BX25 Bogging down and occasionally dies [video included]

[Underwhere]

I'm looking for some advice on a problem that just started happening.

I bought a used 2011 BX25 and have been using it for over a year with no problems. It currently has 360 hours on it.

About a week ago I was driving up a hill and I noticed the RPM's started to drop.
From 2100 to 1800 to 1700.

When I went back to level ground it went right back up to 2100. Strange.
I looked at my fuel gauge and it was just under 1/4 tank so I figured I fuel starved while on the incline.

Yesterday I was out and the tractor actually bogged down and died. It did start back up but it was messy getting it back to the garage. Sort of similar situation. 1/4 tank of fuel and I had been doing hills but at the time was on pretty level ground.

Today I cleaned out the air filter (normal) and I replaced both fuel filters.
I also took an air compressor and blew out the fuel cap.

It barely started and then died several times.

Then I poured about 1 quart of fuel in it and it started right up again, ran for about 1.5 hours and then bogged down again.

Any advice?

I am wondering whether my fuel gauge is incorrect...or perhaps there is some debris of some sort preventing fuel from coming out of the tank. Not sure how to fix that though.


Here is a video of it bogging down earlier today.

http://youtu.be/vNptbGsLn_Y

 

[skeets]

I do hope you misspoke and meant DIESEL FUEL and not gas How full are you filling the tank? Something else you might look into is something in the tank that is floating around and blocks the fuel out let. yes it happens,, a lot,, June bugs, leaves, flower pedals, hunks of bark saw dust all to big to get through the outlet but big enough to block it ,you get the idea. You have gotten new filters and it sounds like its starving for fuel maybe back track to the tank,, just a thought

 

[Underwhere]

I do hope you misspoke and meant DIESEL FUEL and not gas How full are you filling the tank? Something else you might look into is something in the tank that is floating around and blocks the fuel out let. yes it happens,, a lot,, June bugs, leaves, flower pedals, hunks of bark saw dust all to big to get through the outlet but big enough to block it ,you get the idea. You have gotten new filters and it sounds like its starving for fuel maybe back track to the tank,, just a thought

Yes sorry. Diesel not gas. I edited my original post.

Anytime this has happened it has been less than 1/4 tank. I'm a bit hesitant to fill the tank because if I do need to service it somehow there will be 6 gallons in there for me to deal with rather than 1.

So objects floating around: Is there a way to get them out? A way to prevent them from getting in? I've never driven with the gas cap off before.

 

[cerlawson]

Congratulations with your BX. You got a lot more than 100 hours on it before this trouble. Welcome to the club of BX fuel troubles. If you look at elevations of tank, etc, you will see that the injector pump is about at the 1/3 height of the tank, so above that point you could run even with a bad fuel pump, by gravity. A number of things probably should be looked at. Have you changed the fuel filters recently? They are mighty fine and it doesn't take much to cut their flow capabilities. At one time with my BX I found the tank cap was plugged and caused the trouble, creating a partial vacuum. I leave it loose now..

A good addition is a fuel shut off valve just below the tank. Saves all that grief when changing filters.

My more successful experience was to change all filters and then finally the pump to keep it going somewhat longer between slow downs and dieing.. It still has troubles due to fuel filters restricting flow. I keep several filters on hand.

Yes, the fuel gauge is pretty crude and is not very accurate, provably due to the configuration of the tank.

Otherwise it is a fun machine.

 

[Underwhere]

Congratulations with your BX. You got a lot more than 100 hours on it before this trouble. Welcome to the club of BX fuel troubles. If you look at elevations of tank, etc, you will see that the injector pump is about at the 1/3 height of the tank, so above that point you could run even with a bad fuel pump, by gravity. A number of things probably should be looked at. Have you changed the fuel filters recently? They are mighty fine and it doesn't take much to cut their flow capabilities. At one time with my BX I found the tank cap was plugged and caused the trouble, creating a partial vacuum. I leave it loose now..

A good addition is a fuel shut off valve just below the tank. Saves all that grief when changing filters.

