M8560 Engine dies frequently

[Beardman4]

Guys I need some help.
My tractor is a 2015 model with 204 hrs on it
I bought it when it had 130 hrs.
Two days ago while driving on the way home after working in the hay field all day the engine died while going down the road.
It took about 15-20 cranks and it fired back up and I made it home
The next day I put a new fuel filter on it and it ran for an hour and then died twice before I could get it out of the hay field and back to the barn
I then drained the water separator of which no water was in it and Unscrewed the internal parts and cleaned the screen and there was just a tiny little bit of brown scum inside but went ahead and cleaned it and it ran for another hour then it died 6 times about every 3 minutes and took several cranks for it to fire back up and run.
It doesnt hesitate or cough or anything. It just shuts off and no codes pop up on the screen.
Today I drained any water that may be in the tank and there was none at all.
I am at a loss for words...
What else could this be?
I hate to keep throwing $100 bills at it and replace the check valve or the electronic fuel pump above the water separator because it could also be electric.

 

[diesel85]

It almost sounds like air is getting in with the fuel. I would check your hoses for proper fitment and/or cracks, or damage.

 

[Beardman4]

Being a novice how can u determine which lines are sucking air?
I assume you are talking about all the rubber fuel lines and not the metal lines going into the injector pump?
What’s frustrating is this tractor has very low hrs, and I’ve used it for 70 hrs without changing anything fuel related such as filters water separator etc.
All the hoses look new and just curious if this could be an electronic issue as well?
Thanks for the input so far..

Update..tractor has set for 24 hrs..I opened the drain plug on the bottom of the tank and no water came out just fuel in the bucket.
Added power service diesel conditioner and it ran for 4 mins then died on its own. Loss for words..

 

[davedj1]

Hate to say it but instead of throwing hundred dollar bills at it you may want to take it to a dealer. Odds are they have encountered something similar and it may be an easy fix. At least talk to them. Sorry I can't help you.

 

[KWentling]

After it dies, loosen the fuel fill cap and see if there is vacuum there. Might be a plugged vent.

 

[KB7722]

I had an issue on a M7040. I spend days and even tried a new fuel pump after draining the fuel, replacing filter, taking of the fuel and checking for vaccuum, etc. Tractor would run fine for a while then after being under load would start to sputter then die. Let it sit a while and it would crank and run for a while then eventually die. Check the 90deg fitting and shutoff valve on the fuel water separator. Take the separator off and take the shutoff valve apart. There is plastic cylinder that is the internal part of the valve. This was packed with trash and eventually starved the engine of fuel when under load. At idle it would run for a while, but high fuel demand for several minutes and it would start to starve.

I had heard of this issue but bc the tractor would run fine for a little while, I thought it couldn't be a blocked line. I went as far as talking a 5 gallon can an stapling to the hood and feeding the injector pump directly to rule out an injector pump issue. I kept working my way back in the system adding components until the separator was identified. Wish I would have just checked this first.

 

[KB7722]

You may just call the dealer. If they are a good dealer they will tell you if they have seen the issue.

 

[Beardman4]

All great information guys keep it coming!! It’s enough to drive a person insane. Especially when you want to trust your equipment and cannot.
I did call the dealer and they have not had anything like this happen according to them. All they said was bring it in and they can hook it up to a computer and test fuel pressures etc with it being a common rail system. They stated it could be an electronic issue but again no way to tell unless it shows on a computer for them which doesn’t sit well with me especially Because it will be hard to duplicate at a dealer other than engine dying, and it’s nkt under warranty anymore.. ugh..

I will try my hand at taking the water separator off again and looking at the fitting where u can shut the fuel off. Makes sense and it’ll just be one less thing to rule out. May be easier said then done because the location isn’t exactly the best with a loader and bracket being in the way.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Guys I need some help.
My tractor is a 2015 model with 204 hrs on it
I bought it when it had 130 hrs.
Two days ago while driving on the way home after working in the hay field all day the engine died while going down the road.
It took about 15-20 cranks and it fired back up and I made it home
The next day I put a new fuel filter on it and it ran for an hour and then died twice before I could get it out of the hay field and back to the barn
I then drained the water separator of which no water was in it and Unscrewed the internal parts and cleaned the screen and there was just a tiny little bit of brown scum inside but went ahead and cleaned it and it ran for another hour then it died 6 times about every 3 minutes and took several cranks for it to fire back up and run.
It doesnt hesitate or cough or anything. It just shuts off and no codes pop up on the screen.
Today I drained any water that may be in the tank and there was none at all.
I am at a loss for words...
What else could this be?
I hate to keep throwing $100 bills at it and replace the check valve or the electronic fuel pump above the water separator because it could also be electric.

Your problem appears to be inadequate fuel delivery. An indication is that you found some crud in your water separator. Since the problem is intermittent, you might have a "floater" of some sort in the fuel tank or there is a blockage that kills the engine when you get an uptick in load. Start at the tank and make sure you have full fuel flow after every component between the tank and the fuel pump. If you have a lift pump, some of them have a screen that can trap crud. Or the lift pump itself is not performing. They usually supply 2-5 psig at the injector pump. If you put a "T" in that line and put a pressure gauge on it you can check that.

 

[Tx Jim]

Is fuel tank venting? Does water separater bowl have air in it when engine stops running? I once owned a M4900 that acted similar to your tractor & I was told that there was a screen in shut off valve in water seperater housing that could be clogged. I located the screen & it was clogged. I cleaned it & problem was solved.