Takeuchi TL140 starts and dies and a raw fuel smell.

Just recently purchased my first skid steer 2007 Takeuchi TL140 with 200 hours. Just like the title states it starts right up ( cold start) and dies like the key was turned off. But after 2 to 3 times it fires up and runs like a beast. I’m thinking air in the fuel system. Would that cause the raw fuel smell from the exhaust. Please remember this is my first machine, I am mechanically inclined but this machine is virgin ground for me. Also the temp gauge doesn’t work and could someone please tell me what all the warning lights mean. Thanks in advance.

Is the coolant level up to top of radiator?

Yes it is

EskConstruction said:

Just recently purchased my first skid steer 2007 Takeuchi TL140 with 200 hours. Just like the title states it starts right up ( cold start) and dies like the key was turned off. But after 2 to 3 times it fires up and runs like a beast. I’m thinking air in the fuel system. Would that cause the raw fuel smell from the exhaust. Please remember this is my first machine, I am mechanically inclined but this machine is virgin ground for me. Also the temp gauge doesn’t work and could someone please tell me what all the warning lights mean. Thanks in advance.

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Hi Esk, I bought a 140 a couple of weeks ago and have been searching threads. Some with specific questions and others to just learn more about the machine. I am finding a lot of incomplete threads like this one. What have you learned?

What do you wanna know?

Having 8 Takeuchis, 3 of them TL150 machines, I've learned a lot. And I've shared a lot here, too.

thanks, I used to have an old porsche911, there was a message board community where you could find out everything about the car. More than I could or wanted to get my little head wrapped around. The board was full of half autistic engineers who tweeked around with their cars more than they drove them. It was easy to get flamed for not searching before asking questions.
I have had my hands in the bowels of this machine for a couple of weeks. I'm changing all the fluids and chasing down leaks before I really put any pressure on it. I got it cheap from someone who got it cheap. There was no history, The hours meter wire was broken at 3300 hours. It could have 20,000 hours of total abuse on it for all I know. It was so full of clay you couldn't see anything. I rolled the dice on it figuring I could clean it up, get what I need done in a few months and get out of it at around even if I find too many issues.
The seller used it for residential masonry, brick work and driveways. I don't think he put a lot of hours on it but he ran it hard for a year and then it sat for a year. The oil couldn't have been blacker. The hydraulic fluid was dirty and 4 gallons low. The radiator fins were all flattened out so air wasn't getting through it. It was bad.
I went for it because he pulled up a big stump out of the ground with it and I figured if he could do that as easily as he did it may still have some life in it. That is my story. I am flushing out the fuel tank and blowing out the lines right now. I would love to know if anyone has done that. If they used any solvents that won't do damage. I was thinking mineral spirits. I used lacquer thinner on the Porsche fuel system. That was the solvent of choice on the Porsche board. and it worked great. I am seeing posts saying it is too corrosive on rubber and plastic. It seems as if the amount of contact time would be so short for it to matter but the fear got put in me.
Should I mess with injectors and the pump while I am at it or wait for there to be a problem? I know I should just wait for a problem before I fix unexisting problems. That sort of thing is what I was looking for in the last few days.
I am a carpenter, not an earth mover. Mechanical, but I don't have a great natural ability with machines. I would like to use this thing as a basic all around tractor type machine on my land if it works out. Moving logs to the saw mill, Brush cutter, cutting in roads or trails. I need to do a ton of grading work.

For fuel issues, if it runs, i wouldn't "flush" the tank.
Drain the fuel tank, remove tank outlet fitting, and ensure zero blockage debris. Many have modified the outlet with a screen or extension, but, if it isn't restricted, don't bother.

Next, ensure that the inlet to the water separator isn't restricted. After that, add an inline screen between the tank and the water separator.

As for injectors and pump, if it starts on all four cylinders, both cold and hot, I wouldn't touch a thing.

Change the final drive oils every 500 hours. I use any old 75w90, and I've taken these things out over 10k hours with no issues. Ironically, nearly every Takeuchi here drains one final with darker oil than the other. No idea why?

thanks

heymccall said:

For fuel issues, if it runs, i wouldn't "flush" the tank.
Drain the fuel tank, remove tank outlet fitting, and ensure zero blockage debris. Many have modified the outlet with a screen or extension, but, if it isn't restricted, don't bother.

