John Deere 310 SE Project

[boone]

Tell us that cleared up the problem and its running like new?

Wish, I could JL. Still the same start and die issue. Long crank, finally started. Let run for at least 15 minutes at medium to high RPM. Turned it off, I could hear fuel running back into the tank. I left the cap loosened. Wait couple of minutes. Set idle up, restarts and stumbles to stop. I could hear fuel running back into the tank again - from the overflow I assume. It must be getting fuel pressure.

Also, the way it was running at close to idle was surging again. It's starving for fuel or it's getting air in to prevent fuel pressure to injectors. Or what else?

I did bleed the advance cap on the IP too for around 30 seconds.

I'll probably drop the tank and inspect the pickup tube/sock and will likely replace the fuel line hose from the tank to the pump. After that I'll look into fuel pressure gauge and clear tubes to check for air bubbles.

 

[boone]

On second thought as a quick test, I'm going to hook a hose up to the transfer pump and put it in my 5 gallon can and see if it still happens. This will remove the old fuel line, pickup, sock, and tank from the picture.

 

[boone]

GREAT NEWS! Curiosity got the best of me. I just now went out the shop and I had a tube and clamp which fit perfectly on the transfer pump inlet.

Swapped lines and put the clear tube down in the 5 gallon can. I had to use couple of wrenches as a brace to keep it straight.



Got it cranked...poor starter

Ran like NEW. Idled like NEW and best of all restarts at IDLE like it used to.

So it's the fuel line back to tank or something in the tank. I'll probably go ahead and replace line and remove tank, clean and inspect.

What a relief! I probably went at all this backwards, but at least I'll intimately know my fuel system when I'm done.

 

[JL Sargent]

Well, glad that's figured out!!! On mine you have to drop the tank like 6" to pull that pickup tube. Tank may have rust causing these problems.

 

[boone]

Me too! Good to know about the tube. I'll probably completely drop it and pressure wash it out and slosh with a chain.

Several years ago my tractor had a stopped up fuel strainer in the tank. From previous owner's dirty fuel. The symptoms were a bit different. It would run for 15 minutes or so and then die and restart easy after a while. This 310 issue has consistently always ran once started and always started, but immediately dies. Only restarting with a hard start. It will be nice to find what's causing the issue?

Why did you drop your tank?

 

[JL Sargent]

Why did you drop your tank?

Ended up not having to pull the tank. I tried to pull that tube with the tank in place and it was a no go. MG suggested dropping it about 6". In my case I was chasing a problem where my backhoe would stop running out of nowhere. Ended up finding a bad connection in the 12v+ wire going to the fuel shutoff solenoid on the injection pump. I reworked that connection and the problem hasn't returned.

 

[gasifier]

Hope it all comes together quick for you @boone Keep us up to date.

 

[boone]

Last night I drained the tank, disconnected everything and have only two remaining bolts that hold the tank on. Will remove Thursday night and pressure wash and clean. I lured Dad up to help me with pizza. He'll help me man handle this thing while we slosh a chain around.

I removed the float assembly and took a sneak peek. Really didn't look as bad as I thought in the tank.




Any recommendations on solvent or method to clean this sock?

 

[JL Sargent]

Hmm, doesn't really look like the "smoking gun" so far.

 

[boone]

Cleaned tank last night with a gallon of degreaser. Strapped it up on the loader and sloshed a chain around in it. Worked pretty well. It's flipped upside down with a space heater on it to dry it out good.



Found a smoking gun, not sure if it's the smoking gun. When lifting the supply line off the union, there was a big chunk of plastic in the orifice. Maybe it came from the inside of the supply line?



I'm not sure how it was running as well as it was with this obstruction. When I remove the fuel supply line, I'll look it over good. Another pic of the bit of hose or plastic.

The supply line nut was rusted to the tube so I had to cut it.



The union is rusted really really bad. I'm not sure why it's so bad. But the inside of it looks good. I'm going to reuse it since it's $60 to replace. I am going to get a new sock, new fuel supply line, new return line, new orings and new float gasket.

Waiting on parts now.

 

[JL Sargent]

I'm thinking that was the problem!

 

[boone]

It might be, JL. I'm anxious to see if the supply line tells a story too. Will take it off Tuesday eve. I'm going to use the old one to help route the new one. Hope the sock is in by Tuesday too. If so, I'll be ready to go back together with it all.

 

[boone]

My winter project is done. I've been battling this start die issue since before Oct of last year. After getting it back together and tightening the snot out of the supply line to pickup tube union, it is fixed.

Dirty injectors, plastic found in the fuel union orifice. I'm sure the supply line was sucking air. Was leaking air all over with pressurized air. I took a little video of it posted below. Also, the union joint at the pickup tube could've also been leaking, but not sure. I know you have to get this super tight or it will leak air.

Thanks everyone for letting me bounce things off of you guys. I went out today with temps in the 50s, week later from last start and it started right up and stayed running. It runs and idles great too.

 

[JL Sargent]

So glad this has been all sorted out. Cheers to you for hanging in there and getting it done!

 

[boone]

So glad this has been all sorted out. Cheers to you for hanging in there and getting it done!

Me too, JL. Very glad the mystery is solved. I put it to work pushing up tree slash to burn piles. Glad to have it productive again.