Hey guys haven't posted anything in a while but i need some help please. I have a John Deere 450LC excavator I started working on I believe its a 2005 model ( i have yet to confirm the year) , I seem to be having a no fuel problem... note that this machine sputtered and died in -27 degree weather and will not fire what so ever, and we have been using fuel conditioner. I could not find the fuel injection pump at first but it turned out its just different from what I'm used to (Gear driven and side mounted.) this style appears to run off the rear end of the cam shaft. I got very little if non at all white smoke, and its not getting ANY fuel through the fuel system unless I prime manual. I've been doing some research and the fuel system looks pretty straight forward. I've blown air through the lines feed and return lines from the tank to the fuel filter water trap unit and I can hear the bubbles in the fuel tank so the seem to be clear... i removed and thawed out, disassembled, and cleaned the fuel filter water separator unit and reinstalled it... Now i cam across a forum browsing Google about an 1997 modal of this engine and the individual answering the post mentioned that the Mechanical fuel transfer pump's camshaft is designed to break in half under dangerous potential catastrophic internal engine failure sort of like a fuse. Can anyone confirm this? Ill be picking up a new fuel filter tomorrow, but i am curious and interested about this FIP camshaft fail safe and if its a possibility. Any time taking to read this is great;y appreciated. Thank you!
Ok. I have played around with these quite a bit. I have never heard of the fuse idea on the fuel pump not saying it's not true because the drive tangs are quite small but here's where I would start. Quick check for codes on the ddu by the air filter. And then. You may as we'll change the filter but be sure you get the correct one. There is a sn break and also some people put the wrong fuel filter assembly on as it works but screws you for parts later. Since you have already introduced air into the system remove the plug where the fuel temp sensor screws in from the bottom and pull out the valve. It's about 4 inches long. Blow on the bottom sometimes they stick open. I just stick it in my mouth and blow if air escapes change it. If that is good then put everything back together and take the return line from the head to the fuel filter and put a steel cap in it. 6 ors. Now pump that manual pump until your arms hurt then crank it over for twenty seconds and do that a couple times. Sometimes it requires a sniff of ether. When it runs for a minute shut it off and reattach you line. If that doesn't work post again and start going deeper.
If you have an extra set of hands to help, Have them pinch off the return fuel line and crank it. Whe it starts to smoke, remove the pinch pliers and it usually will start. They are tough to get bled out and started.
Got her up and running thanks to you guys AndrewC and GregD1. I'm kind of wondering how it died in the first place, i replaced the rotted rubber lines between the tank and water separator and thawed out 1" of ice in the separator + dirt and a blackened filter, could have been any of them, no codes on the diagnostics reader though. I did replace the fuel and air filters. That valve you were speaking of Andrew, i pulled it and yes it is stuck open although i didn't replace it because its 60kms away and the boss is always in a rush... The way you worded it was the same as why you may aswell replace a water pump when you do your timing belt, am I correct or could this have anything to do with performance? Of course it has its purpose, but what is its function? And thanks again!
It is the fuel pressure regulator. Should open around 90psi so if it is open when you are blowing it with your mouth then I would say that's why it died. The machine when it's under load probably pulled enough fuel that with it open it couldn't keep up pumping with it dumping it to tank. I worded it that way because these engines can be such a pain to get running again after air is introduced.
sounds like ill be replacing that monday then.
Have the same problem with this machine again. Replaced the fuel pressure regulator valve, primed the fuel system...machine ran daily until now. Again no smoke but lots of pressure in the lines.
Nvm just a real bitch to bleed. False alarm
Logger1 I have a 2006 450 lc John deere excavator. Having same sort of problems. Machine is running very rough. When machine is traveling it is not to bad when using multiple functions digging barely has any power. Have changed filters changed restrictor and check valves in return side. It seems like there is air getting in system have checked all lines and other rings on all plugs and sensors on filter housing.this fuel regulator you can't blow through it so I assume it is working. We are in very remote place so it is very expensive to get tech out here to diagnose. Very frustrating. Any help would be apreciated david
This thread was started with 450CLC but you say you have an 450LC. that is a different engine? Look for an water to air cooler it is mounted in between the exhaust manifold ports. It was very comin for it to blow gaskets and then you loose all your boost pressure. Another thing is throttle calibration? Is the engine going to full Idle?
I will have a look in morning . It has same fuel system and fuel filter housing and sensors as scematic picture in this forum I am not sure if it is getting full rpm it is running poorly. It gets air in filter housing pretty much immediately. We have went through everything. I have ordered new housing and sensors fuel pressure reads 67 at idle goes up to 70 at full rpm. Should go to 90 so I'm told maybe sensor is sending wrong message to ecm. I still can't see why filter would get air in it. ???
Logger, have you gone through the dumb part of the fuel system? like from the complicated stuff back to the tank and inside the tank? If you're getting air, you have a bad leak, or a small leak and a restriction in the fuel supply. You can tee into the fuel suction with a vacuum/pressure gauge anywhere you're suspicious and see what's really going on.