JD 4024 wont start!

[greenmojo]

Merry Christmas!

Quick background with as many details as I can provide.

I have a JD 4024 model 30kw generator that we use with our off-grid home.

Everything was good, I took a fuel tank to town for diesel and filled it with 250 gallons, brought it home and only put about 25 gallons in the generators base fuel tank before getting distracted, moving on and going inside.

Around midnight, I heard the generator struggling, almost like it was running out of fuel. Idling up, then down and fighting, then finally shutting down.

I verified there is plenty of fuel in the tank, manually cranked it over and started it, but as soon as the load picked up, it struggled and died. After some trying and quite a bit of cranking, I got it to idle again, but shorty after a minute or two, it died.

I believed it was a fuel issue, possibly a filter dirty or maybe water in the fuel. This morning replaced the filter, primed the filter with new diesel and it still wouldnt fire. It turns over, it just wont go. I even drained the bottom 5 gallons out of the tank incase it was water / contaminated.

I called Pape machinery, they sent a tech up, and he discovered the the fuel transfer pump had failed and he believed that to be the issue. I ordered one, but in the mean time he said I could use a universal fuel transfer pump to provide fuel until tomorrow. He recommended a 10 to 15 psi pump, however all I could find in town was a 9 psi pump.

I installed the 9 psi pump, verified that diesel was making it into the filter, bled and primed everything, and it still wont start. Just turns over, but no go.

Last thing I tried this evening was to pump the priming handle while it was cranking and for a few seconds it seemed like it wanted to to, it sped up, sounded like a couple of cylinders were doing something, but it just wont start.

I pick up the new correct fuel pump in several hours, but Im doubting it will fix the problem, since the universal one didnt have any effect. Any thoughts?

Does that 9 psi pump just not have enough pressure for the engine to start?!

I have no idea where to look next. Ive accidentally run it out of diesel before, and all it took was a little priming and a minute of cranking and it was back alive. Just stumped.

Thank you for reading!

 

[seville009]

I’m no mechanic, but I wouldn’t doubt that the small difference in psi between the pumps could be the sole problem.

It’s possible that you got bad fuel, but I assume that you already had old fuel in the generator before adding new fuel (so you don’t have 100% new fuel that you’re running - it’s diluted), plus you changed the filter.

If the new pump with the higher psi doesn’t fix it, then I’d go back to suspecting the fuel, since that is the only change that was made. Maybe add a bunch if Seafoam or diesel treatment to the generator tank and see what happens (can’t hurt, at least)

Good luck

 

[denchen]

Sounds like lack of fuel. Has the injector pump got an electric cut off.

 

[seville009]

Also.....check your oil level just in case you have low oil shut off

 

[greenmojo]

Yes, I was worried that the fuel was bad. What I pumped out of the bottom didn稚 look great, but was runnable. No water, just heavy from years of summer blend settling to the bottom.

The new diesel was beautiful and delicious looking! I would run on it if I could.

I forgot about diesel treatments rather than pumping that all out! Thanks!

 

[greenmojo]

Yes, and it was open.

Interesting thing I forgot to mention, with the universal fuel transfer pump installed, I could hear the fuel being pulled out of the 5 gallon can and running through and right back into the tank. Not sure if that is right?!

 

[seville009]

Yes, and it was open.

Interesting thing I forgot to mention, with the universal fuel transfer pump installed, I could hear the fuel being pulled out of the 5 gallon can and running through and right back into the tank. Not sure if that is right?!

Keeping in mind that I’m not a mechanic, I would think that if fuel was flowing back into the tank that the pump was pulling it from that something was wrong with the pump - psi not strong enough (which might get corrected with your new pump) or a check valve (or whatever) is defective.

 

[thepumpguysc]

What injection system are we working with.?? The single cyl. pumps or a Stanadyne/RoosaMaster fuel inj. pump.??
IF its the roosa.. the problem sounds like a flex ring problem..??
If it is a roosa I can tell u how to start it..

 

[greenmojo]

This morning I ordered a new check valve on the return side (be here tomorrow AM), JD dealer said fuel shouldn稚 be running back into the tank at that rate.

I installed the new pump, pinched the return line to let it build pressure, and it almost started. Can稚 get it to do it again though.

Pulled the current check valve, seems okay to me though. I really hope the new check valve fixes it.

 

[greenmojo]

Single cylinder pumps I believe.