MF 245 ran out of gas and won't start !

Denna

Member
After running out of fuel in the middle of a field, I discovered the fuel gauge was off by 1/4 tank.

After refilling the fuel tank and the tractor not starting, I guess the problem is air in the fuel lines.

I was told there are four fuel lines and that by loosening the nut on the first one, while starting the tractor, would clear the line.

Can someone tell me where the fuel line to loosen is ?
 
Diesel?? Yep if it is a diesel one should never run one out of fuel. If gas well that is different and the fix is also different.

So if diesel you need to open the bleeder valves on the filters etc. Would be best if you buy an I-T manual or other such manual so as to have pictures etc., to help you help your self.

I do not know that tractor as such so cannot help much more
 
I'll assume you have a diesel, if so the most important bleed screw on the injection pump is the lower one next to the pump name tag, it MUST be free of air with the screw loose and working the hand primer lever on the supply pump. When it's air free and fuel only tighten the screw, then loosen each injector line nut, 1/3 turn is enough. Then crank engine as if starting until you see fuel at each injector with NO air, may take several 30 second cranking cycles. When there's NO air there and fuel only tighten each line, and engine should start. The top injection pump cover bleed screw can then be loosened with the engine running to get the air out of the cover, so the governor parts are less likely to rust.
 

If it's a 152 perkins diesel (3 cyl)

I'd loose the line going to the injector pump then use the hand pump on the right side of the engine and pump the fuel until it comes out of the line to the injector pump (you may have to "bump" the engine on the starter so fuel pump handle will move), tighten that line, then loosen all three injector line at each injectors, then crank the engine until you see fuel, you can tighten each line separately. Engine may pickup and run, may take some cranking.

I have to do this everytime I change fuel filters on a MF 240, and it's a pain even though the tractor did not run out of fuel.
 
What 495man and Dieseltech said will work. After having the pump on the 255 rebuilt I used the hand pump to get fuel to the filter and the pump then let it roll downhill in 3H and above idle throttle, it fired off in less than 20 yards, saved a lot of cranking. Whatever works for you.
FWIW, I don't trust fuel gauges on diesels, I use a clean stick;-)
 
Dieseltech is spot on. However, I have always managed to get my 3.152 Perkins (if yours is a diesel engine?) to re-start by loosening only one of the injector lines (after of course getting all the air out of the filters and injector pump as Dieseltech describes), and turning the engine over on the starter until it fires - hope you have a good battery! If that fails you will have to slacken all three injector lines as he rightly says. Jim (MF 135)
 
Dieseltech,

Yes, it's diesel.

Before you posted, I did the following.

With the full cut off control in the Run position, I loosened the line on top of the fuel filter and used the hand pump until a few drips of fuel seeped out. Repeated the same process with the screw nearest the name tag on the injection pump.

Unfortunately, the battery wasn't up to extended starting cycles and needs to be replaced.

Should all of the injector lines be loosened and bled at the same time or one at a time ?

Which of the lines (shown in the attachment) above the name tag screw should be loosened ?

When you say 30 second cranking cycle, do you mean the ignition key should be turned for 30 seconds continuously ?
 
See attachments.


mvphoto8649.jpg


mvphoto8650.jpg

[/img]
 
Loosen the lines at the injectors on the head. The air trapped in the lines creates a cushion and will not allow the injector to pop. You have to get the air out of the injector lines.Bleed the filter, bleed the pump and bleed the lines to the injectors, Crank the engine until you see fuel at the line nuts on the injectors.
Tighten the nuts and it will start.
 
(quoted from post at 06:07:38 01/05/18) See attachments.


mvphoto8649.jpg


mvphoto8650.jpg

[/img]

Read my post above, loosen the line from the fuel filters where it comes to the injector pump. Once you have fuel tighten. Then loose ALL injector lines where they connect to each injector. These lines are a PITA and you need a crows foot or stubby wrench. I have stubby wrenches and you can only get a slight turn each setting. Once you see fuel coming out of the injector lines, you can start tightening them down. If you are lucky the engine may pick up on one cylinder and you can tighten the other lines down as it runs.
 
An excellent photo you posted. "ONE" is the cover bleed screw, "TWO" is the pump bleed, the rest are not used. It is sometimes not enough to just get fuel from the bleed screw but it has to NOT have bubbles/air in it. Yes it gets messy.
Hope this helps.
a252933.jpg
 
What's been done so far.

1) Replaced the battery with the one below.

https://www.autozone.com/batteries-starting-and-charging/battery/duralast-platinum-battery/547127_929696_0

2) Loosened the center nut on top of the filter, used the hand pump until the line on top of the filter started to leak and retightened nut. It took about 15 pumps before fuel started to leak.

3) Loosened the lower bleed screw on the injection pump and turned the ignition key until fuel was streaming out and retightened nut.

4) In the image below, the lines were opened and closed (one at a time) while turning the ignition key. The green circles represent free flowing fuel, the yellow circle represents the small nut barely seeping out and the red circle had no fuel coming out at all.

mvphoto8785.jpg


5) After several cranks, the battery was exhausted and had to be put on a trickle charger.

Questions:

a) Am I bleeding the correct lines as shown in the photo ?

b) Should all (4) of the fuel lines be open at the same time ?

Note:

At one point, it sounded like the engine was almost going to turn over.
 
(quoted from post at 22:28:34 01/05/18) An excellent photo you posted. "ONE" is the cover bleed screw, "TWO" is the pump bleed, the rest are not used. It is sometimes not enough to just get fuel from the bleed screw but it has to NOT have bubbles/air in it. Yes it gets messy.
Hope this helps.
a252933.jpg

These are the correct ones to open while using the pump lever on the lift pump. The injector line nut you need to loosen are at the injector itself, not the pump. Do not loosen any of the other lines you had marked, especially the inlet line. If you loosen that line and crank the motor over you may suck air back in.

Question, because I'm not familiar with this engine, does it have glow plugs? I have a TO35 Ferguson with a 23C and when I've had to work on the injector pump, or when I rebuilt the motor I've found it easier to remove the glow plugs go through the lift pump bleeding to the inlet and the pump housing and then spin over the motor over with the starter until I would see a slight diesel mist come put the glow plug hole. Install the glow plugs, and because it's a 23C, add some glow plug heat and most often it will start and run a little ragged until all the air is purged out.
 
There have been 3 people explained the proper procedure for bleeding the system,apparently
you are not reading or do not understand. Read my previous post. Leave the lines on the
pump alone. Loosen the lines at the injectors on the head and crank the engine until the
fuel comes out there. Tighten the nuts and it will start.
 
old, Dieseltech, 495man, MF#1, jamstra and DrLoch,

Thanks for the help.

The problem ended up being the diesel was too cold and wasn't flowing well enough during the bleeding process.

Ended up having to pull start the tractor by towing it for 30+ yards.

Naturally, the weather warmed up afterwards.
 

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