Good running to bad in an instant

[Zorm]

Folks, got a 2003 BX2200. Bought the tractor used about 2 years ago. Has belly mower and LA211 front loader. I was working with it yesterday doing loader work, filling in and leveling two septic tanks. As I was smoothing out my last run for the day, I was backing up and all of a sudden, the engine started shaking violently and I had no power, then it died. I tried to restart but when it finally did, it’s was running like it was before it died. I thought maybe I ran out of diesel, so filled the tank. Tried to start again, took a few turns, then started and ran like crap again, I thought maybe it needed time but it eventually died. Moving the throttle does nothing.

Need some help here please. Bad injector?, injector pump?, crappy fuel? stopped up filter?

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

My initial guess is crappy fuel.
Would be my first and easy to check and clean.
Alge grows in the fuel between the layer of water / fuel and when alge colony gets large enough it falls out of suspension and can start clogging stuff down stream from the tank.
I would start with a clean from head to tail replacing / cleaning filters, etc.
I never owned exact model so not sure what you have for filters and separators but what you describe seems to fall under category that we call around here the green snot of death.

 

[farmerNick]

Fuel pump... I'm on my 3rd...only 400hrs. Ridiculous.

 

[Dustyx2]

Owner of a BX22 so the TLB version of your BX2200. First thing, when you turn the switch on do you hear the fuel pump clicking? If you don't, check the 15 amp fuse behind the battery cowl. If the fuel pump in clicking, I'd next check/ replace the fuel filters. There are two of them. one under the tractor pre fuel pump, and the other is next to the loader tower if I remember correctly. While you have the line off the fuel filter, make sure you have good flow and maybe drain some in a clear jar so you can check for water, algae or other contaminants. I have 1200 hours on mine and still on the original fuel pump.

 

[Hoserman]

If it turns out to be crappy fuel it probably is water in the fuel. Don't know if your machine has a water separator or not, but that would definitely help in the future

 

[Dustyx2]

If it turns out to be crappy fuel it probably is water in the fuel. Don't know if your machine has a water separator or not, but that would definitely help in the future

No separator unless someone added one. I have a bulk tank with a separator so no water issues in my
equipment.

 

[Hoserman]

That's cool. Our 980 Cats at work had inline water and fuel filters. I was amazed at the amount of condensate water that was in the separator.

 

[BX'r]

When my bx did this it was a blockage at the tank outlet.
The fuel is drained from the filter and can't refill quick enough causing fuel starvation.
I discovered this by pulling the fuel line at the filter to check the flow and discovered the blockage.
Blew compressed air back towards the tank and cleared it.
I suspect it was ice forming from water in the bottom of the tank.
Changed my fuel additive and haven't had a problem since.
Pull the filter and check the flow of fuel.

 

[John D 2]

Fuel pump... I'm on my 3rd...only 400hrs. Ridiculous.

My JD 1025R was clogging the inline fuel filter every 20 hrs. No matter where I bought fuel, every 20hrs I would have to change the filter. What a PIA.

After the 3rd time (62 hrs) I took it down to the Kubota dealer and traded it in on a B2601.

Two years later, not one problem.

No more green for me.

 

[Zorm]

Thanks for all the good info gents. Actually had a bad fuel pump, replaced it and since I was there, replaced the filter between the tank and pump. After that, the filter was not really filling up as quickly as I thought it should.

So traced the lines back to a plastic housing on the right inside frame rail with 4 lines on it. 1)A vent to the top of the right side rear wheel well, 2) the line from the bottom of the fuel tank, 3)the return line from the injector pump and 4)the line going to the pre-pump filter and fuel pump. I traced the line back to the fuel tank, removed it and hardly anything came out. Stuck a zip tie in and had a good rush come out, found a floaty. Drained the tank with a hand pump, well as much as I could. I went back to the fuel outlet and poked in it a few times, reconnected the fuel line, added fuel, pulled the fuel line for a sec and had a good flow come out. So reconnected that line again, saw the filter fill up.