Next, ensure that the inlet to the water separator isn't restricted. After that, add an inline screen between the tank and the water separator.

As for injectors and pump, if it starts on all four cylinders, both cold and hot, I wouldn't touch a thing.

Change the final drive oils every 500 hours. I use any old 75w90, and I've taken these things out over 10k hours with no issues. Ironically, nearly every Takeuchi here drains one final with darker oil than the other. No idea why?

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I completed the list today. Ordered the inline filter from NAPA. I was compelled to flush the tank and blow out the lines. I'm a little OCD I guess.
Drained the final drives. Exactly nothing came out... I will have this thing digging tomorrow. I am going to change the drive oil again tomorrow once I warm it up a little.
This machine is incredible. It may blow up in the morning but it is unbelievable it has been working at all. I hope I don't have to rebuild the undercarriage yet. How does an undercarriage fail? That could be a different thread.

"Drained the final drives. Exactly nothing came out..." I hope some oil came out?? If not that could get expensive!!

What I learned on this issue mentioned was the coolant sensor wire was broken. Fixed it and it has had no other problems on that end. The raw fuel smell went away after as well it makes sense because it was starting and dying and never getting the fuel burnt. A good maintenance schedule is key. Like mentioned above about the final drive oil being changed at 500 hours. If the hours are up then it’s time to maintenance it. They are good machines. They may be loud have crappy cabs and ride like a lumber wagon but they will do more work in a day than most.

hmmmm... My whole life has been in a crappy cab lumber wagon. this is perfect for me. How do I purge the air from the fuel system? I did this but no change.

1. Add fuel. 2. Open the water separator valve (2).
3. Turn the starter key to the ON position and hold it there for about 20 seconds. The automatic air bleeder bleeds the air from the fuel system. 4.Start the engine and inspect for fuel leakage.

that air bleed doesnt apply to my machine. I have a little hand pump on the injection pipe.
but starter fluid was a fine way it get it running very poorly. with 10 gallons in the tank it was sputtering and stalling. the more fuel in the tank the better it ran. I moved dirt for an hour with intermittent power loss. Especially in reverse. Still felt like fuel starvation. there is no trash in the tank or the lines to the injectors. I texted a friend. He said run it without the fuel cap and see if vacuum is forming in the lines somewhere.

BOOM! The thing was like a wild beast!
My next task is to track down clogged vent or bypass line.
hmmmm, Any thoughts on where to begin?

Doesn't the cap have a vent in it? that would be the first place I'd look for the vent.

Delmer said:

Doesn't the cap have a vent in it? that would be the first place I'd look for the vent.

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you are a genius! I wonder how long it would have taken me to think of that. Probably after I took the engine apart and put it back together. I often do the right thing after I have tried everything else. Thank you. That would be very convenient.

bam1968 said:

"Drained the final drives. Exactly nothing came out..." I hope some oil came out?? If not that could get expensive!!

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I am a little worried about that myself.
The first batch of replacement oil was so black I decided to do something that may be unconventional.
This is what happens when a carpenter does mechanics.
I filled the drives up with paint thinner and let it soak 7 or 10 times until the paint thinner stopped coming out black. It was still muddy but much cleaner.
Then I filled with 5/20 let it sit, ran it gently for a couple of minutes. I did this 3 times to get the thinner out. It sat overnight with 5/20. I'll drain this time and fill with 75/90.
I don't know, Me figures it was worth a shot to see how long I can milk it for. Maybe I will get lucky. Or maybe the cure will kill the patient. I'll find out soon enough. Like I said earlier, this machine has no history. You can call me a fool for buying a machine with no history as a crap shoot but you cant blame me for treating her badly. I am obsessed with this thing as if it were a hot rod.

Delmer said:

Doesn't the cap have a vent in it? that would be the first place I'd look for the vent.

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No vent issue, trash in the fuel tank blocking my arteries.