Ford 555 TLB

[Pops15]

About a year and a half ago I bought a 555 TLB. The previous owner only used it a few times a year...if that. I've only used it a few times as well. When I bought it, it would start easily if it had been run within the past few weeks. If it had sat longer than that it needed a very small shot of ether and it would start right up.
It hasn't been used since last fall. For awhile I would start it every couple of weeks. Everything was fine. Then it got increasingly harder to start.
Now it's to the point that it will ONLY start with a shot of ether. I know using ether is a no-no.

When it starts it will run at whatever RPM I have the throttle set at. If I throttle down the RPM slowly drops. If I throttle up the RPM SLOWLY increases. If I have it running at 1000 RPM and throttle up, it might take 10 minutes to reach 1600 RPM.
Once it's warm if I shut it down it will not restart.
Fuel is old but has Power Service additive. Topped off the tank and added some Siloo Diesel treatment recently.
It has a new fuel filter.
Engine does not smoke.
I suspect plugged injectors or some other fuel delivery issue.
Any ideas on where to start troubleshooting?

 

[Soundguy]

when trying to start.. does it make smoke?

 

[Pops15]

when trying to start.. does it make smoke?

There was one time I tried starting with ether and it smoked but didn't start. That was the only time I've ever noticed any smoke.

 

[Soundguy]

smoke is unburnt fuel. if trying to start and no smoke.. guess what....

either compression is so dismally low that it's not even trying to combust the fuel... or it's not getting fuel...

 

[EddieWalker]

Any chance that it's a timing issue?

Are your fuel lines clean? On mine, the fuel line from the tank became plugged with debri in the tank. Blowing out the lines with air fixed it until more debri got into the line.

How does your screen in the fuel pump look? What about the fuel seperator?

Fuel, Compression and timing. It's one of those three things. Since it runs once it gets started, Compression is probably fine. Does it have power once it's going?

Eddie

 

[Pops15]

I don't think it's a compression issue. No blue smoke, no bubbles in the radiator, etc.

 

[Soundguy]

blue smoke is burning oil.. oil control rings are different than compression rings.

bubles in the rad is usually specifically a head gasket or crack issue..

common loss of compression would be worn cyl bore or rings.. broken ring lands holed piston.. burnt valves..e tc.. possible head gasket..e tc.. still plenty of ways to have reduced compression, and thus blowby, with no blown head gasket or radiator involvement.

 

[Pops15]

It would be smoking bad if it had a burnt or broken piston. It would run rough (especially at idle) if it had burnt valves.

Once running....it seems to run fine but won't throttle up or down. I believe that's the key, but not something I've run into before.

Ran great and made good power immediately prior to the hard starting/throttle issue started so we can eliminate worn cylinders or rings.

Fuel delivery is more likely. I've never run into a throttle/RPM issue like this before and thought someone could point me in the right direction.
I've got good fuel flow to and out of the filter so I'll check down line from there.

 

[Soundguy]

when a diesel won't make rpm, and it is not being lugged.. it is usually fuel starvation.

lack of smoke also means a fuel (less) issue.

if you have good fuel TO the IP.. I'd be looking there. it's the gov an all.. perhaps rack issues.. metering valve.. or? or? I'm no diesel mechanic.. just a deisel tractor owner/operator maintainer...

 

[whodat526]

i would first check the air filters

 

[Pops15]

i would first check the air filters

Air filters are fine. Looks like I'll be checking the pump next.
thanks everyone.

 

[boggen]

have shop manual for the ford 555c TLB. it covers A,B,C,D models 3cylinder and 4 cylinder models along with turbo charges. 4WD and 2WD, and a couple different transmission types. it costs like 100 to 150 bucks, but WOW manual is a 2 to 3 phone books thick, and covers everything from pulling stuff apart to testing, to putting everything back together. very detailed explanations with diagrams.

you can goto the "new holland" website, and look up the "parts manual" freely online. normally use Construction Equipment-Backhoes-Mini Excavators-Skid Steers-Pat Kelly-MO (place i bought mine from) and have direct link to the parts manual on there front page vs trying to click through newhollands website.

operators manual is a joke for the 555c TLB.

