The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Forestry and Logging => Topic started by: henry co. on January 10, 2017, 09:08:13 PM

Title: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 10, 2017, 09:08:13 PM
My 540A skidder been using it last 3 days on a downhill slope yesterday acted like it was running out of fuel.  It didn't even have the power to pull itself back up it kept dyeing even after adding more fuel it didn't help but got it to the barn, then it started running fine when back on a level surface.  This morning went back out and dragged out 10 trees and it started doing same thing.  After getting back on level surface it still kept on dyeing I noticed the glass filter didn't have much fuel in it.  Had to start every few minutes to move 5 feet at a time.  When finally got it parked the glass filter was full of fuel.  It has a rubber gas line on it which may be the problem or not? Could it be a fuel line collapsing or a clog down by the tank? If so by tank how can I fix it?
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: dnash on January 10, 2017, 09:26:49 PM
Use compressed air to blow the feed line back to the tank. I had the same problem on a 540 as well. I just kept above 1/2 a tank. It was easier than pulling the tank to clean it, you need to split the machine to get it out.
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: dnash on January 10, 2017, 09:29:00 PM
Also, make sure you dont stall on the slope. If the aux. brake canister is uncharged, you will be going for a ride...
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 10, 2017, 09:45:22 PM
I will try that in morning it sucks i can't pull any wood tomorrow it got in 40 today going to be 50 tomorrow and more rain can't believe going to be that warm weather jack up any more.
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: Riwaka on January 11, 2017, 05:26:00 AM
Is there any water in the diesel?
Is there inline fuel strainers in the diesel supply line from the tank?
How good is the fuel pump if there is one?
When did you last change the fuel filter if it has one?
Are there any loose connections in the fuel line?
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: OntarioAl on January 11, 2017, 08:26:47 AM
Follow  dnash 's advice.
some crud in your tank is restricting the fuel flow.
Cheers
Al
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 11, 2017, 03:58:48 PM
I air in tank  now I'm getting good fuel though the filter but from the filter to the injection pump going change the hose from fuel filter to injection pump hope it works dont know what else it could be 
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: loggah on January 11, 2017, 05:01:00 PM
If those are the glass stanadyne filters, they are prone to pulling air in by the upper o-ring in a hard pull when fuel is cold. the spring clips that hold the filters to the plate get week. you can try and put a thin piece of cardboard between the spring clip and the filter to hold the o-rings tighter to the filter plate to see if this makes a difference. Or you can try a new spring clip.
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: AlexHart on January 11, 2017, 08:30:36 PM
This may sound pathetically simple and way off the mark but have you checked the air filter?   I had a skidder last winter that acted for all the world like the fuel was gelling up or there was some kind of fuel problem and then when in desperation we checked the air filter it had about half the field from the last job in it.   

Almost embarrassing to admit it but it was the whole problem.   Lesson learned and I check/blow out that a lot more regularly now.   That was a 440D model and I've never seen a machine that sucked more junk into the air cleaner for whatever reason.   Probably isn't your problem at all but it might be worth a quick look if you haven't checked it in a bit.   
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: killamplanes on January 11, 2017, 09:42:28 PM
My 440a is very prone to water in fuel. I finally figured out the fuel cap was the problem. But itsrelatively easy to see in the filters it always sinks to the bottom. But I'm telling you for 3yrs I had to dump 10 gallons of water out of that system it was a nightmare. All for a fuel cap...
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: snowstorm on January 12, 2017, 05:57:12 AM
a couple things to look at. on the line from the tank. dose the steel line mount towards the front of the tank then go back then into it it. it was a goffy set up. lots of them were changed to drill a hole and braze a compression fitting into the tank. with that use copper tubing . drain the sump in the tank. fuel caps and more so the rubber hose from the filler to the tank. i always liked the square glass filter. way better than the 2 round filters. transfer pumps . there used to be one that was sealed and one that would come apart. there is a screen and check valves in there.    next time take the line off the transfer pump and blow
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 12, 2017, 02:30:04 PM
I change on the fuel lines or hoses change glass filter even change air filter it won't even start now i guessing injector pump not sure
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: OntarioAl on January 12, 2017, 04:14:20 PM
You have an airlock
You will have to bleed the system of air
I think Deere has bleeders on the filters and on the injection housing.
Some Deere models have a manual lever on the fuel transfer pump.
start at the first filter and work your way to the pump
Cheers
Al
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: CCC4 on January 12, 2017, 04:36:31 PM
Yep, air locked now. Crack injector line and manually pump until bubbles stop coming out. We have had ther same trouble on our 648 lately. Fuel pump was getting weak and starving itself out on a good pull. Finally just quit working and we replaced fuel pump.
