Farm Pro air leak?

jake1669 · Dec 3, 2004

I have a 2003 farmpro 2425 with the 3 cly. engine. I have been having a problem of air getting in to the fuel system. i cannot find a leak anywhere. the dealer i bought the tractor from gave me a new sediment bowl and gasket. which i installed. the tractor will run for a couple of minutes then will die. i then can bleed the air off at the injector pump and it will run for a couple of minutes up to maybe 10 or 15 minutes then die again. any suggestions would be greatly appretiated

bluechip · Dec 4, 2004

Did you replace just the bowl and gasket or the entire assembly? I hesitate even to ask this one: is the tank full? The reason I'm starting here is that the fuel pickup on the sediment bowl has a screen that sticks up about 3" into the tank, if the screen getts plugged up around the base, the pickup point could be made as high as 3 inches. Also if this screen is plugged, the pump will place excess suction on the line and cause air to enter somewhere. It is usually the sediment bowl, but I have had one that it was the hose from the bowl to the primary pump. You can replace the line with standard fuel line, just grind off the crimped ends and save the fitting, replace the crimped ends with standard hose clamp (this is not a pressure line).

Otherwise be sure all connections are tight.

Have you changed the injector pump oil? 10W, just a couple ounces.

Please let us know what you find.

greg_g · Dec 4, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( i then can bleed the air off at the injector pump )</font>
I don't quite understand this part, or where the suspected air is actually accumulating. What exactly do you do to "bleed" this suspected air, and at which fitting?

//greg//

jake1669 · Dec 4, 2004

Hey guys thanks for the reply. to answer Greg G question i bleed the air at the injector pump. there is a bleed valve on the injector pump. (it looks like a small bolt with a ring throught the head). i crack this open and either use the hand pump until i get fuel flowing or i crack it open and roll the engine over until i get fuel flowing. the tank is not full.

jake1669 · Dec 4, 2004

one other thing. i just replaced the bowl and gasket not the entire assembly.

jake1669 · Dec 4, 2004

Bluechip. i didn't know that you could change or check the injector pump oil. where would you do this at?

vetteman · Dec 4, 2004

I had a Zetor farm tractor it had the same problem . It was a leak at the fuel lines at the fuel tank , I sprayed some galvinized paint on them to seal it, never had a problem again . Wayne

Harrygoodwrench · Dec 4, 2004

Jake, I could be wrong but the way you describe it sounds like you are "starving" it for fuel and not really sucking air. What I mean is if you sucked air you would probobly have to bleed entire system. I think whats happening you are starving it till it stalls (such as shut off valve is only partially opened or a line is mostly restricted). When it stalls then gravity lets you use hand pump and bleed injection pump. Do what Chip and others said and check tank screen as its a likely culprit. Make sure shut off vavle is in "open" position(may have to remove to verify). These are shipped with some real nasty fuel in the tank. Wouldn't surprize me if tank has a bunch of crud in bottom.
As far as injection pump oil, check out this site. MUCH GREAT info courtesy of JohnS.
http://www.johnstractor.homestead.com/InjectorPump.html

jake1669 · Dec 4, 2004

Hey guys thanks for all the help. i found the problem it ended up being a rubber washer on the fuel line where it screws into the bulb assembly. i guess the old adage (kiss) keep it simple stupid, would have saved me alot of grief. once again thanks for the imput: jake