New to me 977L 14X serial number. After about 45 mins I start to notice a lack of power and the fuel pressure gauge starts to lower at the same time. Still well in the green area of the gauge but a noticeable power loss. I'm building terraces with it from the bottom side (pushing up 2:1 slopes) so I need all the power I can get. Which is probably why it is so noticeable. Things I have done: Checked that the fuel tank is venting, replaced the fuel filter and water separator. Was going to blow compressed air back when I changed the water separator but it seemed to have real good flow. I thought maybe something in the tank but since I had good flow to the separator I thought that prob wasn't my problem. Any ideas of what my next move should be?? TIA
You've certainly covered all the basic stuff well. I'd be checking that there wasn't something floating in the tank causing an intermittent blockage of the fuel line outlet. Is the lack of power always after a consistent period of time, or does the length of time vary, before it starts to slow down? A varying length of time before the lack of power slowdown would indicate an intermittent problem. Otherwise, the fuel transfer pump would start to get high on the suspicion list. Warming, less viscous fuel, along with increased heat soak/engine temperature after 45 mins, could be enough to make the pump clearance increase, and aided by by the less viscous fuel, the fuel flow rate could then become sub-optimal. Pinholes in steel fuel line tubing are another area where air could enter. I found the steel fuel line tubing always corroded around fuel line clamp areas, and often pinholes would start to weep fuel, without a major leak being obvious.
Thanks for the reply. It seems pretty consistent (45mins-1 hour). A local farmer owned bought this machine about 5 years ago. i have rented it off and on for the past 3 years or so. While renting it usually one of my guys was the operator. He would occasionally mention it being a little short on power but nothing drastic. We had come to the conclusion that it just might need the pump tweaked a little on it. Since it is equipped with 10 ft blade and single grouser track shoes pushing up 2:1 slopes might the reason for it feeling sluggish. When I personally started running it about a week ago is when I noticed the correlation between the lack of power and the fuel pressure gauge backing off at the same time. i will inspect the fuel lines a little closer. Obviously it is an older machine so anything is possible.
Nice looking machine Bam. The previous owner must have only used it on weekends!
He didn't even use it that much. I picked it up from the the same farm I dropped it off at almost a year ago. Hadn't moved since then. Here are a couple pics of the injection pump. Anybody know what I need to do to tweak it a smidge to give it a little more fuel?
Did you clean out the little filter on the bottom of the pump???
I have one just like that, with forks and a couple buckets. Haven't seen many with cabs.
I didn't know there was a little filter on the bottom of the pump. I'm assuming it would be close to the feed line for the pump??
The primary screen filter is a brass mesh-type filter, and I've put a red arrow on your injection pump photo, pointing out its location. Unscrew the nut on the clip on the bottom, pull the clip aside, slide the metal bowl off carefully, and then unscrew the metal screen. The metal screen is made out of a small square threaded shaft, holding thin stacked brass washers with holes in them, and projections on them, that keep them spaced a little bit apart, so the fuel can get through. You can slide the brass washers off for cleaning.