Fuel Starvation on L3130

[jmpratt]

My L3130 starts then dies within 2 seconds. I have read about and troubleshot the fuel stop solenoid and relay. The relay checks out per the shop manual, as does the solenoid (15 ohms on one coil, .6 ohms on the other). The solenoid makes a solid audible clunk when the key is turned on. After the engine dies and I turn off the key, I can hear the solenoid clunk again. Is it possible that solenoid activates but the plunger the blocks the fuel doesn't move?

There is fuel in the filter bowl.

When the output hose is removed from the fuel feed pump and we crank the engine, no fuel flows out. Does the fuel stop solenoid block output of this pump?

Any ideas?

-Jason

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

you either have a bad lift pump, filter housing, tank outlet, work your way back till you get fuel flow.

 

[jmpratt]

you either have a bad lift pump, filter housing, tank outlet, work your way back till you get fuel flow.

Thanks. If I remove the outlet hose from the lift pump, should it pump fuel when I crank the engine? If the stop solenoid was closed, would the lift pump still pump fuel?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yes the lift pump always pushes fuel, the stop solenoid has no effect on it.

 

[jmpratt]

It was the lift pump. With new lift pump installed, fuel flows out of the lift pump as long as the fuel filter valve is open, even when the engine if off. Thanks for the help!

 

[doug2500]

I have a similar problem with my L3130. The difference is my lift pump kinda slops out fuel each revolution. It doesn't rise more than about 1/4" each revolution out of the outlet tube on the pump. The tractor won't run and the lines up to the pump are clear. Should the pump put out more fuel than that?

thanks

 

[JerryMT]

you either have a bad lift pump, filter housing, tank outlet, work your way back till you get fuel flow.

+1
I always start at the tank and work forward. The trash starts in the tank often clogging the strainer. The root cause is generally water condensation that allows a medium for bacteria to grow in the fuel/water interface. That causes a snotty looking crud to form. You can minimize the problem by keep the fuel tank as fill as possible so condensation is minimized. Having said that, there are other causes such as poor factory practices that allow stuff into the tank like shavings drill swarf, etc. Dirty fuel can come from a supplier, sloppy fueling practices, etc.

 

[JerryMT]

I have a similar problem with my L3130. The difference is my lift pump kinda slops out fuel each revolution. It doesn't rise more than about 1/4" each revolution out of the outlet tube on the pump. The tractor won't run and the lines up to the pump are clear. Should the pump put out more fuel than that?

thanks

The little engine in your tractor doesn't use much fuel so the pump doesn't have to supply much. It just needs to boost in to the injector pump. And when you open the discharge port since there is no restriction, there is hardly any pressure. Put a "T" in the line and measure with a fuel pressure gauge. The pressure should be~ 2-4 psig going into the injector pump. Is there a filter on your lift pump? Usually they have a screen. Check that if yours has one.

It goes without saying check the fuel filter. You generally can't clean them nor can you tell whether they are clogged unless there is no flow at the outlet from the filter housing. Change it especially if it's been there for several years. Look at the inlet passages in the filter head and make sure they are not clogged. Make sure you install the filter properly. It's common on some filters to have an extra large o-ring that isn't necessary for all application. If installed, that o-ring will block the fuel flow.

Look for pinched fuel lines and check the tank strainer at the tank outlet. Check the tank vent. It's usually in the cap. If it's clogged you will cause a vacuum in the tank that will hiss when you start to remove the fuel cap. make sure that the return to tank line is not clogged.
Systematically go through the fuel delivery system and you'll find the problem.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have a similar problem with my L3130. The difference is my lift pump kinda slops out fuel each revolution. It doesn't rise more than about 1/4" each revolution out of the outlet tube on the pump. The tractor won't run and the lines up to the pump are clear. Should the pump put out more fuel than that?

thanks

You could have a restriction in the line before the lift pump, or yes it could be an issue with the lift pump.
The lift pump should be able to push fuel all the way over the top of the hood, that's it's job.
If there is a restriction then it can't lift what it doesn't get.

 

[doug2500]

Thank you.

I replaced the fuel filter 2 months ago and everything looked clean.

If my lift pump is putting out enough fuel, and even though I don't have a gauge and tee to check right now, I would think what I saw was at least 2-4 psig, which is a very small amount of pressure. So everything tank side from the pump must be clear. Or am I missing something?

A little background:

it was running fine this morning, got 2 logs on the winch to drag to our east field, got about 3/4 of the way there when it sputtered and dropped to almost 0 rpm then died. It was on a very mild slope at best. Restarted several times where it would only fire a handful of times and then die. Now it won't fire at all when the engine turns. Engine turns fine. Fuel solenoid clicks loud on and off. Diesel pours out strong from the hose into the filter after some crud passed through.

