not much experience, starting cold weather

if the fuel filter has a drain then it is a water separator also. you don't have to check it every day, just as often as needed, so start with every day, if there's no water, go to once a month. Keep draining it every time you use it if there's even a drop of water. If it's below freezing then you might have ice in there but still get diesel dripping out, check it after it's been running a while, or when it's been above freezing long enough to melt the ice.

2 years on a fuel filter is fine with low hour use, the filter is the easiest thing to check on this issue, that's why you want to change it. If you wanted to tee a pressure/vacuum gauge into the fuel supply system in different places, that would tell you what is plugged up, and you might avoid changing the filter, probably easier to change the filter and take apart the suction side of the system. I'd wait UNTIL it's been running smooth and warmed up to change the filter, it's much easier to prime and restart a warm engine. You run a cold engine out of fuel from changing the filter and you'll be screwed.

You don't have to guess the fuel's not getting to the injectors, you've been told that about a dozen times and given about a dozen possibilities why. This second starting scenario makes it much more clear that you have a blocked fuel supply. The only other possibility (so unlikely that you shouldn't even consider at this point) is that there is a strange electrical issue affecting both the engine and hydraulics, I only say that because you were insistent that the hydraulics were sluggish too. Wait till the engine is figured out before worrying about the hydraulics.

Yesterday, changed diesel filter.
JUST this morning: heated engine for 2+ hrs with block heater and 250W IR lamp, covered with blanket. Started, ran up to 1500 RPM, but died after about 20 seconds-- ran pretty smooth then started faltering, died. Put her on the heat again and will try again after another hour or so but not expecting it to keep going based on last 2 times trying. . . Sounds like this must be fuel line related.

I noticed there is a small bleed(?) screw(allen head) on top of fuel filter housing. Wondering if there is a process by which I can bleed out the line and also verify I am getting flow by cracking that?

Delmer said:

2 years on a fuel filter is fine with low hour use, the filter is the easiest thing to check on this issue, that's why you want to change it. If you wanted to tee a pressure/vacuum gauge into the fuel supply system in different places, that would tell you what is plugged up, and you might avoid changing the filter, probably easier to change the filter and take apart the suction side of the system. I'd wait UNTIL it's been running smooth and warmed up to change the filter, it's much easier to prime and restart a warm engine. You run a cold engine out of fuel from changing the filter and you'll be screwed.

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Was this the first time it started after changing the filter? you might have got air into the injection pump and made it harder to start. The next try will tell you what's going on. If you don't want to use a pressure/vacuum gauge, you can bypass the fuel tank and hook the fuel supply up to a temporary tank, which can be anything from a boat tank to a quart oil container half full of diesel. If the engine starts and runs for a couple minutes that way, then you've narrowed it down to the tank and whatever else you've bypassed.

I ALWAYS loosen the fuel INLET line AT the injection pump to bleed the system..
THAT, gets the air out of all the fuel SUPPLY lines INCLUDING the filter.
THEN, loosen the lines AT THE INJECTORS to get the air out from the pump TO THE INJECTORS..
Once fuel is THERE, at the injectors, tighten them & go..

Delmer said:

Was this the first time it started after changing the filter? . . . whatever else you've bypassed.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input Delmer. OK, here's what happened after waiting another 1.5 hrs longer heating . . . she started up, kept running, a bit rough to start but then pretty quickly levelled out and KEPT GOING SMOOTHLY. No sluggishness that would lead me to believe the hydraulics should be heated also or that anything is wrong with them. This is after changing the filter yesterday and having it stall after only 2 hrs heating this morning. Based on my experience I believe this:
-- pretty simple: I should have never even tried to start without at least 4 hrs of heating. This was the longest I had pre-heated; it started relatively fine and kept going smooth. Cleaned my 1/3 mile lane and it worked flawlessly. I moved the machine up to the house where I can run extension cord for heating rather than the more painful process involved with using the generator out at the shed!
-- when changing the filter, I had filled it up with diesel (+ Cetane boost additive to correct concentration) so do not believe there was any air messing up the injected fluid.
-- It was about 25°F this morning so I cannot believe gelling was an issue especially since ALL the diesel in the tank and from the new filter had Cetane boost to prevent gelling.

I am guessing that I would not have had any problem at all if I had only heated longer, that simple. Thanks for all your help folks.

Just reading this thread.....my ASV PT-50 did this a few times this winter (starting then dying). Temps were below zero. Engine had been plugged in. Just kept starting it and eventually it would catch. I think the most cranks was three. A key is also to let it warm up at idle; don’t rev it up. I also kerp a tarp over it when not in use - keeps snow melt from freezing in the engine and on my door.


I drain the water separater regularly; never noticed any water in it. I use 5 gallon fuel cans for my fuel; i always put a bit of Cetene (white bottle) in the can before filling it.

Just for fun, after this has started and run flawlessly a few times for you, try starting it up some morning between 20-30 degrees without plugging it in. If it doesn't start, something is still wrong.