Ford 4610, performance

ronnsol · Jul 7, 2017

Hi, greetings from Norway

I have a Ford 4610(May, 1984) that I bought a couple of years ago. It had a defective tachometer wire from day 1 that I recently fixed. After this I have a perception that it does not go "well" at 1800-2000 RPM. It is difficult to explain, engine runs smooth but the sound / character changes as if it does not have a good punch/ flow. Also seems as it struglles a bit when working with high RPM. Is my fear that there is something wrong irrational? Should not be a problem for this tractor to work properly in this RPM range

Jerry/MT · Jul 8, 2017

ronnsol said:
Hi, greetings from Norway

I have a Ford 4610(May, 1984) that I bought a couple of years ago. It had a defective tachometer wire from day 1 that I recently fixed. After this I have a perception that it does not go "well" at 1800-2000 RPM. It is difficult to explain, engine runs smooth but the sound / character changes as if it does not have a good punch/ flow. Also seems as it struglles a bit when working with high RPM. Is my fear that there is something wrong irrational? Should not be a problem for this tractor to work properly in this RPM range

Trust your gut!

If the power seems to be down at high rpm, then check the fuel delivery. Start at the tank and work to the injection pump. There is a strainer at the tank outlet, make sure it's not clogged. Look for bent or pinched fuel lines. When did you last change the fuel filter? Check the head of the filter for clogging.

Most problems with fuel are rooted in water condensation in the fuel tank. Bacteria can live in the fuel/water interface and they cause a snotty looking sludge people refer to as "algae". Not so. This can partially clog the outlet strainer and eventually the fuel line and filter. if you have a partial clog, you will notice it at higher power and it will continue to get worse.

You can't stop condensation but you can minimize it by keeping the tank as full as possible. There is a condensate drain on your fuel filter. Open it and collect the discharge in a glass jar. Let it sit and the water will separate out on the bottom. You might consider treating your fuel with diesel fuel treatment.