John Deere 5500 Tractor

karensue52 · Feb 17, 2015

I posted last fall about my 5500 John Deere tractor and ended up putting a new fuel filter on it. It seemed to work for quite a while but then it started stalling on me. I have babied it all winter. It starts, warms up, and runs for a while. Then it chugs out. I let it rest and it starts back up and runs a while.......at least long enough to get a round bale to the girls!

I am wondering if I might have a bad fuel pump or dirty fuel injectors........any thoughts from anyone?

Also, am I hurting something by doing this? Should I not run it at all before getting a mechanic out here.........good luck with that and our foot of snow!

DT86 · Feb 17, 2015

I certainly would have someone look at it before I ran it like that.

Have you tried to loosen the fuel cap when it stalls?

JD5210 · Feb 17, 2015

I do not believe the 5x00 tractors have a fuel pump. I did not see one on JDparts - URL included. My guess what is happening is that being a 18+ year old tractor, that there is some junk in the fuel tank. As you run the tractor it gets sucked to the bottom of the tank and finally plugs up the tank. Letting the tractor seat for awhile allows it get unstuck and float back up.

At the back of the fuel tank there is vent tube. I would also make sure it is clean as the tank may not be venting correctly. You might try next time it happens, just take off and put back on the fuel cap, this would let air in if it is not venting correct, then see if will start.

Ideally would be to take the tank off and clean it, but I am guessing it is a cab tractor and that would not be fun job. You might consider trying to drain the tank slowly and see if it comes out. This will also not be fun to do, plus you will need to bleed the tractor.

On bleeding, it works best with a full tank of fuel and fill the fuel filter before putting it on.

John Deere - Parts Catalog

karensue52 · Feb 17, 2015

Son of a gun! I fooled with things all afternoon. One other feller told me to mess with different lines, etc. so I rolled under it and giggled lines (who knows?). Then I unscrewed the gas cap and put it back on without tightening it. The very long lane and parking area around the house is all plowed and the sun is melting it.

I don't know if you realize you are talking to a farm "girl" as the husband goes off to work and I do the farming. Thank you so much for replying. I hope that is all it was but I can't imagine it being that simple.

JD5210 · Feb 17, 2015

It sounds like it is not venting. Behind the SMV sign is the vent line I mentioned. Take the sign off and check the condition of that line and that it is not plugged. Also check part 23 is not plugged and condition of part 26. I have attached a picture.

You might want to buy you the tech. manual TM1520 paper or TM1520CD.

John Deere Ag - New Equipment: Technical Publications - Equipment List

You may want to call it the fuel cap and not the gXs cap. LOL

beenthere · Feb 17, 2015

so I rolled under it and giggled lines

Now apparently it is working? So you can quit giggling and get back to jiggling.

Happy farming.

We like pics...

Zebrafive · Feb 18, 2015

I agree with JD5210's posts. I had similar problems and not wanting to pull and clean the fuel tank, I disconnected a fuel line and used compressed air (low PSI, about 20) and "back blew the line" that cleared things up for now. Better weather I will have to pull and clean the tank. I had the fuel cap off when I did this.

karensue52 · Feb 18, 2015

Ha, ha....I didn't notice I put giggle and not jiggle. Thanks to all. I plowed forever but can hardly tell it now. Just happy to know it is running.

sixdogs · Feb 18, 2015

I had a 5520 with that problem and learned the rubber fuel lines were degrading and causing the problem. Changed the lines and end of problem. It's standard size line but runs under the seat and between everything so change on a nice day when you're in a good mood. Then change the filter.