JD 4400 hard to start at times

[Hillbilly]

My JD 4400 takes a spell every now and then and is very hard to start,last spring my dealer put a new fuel pump on it because it would not start at all.Well despite even having a new fuel pump, on occasion it is very difficult to start. I will turn the key and it might fire for a second and then quit running and will do nothing when it turns over. I disconnect the fuel lines etc and it appears to be pumping well,I pump the primer lever and all kinds of fuel comes out,I can spray a little ether into the air filter and it will run as long as the ether is still there and then quit. I might have to try different things for about 10 minutes before it will start. It can act this way after sitting over night and sometimes it can sit for 2 weeks and take off on the very 1st try. One dealer told me to buy my fuel at the pump,and the other dealer says to use off road diesel.
I use a diesel fuel conditioner sold under the name Stanadyne in my fuel all of the time.
Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[cowboydoc]

Hillbilly,
We've had a couple tractors do that and it was usually due to an air leak somewhere in the system. They are a royal pain to find. I'd make JD do it before your warranty is out.

 

[Hillbilly]

Thank you Richard, I thought maybe it might be something obvious that someone would have a solution to.My dealer had my tractor this past fall to do a little follow up work and I talked to them about it and they checked everything out in the fuel pump and said they could not find anything wrong and if it happened again to call them and they would send someone down. So I had used the tractor for about 3 months and not a problem. I thought they may have inadvertantly fixed the problem /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gifWell you know how it goes when you brag on something,my cousin was at my house and I was telling him what a nice tractor etc. etc. my JD 4400 was and we were getting ready to go to the woods and guess what /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Saturday evening and .... no dealer to call to come and look at it........But we managed to get it started.
On another note I looked at your web page and really enjoyed reading about your horses and your farm,very impressive to say the least,I added it to my favorites list. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[kerr]

Just a thought Hillbilly.Check all the ground wires from engine to the frame.I dont know fer sure that there even is on tractors.But a loose or worn ground is a demon fer sure.On gas engines a ground is very very important,2or 3 is even better.
If she puffs a little white smoke, you may have some watered down fuel.
Only thing else I can think of is a pinhole in yer fuel line from the tank to the pump.Outside of replacing this line with a new one,get ya a hand full of grease and wipe the line down real good from end ta end.This will seal off a hole fer sure.
Dont be supprised if water is the problem.The fuel pump wont hardly pump water.Could be enough in the pump to have it loose its prime. Good luck.

 

[cowboydoc]

Thanks Hillbilly I'm glad you liked the site. I've got to get it updated. Just so many hours in the day and I have to keep up with TBN. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Hillbilly]

Richard I was searching the archives and I honestly did not see this note way back when....Thanks for the reply...
On another note: My hard starting JD 4400 issue has been resolved per the dealers expertise.The solenoid that is on the fuel pump had a bad o-ring and was allowing oil to leak into the solenoid part of the time and not allowing the solenoid to move properly,thus not sending the signal.I never even bought my tractor from this dealer,but they have done all of my warranty work the same as if I had bought 10 tractors from them.They always come through,my next tractor well...maybe they might sell me one to me this time./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Hillbilly]

Its fixed./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[kerr]

Good deal.

 

[Hillbilly]

THNX

 

[Hillbilly]

Well................I was ready to get started this working this morning with my JD 4400,it would not "fire a lick"/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gifso.............I go call my JD service department manager and I say to him guess what???????He's says you are kidding/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif.He says I happen to have a JD represenative here and graciously offers to bring the rep and come right down (30 miles one way)I graciously accepted,and I will put the coffee on and wait for my visitors./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif