A different type of flail mower

[flyidaho]

I tested the fuel system, and tank outlet in effect, by disconnecting the line going to the new fuel strainer and turning on the key. After almost filling a 2 gallon jug full of fuel (many times the flow rate required for the engine), with NO fall off of the flow rate, I have to conclude the tank, pump, and delivery lines are OK. I went to mow, and to my surprise, did so for about 10 minutes, then it did "it", stopped again.

When it does it, it's like turning the key off, making me, for lack of any other obvious things, to suspect the fuel cut off solenoid? I need to identify it, see how it works with the electrical system, and by pass the power going into it, in a way that would tell me there not some intermittent short causing it to be the source of the problem. Don't think that's it really, I'm just running out of anything else, except for some major thing with the injection pump system itself.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I tested the fuel system, and tank outlet in effect, by disconnecting the line going to the new fuel strainer and turning on the key. After almost filling a 2 gallon jug full of fuel (many times the flow rate required for the engine), with NO fall off of the flow rate, I have to conclude the tank, pump, and delivery lines are OK. I went to mow, and to my surprise, did so for about 10 minutes, then it did "it", stopped again.

When it does it, it's like turning the key off, making me, for lack of any other obvious things, to suspect the fuel cut off solenoid? I need to identify it, see how it works with the electrical system, and by pass the power going into it, in a way that would tell me there not some intermittent short causing it to be the source of the problem. Don't think that's it really, I'm just running out of anything else, except for some major thing with the injection pump system itself.

Give me a couple picture of around the injection pump, looking for the fuel solenoid, it sounds like you could have a bad solenoid.

 

[flyidaho]

One thing different about today's much longer running (10 minutes v. 3) before the problem arose again, was it was low 70's temp, and the cowling was off. Picture in a bit, camera is dead.

 

[flyidaho]

I think I'm on the right track....when I first test drove it, the seller told me the keyed ignition was shot, (you had to wiggle it for anything to come alive) and part of that shotness was a alligator clip hot wire from the positive battery post to a part of the wiring harness that had been scrapped of insulation. This was to the fuel shut off device, as when you shut it off with the worn out ignition switch, it would keep running until you disconnected the hot wire clip. So when I installed the new ignition switch, and inadvertently blew a fuse (though I did wire it up correctly, just an installation mishap) and then, being unaware of any fuses, in frustration, took it to my pro diesel wrench who works on my crane, he quickly found the fuse issue, replaced it, and also got rid of the hot wire since the new switch was now performing that function.

But just now, I ran it for 20 minutes, finished my mowing, and it didn't quit on me. BUT, I had a new hot wire setup back on, hotting up the cut off directly. This leads me to believe, that even with the new switch, the cut off device is OK, as is the switch wiring, but the fault lies somewhere in the OEM wiring between the two. It should be easy enough to run a new wire direct to the cut off, hotted up by the new switch, bypassing what seems to be bad original wiring. All I know for sure is that it seems to run fine now, with power applied directly to the cut off, it should just be a case of prettying everything up now! One thing bugging me though....it was also in the low 60's, coolest it's been for weeks, I'll still suspect some temp related gremlin until proven otherwise.

 

[PaulL]

Without looking or thinking too hard....you changed the electrics, then it stopped going well. You say it stopped going after you messed with the filter, but it sounds like the reason you messed with the filter is that it stopped going - i.e. the last thing you changed before it stopped was electrical. Yes, it could be a fuel supply problem. But are you sure it's not an electrical problem? It doesn't sound like one on the face of it, and a diesel shouldn't stop with no electrics, but maybe it has some sort of cutout or something that's getting sad about your new electrical arrangements? A mower I was trying to fix started and fired, but then stopped after about 5 seconds. It had a cutout on the carby if it thought it wasn't running, and the solenoid that controlled that was busted. Potentially there's a cutout on your fuel pump that isn't getting driven properly any more - so it runs until it runs out of fuel in the line?

I'm just gonna claim I diagnosed your fault a week ago based on limited information and making stuff up. Doesn't really matter if it's true, makes me feel like I'm awesome.

 

[D2Cat]

You could just run the wire you're using to keep it running to the "run" side of the ignition switch. One solenoid wire goes to the start terminal, one goes to the run terminal, one is ground.

I think you are accomplishing this with the alligator clipped wire.

 

[flyidaho]

I'm going to have to find a new hobby, my work on the Jacobsen seems to be over! After twice having no issues with it cutting out, with the hot wire going to the fuel shutoff, when I last put it away, I switched the ignition key OFF, but of course since the cutoff was wired ON, it kept running. But this time, I did something different, I turned the key back ON, and THEN pulled the hot wire, and it instantly quit, with the key still ON. This was the last bit of info I needed, the cut off is OK, it's a wiring fault. So, a 10 minute job to wire in a permanent new wire from the new ignition switch, and I'm done. It's parked in the hangar (it doesn't leak a drop of any fluids, nice) and I can move on to other projects. Now I can't wait for the grass to need mowing again!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm going to have to find a new hobby, my work on the Jacobsen seems to be over! After twice having no issues with it cutting out, with the hot wire going to the fuel shutoff, when I last put it away, I switched the ignition key OFF, but of course since the cutoff was wired ON, it kept running. But this time, I did something different, I turned the key back ON, and THEN pulled the hot wire, and it instantly quit, with the key still ON. This was the last bit of info I needed, the cut off is OK, it's a wiring fault. So, a 10 minute job to wire in a permanent new wire from the new ignition switch, and I'm done. It's parked in the hangar (it doesn't leak a drop of any fluids, nice) and I can move on to other projects. Now I can't wait for the grass to need mowing again!

Some solenoids have 2 power feeds, one is a pull in and one is a hold coil.
If it's the type with 2 coils, it will burn the coil out if you leave a hot feed on the pull in coil.

 

[flyidaho]

I think I'm good there, as the previous owner had operated it for some time, months/years, with the alligator clip hot wire setup. All I did was pretty things up a bit. It would appear to be a constant duty, normally closed, type solenoid.

Talking about solenoids, most airplanes use a electric type for the main master disconnect, and the classic problem with them is if you leave it on, for days, it kills the battery. Every pilot does it sooner or later! I put a mechanical master switch in mine, from Summit Racing, even if I leave it on , since it doesn't draw juice, no problem.

I'd post a picture of the restored and repaired mower in the hangar, but ever since spending one night in a Motel 6 in Butte Montana a couple weeks ago, my phone settings, at least how I send pictures, have changed. Even though I did not use thier Wifi

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I think I'm good there, as the previous owner had operated it for some time, months/years, with the alligator clip hot wire setup. All I did was pretty things up a bit. It would appear to be a constant duty, normally closed, type solenoid.

Talking about solenoids, most airplanes use a electric type for the main master disconnect, and the classic problem with them is if you leave it on, for days, it kills the battery. Every pilot does it sooner or later! I put a mechanical master switch in mine, from Summit Racing, even if I leave it on , since it doesn't draw juice, no problem.

I'd post a picture of the restored and repaired mower in the hangar, but ever since spending one night in a Motel 6 in Butte Montana a couple weeks ago, my phone settings, at least how I send pictures, have changed. Even though I did not use thier Wifi

Iphones just did a weird up date, and the forum was having picture issues, so anything is possible!