L3650: no fuel from tank to filter

[Airdriver]

The valve above the clear fuel filter bowl has 3 positions, two on and one off. Fuel flows from none of them. Overnight, enough fuel will seep into the bowl to refill it. You can watch the fuel level in the bowl go down while the tractor runs a few seconds and then stops.

Fuel gage read about 1/2 when this first happened. I added 2 more gallons (7.7gal tank) to be sure. Fuel is visible looking in the filler neck.

Are there any tricks about this tank? I removed the large rubber fuel line on top of the filter bowl housing and blew air through it back through the tank. Air exited the fuel filler neck, as you would think. But if there was an obstruction, it was not dislodged, even temporarily, for there was still no fuel flow from the fuel line.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[_RaT_]

If the L3650 is anything like the L4850, the outlet from the tank to the fuel filter is quite small and being at the lowest point in the tank, it is easily blocked by the small amount of crud that eventually finds its way in there. Blowing air backwards is a quick fix but quite temporary. I think you will need to remove the tank or drain it and look inside and suck out what is obscuring the outlet.

 

[rbargeron]

Hi Mark -you are right that it is a temporary fix, but blowing a good blast of compressed air back through the fuel line does a good job at restoring flow - and can last a year or more until the cruft builds up again.

Airdriver, when you blew air back through the line, did you hear it bubbling up through the fuel in the tank? If not, that might have been the vent line that connects above the fuel in the tank. Take care, Dick B

 

[_RaT_]

Always glad to see you here Dick. You must have a alert system on your computer when posts about these tractors appear. I got a call the other day from a guy with a L4850 asking me why suddenly it would not start. Nothing, no starter motor at all and it happened so suddenly. I told him to verify that the PTO lever was up. Sure enough, it was engaged (down).

 

[CTyler]

Would it be possible to put a hose in the tank and get it to the pickup? Then siphon out the crud using a 3/8 or 1/2 hose? I'm not familair with the tractor, just thinking out loud.

 

[catmadni]

I had the same problem with my 3010. I removed the hose from the intake side of the filter housing and blew compressed air back to the tank.

This is definately temporary, but you will should get imediate flow through the supply hose. At least you will know what you're up against.

It is tough to pull the tank, so I blew air, used it until it clogged again, then repeated it. After 3-4 times I had turned over enough fuel that it worked out the sediment.

 

[rbargeron]

Would it be possible to put a hose in the tank and get it to the pickup? Then siphon out the crud using a 3/8 or 1/2 hose? I'm not familair with the tractor, just thinking out loud.

I'm not sure the L3650 is the same tank design as mine, but if it is there is a small round bowl welded to the bottom of the tank - the fuel outlet pipe runs out the bottom of the bowl. The bowl insures there is a volume of fuel available even if the main tank is nearly empty and the tractor is running on a slope. It's a good feature, but it is hard to clean it out - there's a flat plate welded over it inside the tank, leaving just 4 slits for the fuel to enter. There is very little room for a hose or even a line of sight into it. The only real way to clean it out is to take the tank off and turn it over, sloshing some fuel around and getting the junk up into one of the corners of the main tank - where it can be sucked out with a pump. The tank's filler neck doesn't fully cooperate either - it extends into the tank a bit so won't allow complete draining, even with the tank upside down. Takes some futzing to get it clean.