My more successful experience was to change all filters and then finally the pump to keep it going somewhat longer between slow downs and dieing.. It still has troubles due to fuel filters restricting flow. I keep several filters on hand.

Yes, the fuel gauge is pretty crude and is not very accurate, provably due to the configuration of the tank.

Otherwise it is a fun machine.

Is it really that bad?

I changed filters and cleaned the cap on mine. Still an issue.
I actually read somewhere else that someone cut the top of their fuel tank open to create a door of sorts and what they found was rust from the fuel sensor sender had flaked off and was blocking the pickup for the fuel. It could be some debris or some sort in mine. I could just fill the thing up all the way and see what happens.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I could just fill the thing up all the way and see what happens.

OR... better yet disconnect the feed line to the injection pump and run the pump to make sure it's flowing and to pump out anything in the tank, don't lower the line, raise it up above the tank to make sure the fuel pump is actually running. If it pumps the entice tank dry then the problem is somewhere else like maybe a failing stop solenoid!

 

[cerlawson]

I'd not trust the fuel gauge when level is way down, since the tank has such a weird shape.

I made a fuel filter tester and it really shows the difference between a new one and an older one with some clogging.

Even with a funnel (it has a fine filter screen good enuff to remove water), I still have trouble more often that I want to put up with. Interesting that other tractors I have do not have any trouble like this BX with same fuel.

 

[Underwhere]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I filled it up almost completely today and it ran fine.

So I am thinking debris or what someone else suggested was the fuel pump...since gravity may provide enough pressure to run the machine.

 

[Tooljunkie]

The kubota powered grasshoppers at work have never had fuel issues.
Reason- cheap inline filters before the factory filter.

I would consider removing tank and flushing it.
Does seem like a fuel delivery issue.

 

[85Hokie]

The kubota powered grasshoppers at work have never had fuel issues.
Reason- cheap inline filters before the factory filter.

I would consider removing tank and flushing it.
Does seem like a fuel delivery issue.

I agree 100% - fuel

 

[Underwhere]

Anyone have a good idea of how much effort it will be to remove the tank?
I've never taken this thing apart before.

Today I was using it for about an hour before it bogged down again.
I think definitely fuel delivery.

 

[Daren Todd]

Anyone have a good idea of how much effort it will be to remove the tank?
I've never taken this thing apart before.

Today I was using it for about an hour before it bogged down again.
I think definitely fuel delivery.

Not sure, but can you shine a flash light down and see where the hole is for the fuel line?
If you can see it, you might be able to see if there is anything blocking it. I've taped rags to a long pry bar, and have been able to wipe most of the crud out of fuel tanks before, when they have been a pita to remove

 

[Underwhere]

Not sure, but can you shine a flash light down and see where the hole is for the fuel line?
If you can see it, you might be able to see if there is anything blocking it. I've taped rags to a long pry bar, and have been able to wipe most of the crud out of fuel tanks before, when they have been a pita to remove

My tank is completely full at this point. I'll have to siphon it out first. I gotta figure out which side of the tank the feed line is on.

This is going to be a pain in the butt.

What I might do tomorrow is just take my compressor and stick a nozzle on the fuel line. Blow it backwards...then look to see if anything is swimming in the fuel. Not really a fix but it may give me an idea of what may be clogging it.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

So if you disconnect the line before the fuel pump but after the first filter fuel won't flow?

If that's the case then yes blow a little air in the line, with the fuel cap off and see if you can get it to flow, if so, drain all the fuel, and pull the tank and clean the inside completely!

 

[Underwhere]

So if you disconnect the line before the fuel pump but after the first filter fuel won't flow?

If that's the case then yes blow a little air in the line, with the fuel cap off and see if you can get it to flow, if so, drain all the fuel, and pull the tank and clean the inside completely!

When I replaced the filters, fuel did flow...but the problem is intermittent so it's hard to know when the tractor is going to bog or not.

Would you happen to know roughly how to pull out the tank? I may try it in the morning or perhaps cut it open so I can put in some sort of access panel.

