Sluggish B2710 Now Will Not Crank

tpr245 · Sep 18, 2006

I have a B-2710 w/ 182 hours which has become impossible to crank.

Two pasture mows ago it went dead acting as though it was starved for fuel. I cleaned the air filter and fuel filter at that time and it seemed to do ok that day.

Yesterday it cranked ok and got to the pasture where it died again. Try as I might, it wouldn't restart. Kept sounding like it was starved for fuel after running for 20 seconds or so. Some white smoke.

Today it made it back to the shop but died again with same problems.

I changed the fuel and air filters with no positive results. I added an additive to solve water issues in the fuel. That hasn't worked.

When the engine cranks it runs until the fuel in the filter well (which on mine is see through) drains to the bottom. Then it quits. Then the filter well fills back up.

Questions are:
1- isn't the line from the tank to the fuel well gravity flow? and if so, why does the fuel stop flowing when the engine is running and resume flowing when the engine dies?

2- is there a fuel pump on this model?

Many thanks to all for any help you all can provide on this subject!

Confused Carl

john_bud · Sep 18, 2006

Carl,

It sounds a lot like you are correct, fuel problem. Your post holds what may be the clues to find the solution. Namely, the fuel in the filter goes down, the tractor dies, then the fuel fills back up. You also have a good clean filter in there. (That is the first thing to do, good job!)

From those clues, the fuel is not being allowed to freely flow from the tank to the filter. Here's what I would do; Clamp the hose above the filter and take it off the filter housing. Drain the fuel out. Watch how it comes out. SHould be a pretty good stream, but I bet it is only a trickle. If it is trickling, get some new hose and swap it in quick. If you are real lucky, the clog is in the hose and it will now start to flow out well.

If you still have a trickle, you can poke around in the out fitting from the tank or pressurize it with compressed air. (fuel cap off!) I suspect that there is lots of trash in the tank and it will need to be taken out and cleaned. Maybe there is an access port you can open to clean it?

Good luck,
jb

wushaw · Sep 18, 2006

Sounds like you have a clogged fuel line from your tank or in the tank itself. Pull the fuel line drain remaining tank fuel into container then look into tank and make sure it is clean if not clean then blow out fuel line with compressed air (make sure fuel cap is off)

JimParker · Sep 18, 2006

I had a similar problem with my lawn tractor, and it turned out that an enterprising mud dauber had managed to clog the air vent hole in my fuel cap, creating a "low pressure" in the tank that kept the fuel from flowing. As soon as I removed the cap, fuel started gushing... Not sure if diesel tractors would have the same type system, but it's an easy check-out...

JayDavis · Sep 19, 2006

I'd venture a guess at an obstruction in the air vent also. Try to start and run it with the fuel cap off and see if the fuel flow improves. That is exactly what our riding lawnmower did when its vent plugged.

tpr245 · Sep 19, 2006

Thanks to all who have replied.

I have tried taking the cap off this morning and unfortuantely that didn't seem to help.

Next I'll try john_bud and wushaw's ideas of removing the fuel line and blowing out the sucker.

Again, many thanks. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Regards,
Confused Carl

AndyMA · Sep 22, 2006

Assuming you can get fuel to the injector pump, if you crack one of the injector lines, fuel should readily flow out as you crank the engine. Perhaps you lost prime and need to bled the injector pump and lines. Of course their is always the potential of a bad injector pump. I lost mine in my TN at under 300 hours.

Andy

clundog · Sep 23, 2006

Had an old Allis WD-45 once with a similar problem. Turned out to be a piece of a leaf had somehow made it into the fuel tank and would occasionally cover the fuel outlet. Also check the inlet on the fuel filter housing, my dad recently had that problem on a Ford 545. Just a couple thoughts!