I supposed I should confirm the pathway through the filter assembly more reliably. But at this point doesn't it seem like we're on the output side of the lift pump?

Injection pump?

 

[doug2500]

I just confirmed that fuel flows strong and clean from the tank to the inlet of the lift pump.

 

[doug2500]

So it appears I'm getting 2 opinions that are similar with one possible exception. Since I have no fuel pressure gauge, and every place is closed for the holiday, can I tell if the lift pump is good or bad without the gauge? Or, what would the next step be since it's clear that the lines are good at least to the outlet side of the lift pump.

 

[Russell King]

You can try to supply fuel to the injector pump by rigging a funnel and tube gravity fed system. Just ensure you use clean fuel and keep crud out of the funnel. Bleed system and see if it runs that way


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[doug2500]

So if I make a reservoir with diesel in it. Connect it to the inlet of the injector pump and pressurize it to a few psi, I could run the tractor if the lift pump is the problem. And if this works I could get the tractor back to the house where it would be easier to work on?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

So if I make a reservoir with diesel in it. Connect it to the inlet of the injector pump and pressurize it to a few psi, I could run the tractor if the lift pump is the problem. And if this works I could get the tractor back to the house where it would be easier to work on?

NO PSI required, just gravity feed it to the injection pump, and yes that will get it back to the shop, just use a bottle with a vent to let it flow.

 

[doug2500]

Do I need to bleed the 3 injectors?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You might, if it wasn't run dry you can usually get away with not having to.

 

[JerryMT]

So if I make a reservoir with diesel in it. Connect it to the inlet of the injector pump and pressurize it to a few psi, I could run the tractor if the lift pump is the problem. And if this works I could get the tractor back to the house where it would be easier to work on?

I don't know if I mentioned this but some times a lift pump has a screen on it. There is a little "domed" cap with a screw in it. If you remove the screw, the cap comes off and there is a screen under the cap. IF you have a pump like that, check to see if it has a screen in that might be clogged before you try the reservoir method. It could save you some time.

If your fuel tank is above your injector pump, then than the lift pump is there to boost pressure into the injector pump. The only tractor I have with a lift pump is our NH TD95D and the tank is below the injector pump and the spec calls for 3-5 psig into the injector pump so the only way to do that is with a lift pump. I'm not sure whether our M4500 has a lift pump as we just got it and I've been working the snot out of it haying (raking). But the injector pump pumps sit rather high on the engine relative to the fuel tank so I suspect it does require one.

Hope this helps you.

 

[doug2500]

Thanks, but I don't see a screen on the lift pump. I just hooked up a bottle of diesel straight to the injector pump. I loosened all three injector connections. Cranked the engine for at least 10s and re-did this about 5 times. No diesel at the injectors. I loosened one injector connection until it was completely disconnected, no diesel when cranking.

A friend suggested the stop solenoid might be cutting out during cranking. The ignition switch and stop solenoid relay are both 1 year old. I did that last year. I tested the solenoid after unbolting it and it cycles in and out just fine. So, I don't know how it could cut out during cranking. But I didn't test it during cranking.

Does the bleeder on the injection pump have to be open to bleed the injectors? I didn't open it because I thought that was for bleeding all the lines up to that point.

Any more help is appreciated, unless I've missed something here it's starting to look like the injection pump. It only has 982 hours on it.

 

[JerryMT]

Thanks, but I don't see a screen on the lift pump. I just hooked up a bottle of diesel straight to the injector pump. I loosened all three injector connections. Cranked the engine for at least 10s and re-did this about 5 times. No diesel at the injectors. I loosened one injector connection until it was completely disconnected, no diesel when cranking.

A friend suggested the stop solenoid might be cutting out during cranking. The ignition switch and stop solenoid relay are both 1 year old. I did that last year. I tested the solenoid after unbolting it and it cycles in and out just fine. So, I don't know how it could cut out during cranking. But I didn't test it during cranking.

Does the bleeder on the injection pump have to be open to bleed the injectors? I didn't open it because I thought that was for bleeding all the lines up to that point.

Any more help is appreciated, unless I've missed something here it's starting to look like the injection pump. It only has 982 hours on it.

Generally the bleeding process for when you run the engine out of fuel requires you to bleed the fuel filter, and then the injector pump and then the injectors, in that order. So if you didn't bleed the injector pump do that then move on to the injectors. Make sure the battery is fully charged so you don't run it down doing this.