Engine suddenly cuts out

[tick magnet]

This fine tractor has 1800+ hours and is approaching 17 years old. Recently the engine would cut out for an instant while traveling and then quickly recover to full power. At first I thought it was something caught under the seat interfering with the seat safety switch but that wasn't the case. I thought the switch might be defective but then it stalled and didn't recover when I was off the seat. But when i turn the key it starts right up and purrs like a kitten, no lack of power. Sometimes when I get off and it's idling, it will stall but then restart without issue. I'm thinking this is an electrical problem and not a fuel issue. Fuel filter has only about 200 hours on it and I always keep my fuel liberally treated with Diesel 911. My ability to diagnose electrical problems is very limited. Today, I'm gonna spray cleaner on all the connections I can find but I'm thinking it might be a loose wire, corroded connection or a worn spot in a wire that shorts out the circuit. Thoughts??? and thanks for any advice.

 

[Henro]

When my B2910 was new I had a similar issue occur. Very low hours. Turned out it was a blocked fuel filter. I couldn’t believe it would react that way but it did. Full power at one moment, total lack of power at the next moment. And it would start to work normally again, only to repeat a bit later.

So don’t assume it’s not a fuel problem, and that you might not have got some bad (read dirty) fuel, which blocked your filter pretty much.

My fuel filter was blocked so bad I couldn’t blow air through it with my mouth, but somehow enough fuel was getting through at times to let the tractor run normally.

 

[mikester]

does the problem go away with the seat switch bypassed?

 

[bmblank]

I would have guessed fuel problem. When there is flow it sucks up some kind of junk that blocks the line. With it blocked there's no more flow, so that junk can float back down away from wherever it was picked up. Repeat whenever that junk feels the urge to block up the line again.

 

[19thSF]

This fine tractor has 1800+ hours and is approaching 17 years old. Recently the engine would cut out for an instant while traveling and then quickly recover to full power. At first I thought it was something caught under the seat interfering with the seat safety switch but that wasn't the case. I thought the switch might be defective but then it stalled and didn't recover when I was off the seat. But when i turn the key it starts right up and purrs like a kitten, no lack of power. Sometimes when I get off and it's idling, it will stall but then restart without issue. I'm thinking this is an electrical problem and not a fuel issue. Fuel filter has only about 200 hours on it and I always keep my fuel liberally treated with Diesel 911. My ability to diagnose electrical problems is very limited. Today, I'm gonna spray cleaner on all the connections I can find but I'm thinking it might be a loose wire, corroded connection or a worn spot in a wire that shorts out the circuit. Thoughts??? and thanks for any advice.

This is kind of a long shot, but a blocked breather in the fuel cap can cause the same type of thing. The tractor runs until a vacuum is created in the tank, and then the tractor shuts down, or will only run at a rough idle. Try creating the issue again, and then pull off the fuel cap. It the problem goes away, you have your culprit.

Again, a long shot, but worth a try. Good luck with your issue.

 

[thomas57]

When my B2910 was new I had a similar issue occur. Very low hours. Turned out it was a blocked fuel filter. I couldn’t believe it would react that way but it did. Full power at one moment, total lack of power at the next moment. And it would start to work normally again, only to repeat a bit later.

So don’t assume it’s not a fuel problem, and that you might not have got some bad (read dirty) fuel, which blocked your filter pretty much.

My fuel filter was blocked so bad I couldn’t blow air through it with my mouth, but somehow enough fuel was getting through at times to let the tractor run normally.

I have found the same thing on my die ,, it was a part of a tree leaf that would float over and sometimes clog the fuel hole // was a pain to find , why some times run then stop or run bad the leaf will float around when the pump stopped .. hope this will help