400 Diesel

tomturkey · Aug 12, 2011

My 400 has taken to acting like it is running out of fuel and dieing. If you try to restart right away you get zero smoke, if I give it a little shot of starting fluid(I know that is bad, no need to tell me!!!)it will restart. but will do it again in 10 or 15 min. I suspect something in the tank is blocking the fuel line, I've drained at every moisture/water drain-no help. What are the other possibilities. Thanks for your assistance...gobble

Anonymous-0 · Aug 12, 2011

change all 3 fuel filters. 1 is plugged

Roger S · Aug 12, 2011

Tom: There is a small line by the second stage fuel filter that connects to a pressure gauge on the dash,if the gauge doesn"t work unhook it and screw a oil pressure gauge in and you can watch the transfer pump pressure. On the outlet side of the second stage filter is a pressure releaf valve that can stick open, it opens at 20 or 25psi if there is a restriction beyond that point, and dumps fuel back into the tank. The third stage filter (By the fan blades) is the most common one to plug. I have a 400 that had the factory fuel gauge in the tank. It had a screen around the outside that came appart in pieces and would cover the fuel line opening and stop the tractor. I pulled it home and it started and ran fine, till they moved and covered the opening again. Good luck: Roger

tomturkey · Aug 12, 2011

Roger,Jon, Thank you for your help and expertise.I did not think to look at the pressure gauge.(I've been feeding bananna bales thru the baler by hand) I haven't run a full tank of fuel thru the filters since last replacement. I'll start with the gauge check, then fuel tank inspection, then fuel filter replacement. thanks guys

Roger S · Aug 12, 2011

If the injection pump ran out of fuel, it can be hard to get restarted. I've had to loosen fuel injector lines, or pull start it to get it restarted. Probably depends how good the inj pump is.

John Saeli · Aug 13, 2011

I agree!! Would be a shame to crack a head because of a plugged filter.

Doc Larry · Aug 13, 2011

You have all the symptoms of a blocked primary ("first stage") filter. This is the filter on the SUCTION side of the transfer pump, which is the first filter the fuel encounters after leaving the tank. If this is blocked, you should show high vacuum on the gauge below the steering column IF the gauge works. Regardless, I strongly recommend you pull that filter, wash it, then soak it in a mix of denatured alcohol and acetone, blow it out with compressed air, the fill it up and bleed, etc. I think this will solve your problem.
When mine did this, I could pour diesel into the screen filter, and it would hold (not go through) due to VARNISH.
If that doesn't work, take a look inside the tank with a flashlight and see if anything is drifting around and blocking the inlet line.
Note the book does not recommend replacing the final filter on a regular basis.....because of the risk of getting dirt into the system.
PS - Ether has it's uses from time to time, but never on a hot engine....In my opinion, anyway.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 13, 2011

I would still change all 3 filters. If the tractor hasn't been run for a while, or if this is trhe first tank of fuel with soy oil in it, the new fuel will clean all the old gunk that has built up over the last 60 years out and plug the filters on the first tank. The soy oil cuts all the old gunk right out and shines everything. It also goes bad faster so if the tractor sat for the winter it would give you trouble. If you don't use the fuel up every few months you should always use a fuel treatment like Howes or Motor Kote to keep fuel fresh.

caseman-d · Aug 13, 2011

Take the fuel line off at the fuel tank shut off. See if you have a good flow of fuel out of the tank by turning the fuel back on. If it's drains slow tap the valve till the obstruction is removed. Don't blow it back into the tank. If the tank is dirty drain the water drain often as the dirt will also settle in to the water trap.
caseman-d

Redcru · Aug 14, 2011

Did you close the bleeder screw on the first filter completely? Tractor will start and run, but it won't have much power, any change in load could make it die. Dale

Don L. · Aug 16, 2011

I have been told just last Sat at the Case show, by a good Case man, that todays fuel won't go thru the brass first stage filter. I have a tractor that has the same action as yours . I changed all my filters,and my next thought was the charge pump was weak. But I may take out the brass filter to see if that does it. Mine has to be under load to quit. I best put a good vac gauge on it too.
Don L.

Doc Larry · Aug 18, 2011

Don - Mine has run fine even in winter (around zero depending on how anxious I am to plow) with the original brass filter in place. I really do recommend the alcohol - acetone treatment on the filter, because my brass filter was clogged with varnish, not particles.....

Pat T · Aug 18, 2011

Don L-

I believe that, I've been chasing 1st stage filter plugs for the past two years. Every time I thought I had the system clean it would run an hour or so and then the vacuum gauge would start picking up, another hour and I'd be dropping the filter in the field to clean the gooey varnish off to keep baling hay. This spring I got fed up and put a whole quart of diesel treatment in the tank (supposed to be enough for 250 gals) and ran it. Vacuum & pressure gauges returned to normal. I am convinced that whatever crap diesel is made of now won't run in a 50+ year old engine.

400 Diesel

tomturkey

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Anonymous-0

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Roger S

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tomturkey

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Roger S

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John Saeli

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Doc Larry

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Anonymous-0

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caseman-d

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Redcru

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Don L.

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Doc Larry

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Pat T

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