Jumped up to the injectors, cracked all three and let the pump run without turning over, didn't really see anything, so I cranked it over and did have fuel eventually come up to #1 (front most) injector, nothing at 2 and 3. Closed #1, left 2 and 3 cracked. Cranked her over again, eventually, got fuel at #2, tightened it up. Cranked her up again, nothing at #3. Closed it and opened the vent bolt on the incoming line to the injector pump. Let the pump run and got fuel there, closed it and cracked open #3 injector again. Cranked it over again and eventually got fuel at #3. So closed all and tried to light her off again... nothing.

Talked with an old friend and he was saying to make sure there is fuel coming back through the return line to the tank, or in my case, that plastic housing with the 4 lines. Instead of crawling under the tractor again, I removed it from up by the injector #1 (towards the front of the tractor).

Now at first, I let the pump run and had a small drizzle of fuel come out of the injector side, once I cranked her over, did not really get anything come out. Reconnected that line and found a small rubber "T" line coming off of #3 injector. I tried to maybe pull one of the lines in that T off the injection pump but in doing so, made a small slice in the hose and it did not come off. I turned on the pump again and had bubbles coming out of that little slice. So I cranked her over again, this time she sputtered, ran, real rough at first shaking real bad, then just about settled out to normal running for a few seconds, then went back to running real rough. I turned her off, let it site a few min, cranked her back up again, and again, she ran real rough, like shaking real bad, the she smoothed out to normal running for a few min, and then right back to running real rough.

So, do I still have air someplace, like a bubble circulating? do I have a bad injection pump? could I have crap in the tank killing the flow intermittently? Thoughts please

 

[Russell King]

Sounds like you still have a fuel restriction. Runs OK at first (has plenty of fuel) then runs rough(lack of fuel). Let it sit and fuel (slowly) flows through the restriction and builds up a reserve. Then you start tractor and the cycle begins again.

You may have a biological growth in the fuel tank or you may have physical blockages of bugs or plant materials or man made materials in the tank or the fuel lines. Did you actually see what you termed “a floaty”? What did it look like?

I recommend that you search this site for “fuel blockage” to see if that sounds like your tractor and read how they were resolved. You could remove fuel lines to see if you get a consistent good flow or if it slows down significantly. The lift pump may not be working properly.

Good luck but I think you are needing a good fuel system cleaning!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I suggest you pull the tank off and properly clean it. Yes, I know PITA, BTDT but it's the ONLY way to CLEAN the tank. You've got a 20 year old machine,so tank could have LOT of 'floaties' and 'wall hangers'.....
When I did my BX3S, years ago, used garden hose with strong spray to get into every nook and cranny, did it 3 times, drained, blew with compressed air, etc. Final 'flush', I used winter WW fluid, then blew dry, then sat in sun for 3-4 hours. Yeah paranoid I suppose BUT have put 1000+ hrs on it and ZERO fuel issues.

 

[Zorm]

Thanks folks, looks like I'm pulling the tank this weekend. As far as additives, what are you guys using? thanks

 

[Grandad4]

You said you replaced the filter. This tractor has TWO fuel filters. One that is easy to find and another hiding above the rear axle. If you don't replace both of them, you'll have a fuel starvation problem sooner or later. Other issues can also develop but the double filters are regular maintenance items.

 

[Zorm]

Grandda4, I replaced the filter before the fuel pump under the running board, since I'm screwing with everything, may as well change the filter before the injector pump.

This past Saturday, I did remove the little bit of fuel from the tank. Vice taking everything off to remove the tank, I thought I could get most of everything with a small vacuum. Once I got the fuel out I stuck in the vacuum hose, hopefully directing it to the small sump area where the fuel line leaves. It sucked up a bunch more fuel but also some black stuff. I dumped that out, then went back and vacuumed out more of the black stuff out of that sump. I went back a third time and did not get a whole lot. So I dumped some fuel back in, and tried to start. She did light off, and ran real rough, shaking badly, never getting to that smooth normal run like the other day.
I cracked the injectors and had fluid or at least air and fluid. Tightened them back down and then she would not fire off at all. I tool the return line off the injectors and had nothing coming out, which I'm kind of confused, shouldn't I see some fuel coming out?

 

[Russell King]

You probably have a clogged tank outlet now. You can try blowing a low pressure air stream back towards the fuel tank through the fuel lines but remove the cap from the tank and cover it with a rag.

You may also just need to do the bleeding process to get air out of the fuel lines and injectors. That should be covered in the operation manual and be fairly easy (I think).