Diesel tractor problem

WOW!!!! A real tractor post. LOL!!!!

Ford 801 Diesel
Seldom use the tractor.
Might brush cut my field a couple times a year.
Move some dirt or grade my driveway couple times a year.
My adult ADD allows me to put needed projects on the back burner.
So this has been a building ongoing problem.


Tractor starts and runs for a while then quits.
Seems to be running out of fuel so I replaced the fuel filter.
Did no good and conditions got worse.
Took fuel strainer out the bottom of tank and removed screen.
Also cleaned out tank.
Tractor works fine for a while.

Now the problem is back.
I can see the bottom of tank threw several inches of fuel so I do not think it is a algea problem.
Took the fuel line loose on inlet of filter.
Just a drip of fuel.
Blow back into fuel line and can feel a blockage.
Clear blockage and fuel runs slowly.
Took over a hour to drain 5 gallons of fuel.
Fuel looks clear. Can see the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket with 2.5 gallons of fuel in it.
Do not see any trash in the bottom of tank that would cause a blockage.
But there is definetly a blockage somewhere.

To heck with this.
Ordered a bottle of biocide; a new fuel shut off valve; and a new piece of brake line I will bend into a fuel line.
Contiplating taking all the tin off to get the tank off but I just do not see any trash.

Is there something I can use to flush this tank other than the garden hose while the shut off valve is off for just in case???
I would stick the garden hose in it if I thought I could get all the water back out.

Your problem is likely to be the fact you removed the fuel strainer from the bottom of the tank. A friend has a 4600 Ford that had it missing and it would do as your is doing. I replace it and the problem went away.

I had one on a combine once that has a kernel of corn down in the neck of the sediment bowl. Some fuel got by it,but now enough. I had to take that one all apart and poke it out with a piece of wire.

Sounds like a single obstruction, as mentioned a kernel of corn or a bit of plastic or something that gets pulled to the tank hole; or is in the fuel line somewhere hung up.

When you figure it out, get a screen back in the fuel tank. This happens often without it......

Paul

The problem started before I removed the strainer screen and got better once the screen was removed.
Now the problem is back even with the screen removed.

I understand that. What is going on is you have some junk in the tank and when it still had the old screen in place it would clog that screen but now with out the screen it clogs the outlet and causes the same problem. My friends 4600 did the same thing due to junk in the tank. I installed a new fuel outlet with the screen and the problem went away because the screen now keep the outlet from plugging. It also helped that to replace the outlet I had to drain a bunch of fuel out so some of the junk got drained out

I'm thinking the fuel line is rusting on the inside or the shut off valve has a restriction like the o ring is coming apart causing a obstruction. Removing the screen allowed the fuel to flow better fixing the problem for a short while.

The new fuel shut off will include a new strainer screen.
I hate throwing parts at something that I do not know the problem but I am stumped.
It needs a new shut off anyway so I can get the screen back in there.

You mention blowing back through, by mouth?

On my combine, where the plumbing is virtually inaccessible, I blew back through the line to the tank with compressed air. It's worked for years since. If you do that, you want to make sure you remove the fill cap!

Has the injection-pump ever been repaired? If it has a plastic weight-retainer ring, and it breaks (they all do over time), it will start acting like it is running out of fuel. Then after shutting it off, it will start right up, run a bit, and then die out again.

Stanadyne called that plastic ring "optional", but all the pumps I have worked on off of Fords, Oliver, Deere, have had them. Even had them in Ford and GM pickup trucks until 1985.

Get the flow problem corrected, then if it still acts up try running with the pump two screw timing cover loose. If it runs OK then with the fuel leak, but dies again with the cover tight problem is the injection pump as JDEM said. Just repaired a JD 4320 pump for the same trouble.

It has been a few years but the pump was totally gone threw by a local pump shop in the past 10 years.
I want to say it was 2011 or 12.

5 gallons a hour should keep it running but once you consider it circulates unused fuel back to the tank I am thinking the filter is running dry.

Return line may be partially stopped up,if its a Stanadyne pump the fiber ring could be coming apart.

Thanks.
If I still have a problem after replacing the shut off and line I will try the timing cover loose trick.

I bet your fuel cap vent is plugged