 

[Underwhere]

I've decided on a strategy for tomorrow. Opinions welcome:

1. Buy another diesel fuel can
2. Buy some sort of mesh that I can use as a filter
3. Buy a siphon kit
4. Siphon everything out of the tank into my fuel can
5. Take an air compressor and blow out the fuel line (into the fuel tank)
6. Take a pic of the inside of the fuel tank with my cell phone (hopefully this works)
7. Use my wet-dry vac with a hose taped to it in order to attempt to clean up the fuel tank. If I can somehow get my hand in there I will try that as well.

I will post my experiences tomorrow in an effort to help others out if they run into this same issues.

 

[Wildfire]

I've decided on a strategy for tomorrow. Opinions welcome:

1. Buy another diesel fuel can
2. Buy some sort of mesh that I can use as a filter
3. Buy a siphon kit
4. Siphon everything out of the tank into my fuel can
5. Take an air compressor and blow out the fuel line (into the fuel tank)
6. Take a pic of the inside of the fuel tank with my cell phone (hopefully this works)
7. Use my wet-dry vac with a hose taped to it in order to attempt to clean up the fuel tank. If I can somehow get my hand in there I will try that as well.

I will post my experiences tomorrow in an effort to help others out if they run into this same issues.

Sure sounds like a fuel issue to me. I wanted to show you what I use to remove fluids in our shop. We have three of them but for your situation they are perfect. They are a vacuum pump that sucks the fluids out. We have one for coolant, one for fuels and the other for oils. Very handy.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...evacuator/_/N-26l7?itemIdentifier=594882_0_0_

That being said the fuel filtration system on the BX series are a little on the week side in my opinion. At 70 hours on our BX25D the lower fuel filter was just about plugged. I'm thinking it was caused by algie so I did a fuel filter conversion to our little beast. Never had an issue after. Hope you get yours sorted out but I think your on the right track cleaning the tank.

Here's what came out of my fuel filter at 70 hours on the clock

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Really BAD IDEA #1

I may try it in the morning or perhaps cut it open so I can put in some sort of access panel.

Really Really BAD IDEA #2

Use my wet-dry vac with a hose taped to it in order to attempt to clean up the fuel tank. If I can somehow get my hand in there I will try that as well.

Take a close look at the tank picture (below), I think everything you have said in the last 2 posts is going to be a fruitless endeavor!
There is no logical way of "cutting open the tank" you'll just have a dead tractor with a big hole in it!
For the life of me can not figure out how you think your getting your hand in the fuel opening to feel around???? That's one tiny opening!

Unless you have a snake cam your not going to see anything in the tank with a cell phone pic, way to many bends, it no where near a square or round tank, besides what is that going to do? "hey I see I have something in the tank".

DO NOT use a shop vac to remove fuel or any junk in the tank, I really don't want to read in the news how someone blew themselves sky high working on there tractor!
While diesel is not as flammable as gasoline it still is FUEL and it will burn, combust, or explode under the right circumstances, and shop vac's have a electric motor that throws enough sparks off the rotor to ignite it!

You only have 2 logical options for repair:

#1 Best initial option, I'm betting that you have an algae problem, get a bottle of fuel tank algaecide and let that do some work, most take less than 24 hours to clear up the mess, then treat your fuel in the future to prevent it from happening again.

#2 Option, Start with removing the seat and work down to the fenders, remove the ROPS and you should be able to get to the tank, if not keep removing parts till you get to it, and when I say remove I mean unbolt parts and leave them in good shape to replace!
Remove the tank and pull the sending unit out of it and either just replace the tank, P/N K2581-54700 $168.51, or spend some time cleaning it out completely.

 

[D2Cat]

Most fuel tanks do not draw fuel directly off the bottom of the tank, but have the draw tube sticking up an inch or so. This is designed to keep "trash" from getting into the fuel line. So you're not going to find a rag or something large covering the hole.

Wolfman is probably saving you a lot of grief by suggesting an additive to get algae out rather then removing everything. At least try it first!

 

[skeets]

Good Lord almighty , was the guy that designed that on an acid trip and smoking crack at the same time??