Strange problem with diesel tractor

chuckinnc · May 11, 2017

Cranked up a tractor that had been setting for 1yr or more, key was lost so i jumped the starter, after starting it went wide open, nothing would control the engine. I tried moving the throttle lever, it moved the arm on the pump but no change in rpm's
then I tried pulling out the fuel shutoff knob, same thing no change, so I tried craming a big plastic bag in the air cleaner
input tube & pulling the fuel shutoff, nothing changed. I finally found the fuel cut off and managed to get it turned off, still
took a while to slow down and shutoff. Anyone got a clue how this happened, throttle and fuel cut off arms move on the injector pump.

markct · May 11, 2017

Well as much as I love a good mystery, we need to know a little more about the machine than just "a tractor". Detroit's were notorious for having the injector throttle racks stick and run away like that. Many other varieties of pumps can have simular issues.

chuckinnc · May 11, 2017

It's a Tafe (MF clone) I inherited when my brother died, we couldn't find the key so I jump it. I have cranked many setting diesel tractors but never had this to happen.

hd6gtom · May 11, 2017

sounds like something is stuck inside the injector pump. do you know the make of engine it has, most MF I have been around are Perkins diesels, are there any numbers on the injector pump you could share?

chuckinnc · May 11, 2017

Ok tractor is still at his house, I will try and get the numbers off the pump soon.

Steve@Advance · May 11, 2017

It's nothing you did wrong, it would have done the same starting it with the switch.

Something is gummed up in the injector pump from sitting.

Thank your guardian angel nothing bad happened! That's a scary situation!

rpllr · May 11, 2017

Rack or governor is stuck in the pump, have had some Bosch pumps do that in the past.

Dean · May 11, 2017

My Father was a field engineer for GM Truck and Coach for over 30 years before retiring in 1969. During WWII, he was on loan to the War Department in the South Pacific helping the Navy maintain the then new, high tech 2 cycle GMC engines that the Navy was buying by the tens of thousands but was inadequately trained to maintain.

Among other applications, sets of 4, 471 engines were geared together to power certain landing craft. Engines could be individually clutched/declutched to allow propulsion from whatever engines were operational.

Each engine had one or two oil bath air cleaners. Occasionally, sea water or simply condensation in the air cleaner oil cups would raise the oil level enough in the inadequately maintained air cleaners that the engine would pull oil from the oil cup into the blower inlet and run away.

I remember him telling me of a time when one such engine ran away after start-up. Of course, the engine was not clutched at start up so there was no load. The engine room crew fled the scene expecting the engine to explode. Dad went below and shut it off by choking off the air intake.

Dean

4520BW · May 11, 2017

Back in college I couple of know it alls set the rack on a V8 Detroit and it ran away. Made heck of a mess. Someone took the fire hose and killed it that way.

george md · May 11, 2017

You don't have run away engine , you have over speed engine and

run away operator.

1948CaseVAI · May 11, 2017

There are some interesting YouTube videos on runaway diesels.

Dieseltech · May 11, 2017

Last TAFE pump in for repair was a Bosch A size copy, needed a new rack and gear segments due to rust damage. Only takes one stuck plunger to keep the rack from moving as it should on any inline pump. If stuck in the rack fuel off position engine won't start, if stuck in the fuel on position be prepared for engine over speed. Blocking air intake is best way to shut it down..

Strange problem with diesel tractor

chuckinnc

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markct

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chuckinnc

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hd6gtom

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chuckinnc

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Steve@Advance

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rpllr

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Dean

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4520BW

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george md

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1948CaseVAI

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Dieseltech

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