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i have had some issues with the throttle cable. coming from the foot pedal, and also cable that runs up to the hand throttle for use of backhoe. and going up to the "governor?" right hand side beside fuel filters (kinda between fuel filters and engine block and below fuel filters a little bit). sticking on me some. and had to re-adjust all the linkages. and then put a piece of rubber radiator house near engine. due to some extra slack, was binding up / bending. and not allowing the governor to fully open up yet i had peddle to metal. and as a result, i had to some times wait for "vibrations" alone from engine running, to unbend the throttle cable. some to open up the governor all the way up. at least until i added the short piece of hose around throttle cable.

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when you changed fuel filters, did you make sure to bleed air out of the lines? there is a little hand pump atleast on the 555c i have. that can help get the air out of the lines. and located right beside the fuel filter.

the shop manual i can not remember right off hand, but suggests changing air filters out i want to say every 100 hours. ((there are 2 air filters)) one outer one, and one inner one. the 555c i have, has a sensor in the intake manifold side of things. (right hand side of tractor, near the muffler)) and if air filters get clog, has a "warning light" on right hand side dash panel, that will come on, letting me know air filter is clogged.

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i do not have a turbo charger, or ether. but rather a glow plug. (right hand side of tractor) i want to say near the muffler, little bit in front of the fuel filters, in the intake manifold = glow plug. double check, if you have ether, or the glow plug. and double check if you do have ether, that you have put on a replacement bottle of it.

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the 555C TLB i have, can be a beast to start. when the battery is low. more so in cold temps. adding engine block heater / core heater. really does help a lot in cold winter times. though a battery blanket helps a good amount to. for cold winter times.

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did you ever run the tractor dry of fuel? and did you re-prime the injectors? pull the injectors out, turn the key, to let engine turn over a few times to pump fuel through lines, and then put injector back in, and repeat for rest. ((i think that is correct way to do it, i have not had to do it before, so better off asking others))

the fuel tank, shut off valve, (left hand side) bottom of diesel tank. is it vibrating partially open / close? had a little trouble when i bought the 555c TLB i had, with valve wanting to close a little bit on me.

the gas cap for the tank. there is a breather hole, is it free and un-clogged?

 

[Pops15]

I've got both manuals. The online catalog is a great resource as well.
Mine has one fuel filter. I did bleed it.
Never ran it out of fuel.
I've looked at the cable but I'll give it another look.
I haven't checked the vented cap but I pulled the cap to check the fuel level with the engine running and there was no change in RPM so I can rule out the cap being plugged.
Battery is good and I keep a maintainer on it.
I'll check the fuel shut off on the tank.
Thanks for the input. It gives me a couple things to check before tearing into the pump.

 

[Bigkrank]

When the hand primer gets old they can allow air to suck in. I had to replace mine once.

 

[Soundguy]

a restricted air filter should lead to overfueling and black smoke..

 

[whodat526]

also check to make sure it isn't sucking air at the fuel filter housing bleeder i just had you that was hard to start if it set for a week or two and all it was was the filter head had a small crack at the bleeder screw

 

[Pops15]

I finally had a chance to check a few things....

Pulled the fuel line going into the pump. I have a steady stream of fuel.

Pulled the filter and regulator valve out of the pump. They were covered in a rusty/red colored kind of sticky substance. Cleaned and re-assembled.
Pulled the bleed screw on the pump. Cranked engine and got a good stream of fuel shooting out the bleeder. Put bleed screw back in.
I've tried bleeding the fuel lines to the injectors. I'm not getting any fuel. So I pulled the lines at the pump and cranked the engine. I'm not getting any fuel coming out of any of the ports on the pump.

Seems to me since the pump shoots a good stream of fuel out the bleeder the pump is pumping, and maybe the metering valve is stuck. How do I get it un-stuck?
Is there anything I can put in the pump to clear out whatever is gummed up?
Is there a way to remove the metering valve with the pump mounted on the engine?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Pops

 

[Bob Rooks]

Sounds like you have a dose of diesel bugs. You won't get any fuel at the individual pumps (barrels and plungers) by operating the lift (primer) pump anyway, or cranking the engine in the no-fuel rack position. Not sure what you mean by "metering valve".

 

[Pops15]

I'm no diesel mechanic so this is new to me. Looks like the governor controls the metering valve which controls the amount of fuel going to the individual pumps.
The shop manual says when a metering valve sticks, it usually sticks in the closed position preventing the engine from starting. If I can get to it, that's what I'll check next unless someone has a better idea.

 

[Soundguy]

i'd ask whodat or rickb.

i'm not a diesel mechanic.


( i'm not a mechanic at all.. I just own tools and beat on things.. )