower was plugged up with the gel you described. Red dye fuel seems to separate over time.

Yes the fuel from last year had red dye.

 

[gocards1177]

Charge the battery overnight and change both fuel filters before you try starting it again.

Now this might be the problem. I thought there was just one fuel filter. I'm headed home now so I'll consult the manual. Either way, I'm headed to the dealership tomorrow for a filter(s).

 

[gocards1177]

I missed the gas mix up....drain it all: tank, filter, lines, return lines, injector lines. Put in fresh diesel and purge air from lines. Should go, unless injectors got clogged

i don't think the injectors are clogged. It makes white smoke, which from my research is the wax burning I suspect.

 

[Bigfoot62]

Now this might be the problem. I thought there was just one fuel filter. I'm headed home now so I'll consult the manual. Either way, I'm headed to the dealership tomorrow for a filter(s).

I'm pretty sure that there are two on my 5085M, and I think it's the same set-up on the E. If I get a chance, I'll try to look. (Read: if I can remember, lol)