Ford 3550 with ind. loader/stalls at idle under load and when changing gears

[fordowner]

Ran tractor out of gas. Since then it hasn't ran right. Ran great before running it dry. Took it to shop to check out and change fluids/filters. I advised them I ran it out of gas. Well anyway, it's no better. They changed filters, 3 s plg, electonic ign. brush kit, regulator, gen, hyd oil. Cost over $2000. Got it home and will run at times and die out. Short periods and sometimes doesn't even want to start. Dies out when under load and sometimes, just at idle. I checked the sediment bowl and took it off and removed the filter. Good gas flow here.

It ran for an hour once I did this but when I raised the loader, it cut out.
Ran the longest after messing with the sediment bowl. Is this possibly a fuel problem? What should be checked?

 

[Jimmy Joe]

Just a shot in the dark but have you checked for any loose wire connections, you say when you raised the loader it cut out the jarring may have affected a loose connection, I would run the tractor and jiggle all the wires I could find to test. Also if there are any rubber fuel lines they could be deteriorating from the inside. Sorry to hear of your problem, sounds like it has cost you plenty already. Good luck.

 

[fordowner]

Thanks. Yesterday, it ran for just a few minutes and then died. Also died putting it in reverse when letting off the clutch and sometimes it died just when I advanced the throttle alone at a standstill. Sometimes it died at just an idle and doing nothing to it. Today it ran the longest (one hour) after I took off the sediment bowl and removed the sediment filter. I turned fuel valve all the way open until it purged the line to the sediment bowl. At least this part of the fuel line isn't clogged. When I got on the tractor after the one hour while it was still running and put the loader up, it cut out. I will check to see tomorrow if the shop bled the lines. I did tell them I ran it out of gas. Does anyone have information on the diagram for bleeding the fuel line for this tractor. My manual says this must be done but the diagram is different from what I have. I'm a nurse, not a mechanic. Ask my about anatomy for people and that's not a problem but this tractor sure is. Please help. I did repairs on my old farmall, but this tractor is far more complex.

Can the carb be checked without removing the entire thing. Someone said there is a drain plug. I see a circular metal piece on the bottom that is held in place by an arm on a screw.
Anyway, I'm calling the repair shop first thing in am and request they pick this thing up and fix it at no charge to me as least for delivery. Just got it back Friday and it doesn't run one bit better after approx. $2,000. I am just sick to my stomach about this. Seems like I'm getting the run around. I called first thing Saturday when I found it still wasn't fixed. Owner's son told me to call back Monday

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

On a gas engine the fuel system doesn't have to be bled.There should be a drain on the bottom of the carb. When the tractor dies imediatly open the drain and see if fuel comes out. If fuel come out its not a fuel issue. I would guess it is a bad wire going to the ignition switch or coil. If I spent that much money at a shop to fix it they wouldnt be getting payed if it wasn't fixed.
Bill

 

[fordowner]

Thanks. I will give it a try. The mechanic did tell me that it had a hard time starting when the worker went to load it to bring it back to me but they still returned it! He also informed me that he tested it and it ran fine for 20 min. and also put it under a load and was ok before that. Anyway, all was great with the tractor until I ran it out of gas and that's when it went to the shop.

The shop changed the seat, tack cluster, filter, filter, s plug x 3, electron. ig, brush kit, regulator, gen? (it was 193.00 is that the generator?) filter, gsk, oil, flasher, hyd oil and hauling was 204.00. Total $1,957.81). I already paid them by check this Friday in full when they returned it. I'll see what they say tomorrow. Also, my one hydraulic lines is leaking pretty bad where there is a metal plate that has cut into it and at the nuts near the base. Wouldn't it be wise to have replaced these hoses before changing the hydraulic oil? That's another issue but at $100 for the h-oil they put in there, I sure want to keep all I can and where it's suppose to be.

 

[dqdave1]

Stop payment on check ASAP. Does sound like a wire grounding out ignition. Will it keep running if you lower it quickly. Check clutch linkages for touching of fuel lines, wires also. Does it have a choke? Choke cable may be moving and choking engine when you move things. Is carberator tight on manifold?

 

[fordowner]

They come out today in the cold to try to fix it. I think they do care about their customers but my tractor still isn't fixed. They took off the old-looking carb and cleaned it out and took it apart. When they put it together again and back on he tested it and it ran good for 5-10 min and used loader up and down and it ran good at the time.

When they left, I decided to run it at idle like I did yesterday and went in the house.

When I went back outside, it had died! Good gas and level good. Then I tried starting it and it wouldn't start. I did see gas dripping from the bottom of the carb after I choked it. Also, when they were here it would make a wining noise and wouldn't even turn over on a few attempts.

He said it probably is the fly wheel doing this but I don't recall hearing this sound like this before. Told me it was a big job to fix the fly wheel. All of a sudden, I'm sicker to my stomach now. I called the shop back immed when it died. They will get back to me and research the problem further he said.

 

[fordowner]

Does have a choke. No fuel filter only screen. I asked. Has a fuel pump but not in a good accessible place per mechanic. Should the lines be blown out with air. Also, this is gas so they told me no bleeding of lines was needed.
Hope this helps.

 

[jimmysisson]

Just because the pump (it has a pump?) is in an inconvenient place doesn't mean there isn't something plugging it up. Simple case: your tractor ran fine, then you ran out of gas, then it ran lousy. Shop fixed a bunch of other stuff. Still ran lousy. This sure sounds like a fuel problem; water or sediment, or one of those erratic flap-of-gunk-covering-the-fuel-inlet kinds of things. You may have to dig deeper into the fuel system pre-carb.
Jim

 

[fordowner]

Mechanic out today again to fix tractor. I do give the shop an A for effort here. They obviously do care about their customers. He replaced the ignition coil and everything is running good for now. We test loaded it for about an hour moving around some big buckets of crushed limestone since it was heavy and had it do some real work. I have it running now at idle since the mechanic left and will see if it cuts out. So far so good. Keep my fingers crossed. Just don't like the bolt that was put on my tractor that goes from the inside and now out with the threaded portion on the outside. Not safe and sorta ugly. It doesn't look like my original one and I'm sorta a fussy woman if you don't know that by now. That wasn't the bolt that was there before as all of mine had yellow paint on them. I guess cosmetic issues can be taken care of later. Happy for now.