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: snowstorm on January 12, 2017, 05:26:36 PM
you have air in it. all it takes is 1 air bubble. open the bleeder screw on filter pump the hand pump till you have clear fuel. tighten screw. them keep pumping till you hear fuel returning to tank. it will go thru the injection pump then back to tank. 9 times out of 10 there is no need to bleed the injectors. you dont seem to know a lot about this skidder so dont touch the injectors. buy a tec manual
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 12, 2017, 05:46:31 PM
You got that right :D
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 16, 2017, 05:40:06 PM
Well got it started it runs them dies hooked a line from a 5 gallon can straight into the injector pump to make sure getting fuel now it will run for a few minutes or seconds then dies. puzzled???
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: ohiowoodchuck on January 16, 2017, 09:41:47 PM
Can you hook everything back up and put a gauge after the pump and before the injection pump. There should be somewhere from 35-60 psi of fuel pressure.  Usually the pump can suck enough to start and idle but would die out or bog down at high rpm or under load. The gauge will tell you what your mechanical pump is doing. I hate to say buy a pump and put on it because it could be a plugged pick up in the fuel tank or it could be the injection pump. Start with the simplest check first.
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: snowstorm on January 17, 2017, 06:27:00 AM
why bypass the transfer pump?? think its bad? how are you going to fuel the injection pump from a pail . there would have to be a fitting in the bottom of the pail.  60psi from a transfer pump? i gotta get my deere book out and look that up.  we can help you get this thing running but. you need to provide a little background info. what did it do when it quit? what you have done to it. then do what is told one step at a time. anytime you open the fuel system air enters . that means no start till the air is gone
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 17, 2017, 01:30:18 PM
took off the fitting with a little piece of glass on return line on top of injector pump, and ran the return line directly into the pump without the fitting and runs perfectly fine.  What is that fitting with the glass for anyway?
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: henry co. on January 18, 2017, 08:52:17 PM
no answers
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: ohiowoodchuck on January 18, 2017, 10:07:20 PM
If you blocked the return line, my guess would be that you let the mechanical pump get maximum pressure. I'm not sure how the Deere pump is setup but on a 5.9 Cummins there is a spring some shims and a ball and that's what sets the pressure. My quote earlier of 35-65 psi fuel pressure is what I've seen the mechanical pumps put out on a Cummins. I'd say around 40psi would be sufficient. I'll look on John Deere parts and see what it shows.
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: bushmechanic on January 19, 2017, 05:10:05 PM
I'm not really familiar with the old Deere skidders but I have worked on Deere equipment. Is the fuel shut off solenoid working properly? Is the machine charging ok? Low voltage can affect the solenoid operation. I have seen a no start issue due to a bad battery, would turn over but no start. Used a separate battery to power the shut off and it fired up. This may never be your issue but gives you something to think about.   
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: snowstorm on January 19, 2017, 06:05:55 PM
transfer pump fuel pressure per jd tech manual 4 to 5 psi. your trouble is most likely. fuel line where it goes into the tank. something floating around in the tank. did you drain the sump in the tank??? rust in it. they used a small steel line that went across the top of the tank then down. that would crack. the easy fix was drill a new hole braze a compression fitting in the tank then use copper tubing. the Ferrell keeps it water tight. like i said before there are check valves and screen in the transfer pump. in order for us to help you we need all the facts. what it did and when. if the return line is restricted it will run poorly or not at all
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: coxy on January 19, 2017, 06:40:48 PM
we bought a jd dozer one time that would run then it wouldn't after a few days of this my dad cut a hole in the tank and found 2 condoms :o :o floating in the tank cleaned every thing out and never had any trouble after that  :)
Title: Re: 540a won't stay running
Post by: ohiowoodchuck on January 19, 2017, 09:22:49 PM
Quote from: snowstorm on January 19, 2017, 06:05:55 PM
transfer pump fuel pressure per jd tech manual 4 to 5 psi. your trouble is most likely. fuel line where it goes into the tank. something floating around in the tank. did you drain the sump in the tank??? rust in it. they used a small steel line that went across the top of the tank then down. that would crack. the easy fix was drill a new hole braze a compression fitting in the tank then use copper tubing. the Ferrell keeps it water tight. like i said before there are check valves and screen in the transfer pump. in order for us to help you we need all the facts. what it did and when. if the return line is restricted it will run poorly or not at all
Thanks for clearing that up. I was way off with my guess.