Been awhile since I've been on here. I had a problem last week when working in my machine. It all of a sudden lost power. It was a gradual loss of power and it spit and stuttered until is finally died. After sitting for about 30 minutes I tried starting it again and it finally started but not without it cranking a bit. I got it to the garage and let it sit overnight. The next morning I tried it again and it fired right up, but ran only for about a minute then started to act up again. Same thing, it started losing power and finally died. It won't restart without letting it sit for a while, at least, but it won't stay running long until it dies again. I figured I might change all the fuel filters in it since it hasn't been done since I bought it. I figure easiest things first and hopefully will fix the problem. Can any of you tell me if I need to relieve the fuel pressure before replacing the filters and if so, how do I relieve the fuel pressure? The Operators Manual says nothing about it so I don't know. Hate to get sprayed or injected for something I should have done before hand. Any help would be appreciated. It is a '08 NH L190. P.S. My dealer gave me 3 different fuel filters for it, but I can only find two. I found a larger fuel/water separator and an in-line fuel filter. What I didn't find is a smaller fuel/water separator they gave me. It is also a spin-on so don't know what the deal is there. The larger new replacement fits the one on my machine, but the smaller is no where to be found on the machine. P.S.S. The only thing different I remember doing is getting my fuel at a different place. Could this be bad fuel? Maybe too much water in the fuel? Thanks for any and all help.
There will be no pressure. Just change the two filter. Could possibly be there were 2 options on the big filter so they gave you both. The only l 190s I have worked on only had the 2 filters. JJ
Hardline, thanks! I didn't know since most fuel lines have pressure in them. Or at least they do on cars and trucks. I had found this little gadget behind the fuel filter that mounts up against the engine block. It has two fuel lines running into it and in front it has a lever that you can push down. I didn't know if that was supposed to relieve the fuel pressure or not. Guess it doesn't have anything to do with it after all. Hey, I appreciate your help and thanks again!
That gadget is the transfer pump and the little lever is the manual pump. It's what you should use to fill the filters, but most people just fill them and spi n them on. The little lever should spring back up after you push it down, if it doesn't just turn the engine a little bit(¼ to ½ turn should get it)until it feels like it's pumping. You'll need to do some investigating if filters don't fix it. It should have a little electric pump somewhere between tank and engine. If filters don't fix your problem, most likely a transfer pump or shutoff solenoid issue.
Thanks, Shimmy! That's what I needed to know. I really need to get a repair manual so "gadget" doesn't become a common word when explaining my problem. LOL. What is the little thing just to the right of the spin-on fuel filter? It has a button on the top of it. My manual says it is a fuel injection head. Is that correct? I really appreciate all the help.
Well, I loosened the air bleed screw and started pumping on the lever. It goes up and down just fine, but it doesn't feel like it's doing anything. I don't feel or hear fuel moving into the filter. I'll keep trying and see what happens. I don't have any fuel in my containers so I couldn't fill the filter with fuel. May have to go get some and fill it up.
Sometimes you need to move engine a little to position the pump right so the manual lever can activate it. It's basically the same design of fuel pump the old V-8 gas engines have.
Thanks. I'm not sure I know how to do that. I've done it with a ratchet on cars, but don't know about this machine. I know, I'm a hopeless cause.
Just grab the fan and turn a little. Might need to push on the belt a little if you need more tension.
Thanks, Shimmy. Ok, I got it filled and it started. It ran for less than a minute before it died again. So I guess I'm back to square one. Had to move it out of the garage because I barely have the head space for the boom to sit on the lock pins. It gave me just enough time to get outside and get it parked where I can work on it outside. Now if it will just run long enough to get the boom back up and on the pins. I'll try again in the morning. It seems to want to start after sitting a long time, but not right after it dies. It just cranks right after it dies. I appreciate your help.
I know less than nothing about a NH L190, but thats never stopped me from giving advice in the past:tong First off did you dump out the filters you took off to see what was in them? Always a good idea. Ideally should be nothing but nice clean fuel in them. Does the fuel tank have a drain valve on the bottom? Or a drain plug. I'd suggest draining out a gallon or so of fuel if possible to see just what is in the tank. Again should be nice clean fuel, not mud and crap or a gallon of water. Next thing I want to try would be to go to that thingy with the lever D) on it and find out which line goes to the tank and disconnect it. If fuel level is above the fitting on the "Thingy" you should get a nice flow of fuel out of it. A good test to do would be to temporarily connect a hose to where the line from the fuel tank is connected and stick the other end in a five gallon pail of clean fuel and see how or if engine then runs good. If it does then you know there is a problem in the tank or the line leading to the pump. Look real close at any hoses as they can look perfect on the outside and be collapsed inside causing a restriction, that sounds like what you are describing. If possible remove suction tube,if there is one, from the fuel tank and check for cracks or kinks.
Thanks, kshansen. To tell the truth I did pour the fuel from the filters and it looked pretty clean, but i had poured the fuel into a really dirty glass bottle so the fuel might have had some sediment that I didn't know about or couldn't see. I'll check for a drain valve underneath the tank tomorrow. And thanks for the other suggestions. It sounds like some easy things I should be checking out anyway before going on to more difficult things. I'm all for easy before I get in too deep.
Grit, when I was test running my L190, (had it over a long weekend) it would run fine for a while then start sputtering and blowing white smoke at high power. When idling or running just above an idle, it ran fine. I told the dealer about it and they changed all the filters and checked the dip tube in the fuel tank. They also found a blockage in the dip tube and replaced it. I've never had any more trouble like that again. Not saying this is what your trouble is, but might be worth checking. Tim
Thanks, Tim! I thought you might check in. When you say dip tube, I assume you mean the tube IN the fuel tank that draws the fuel from the tank? I did forget to mention when it first happened at full throttle and under load it was blowing lots of white smoke. I couldn't see it, but my wife said there was a lot of smoke. But it pretty much dies no matter what RPM it's running and whether under load or not. It just doesn't run long before it dies. Won't restart right away, but so far has restarted the next day, but dies within a minute again the next day. It's pretty consistent about when it dies and when it wants to start.
Can you hear the lift pump running? Had this happen on a ls150 over the summer, rpms slowed down until it wouldnt run at all.
I don't think so, Mike. I have an enclosed cab, though. I might be able to open my door and windows and try and listen for it. I haven't even thought about that. Man, my memory ain't what it used to be! Thanks!
I went out this morning and tried starting it and it didn't start this time. I listened for the fuel pump and didn't hear anything. Is it a safe bet that could be the cause of all this? Is that a part that gradually fails? Reason I ask is because I was getting starts and now nothing at all. Maybe complete failure at this point? If that is the case, how do I get my boom up to work on the machine?
I'm not 100% if you have one or not. The 150 we had did, it looked like a small square metal box, with fuel lines attached to it, and 2 wires coming out of it. On the 150, the top came up and you could get the engine side panels off with the boom down. If yours is mechanical, which is could be, it could have quit, or it is having a problem getting fuel to to the pump...i.e. broken/plugged pickup tube. You could also gently pressurize the fuel tank with compressed air to see if fuel makes its way to the filters. You also might want to blow back through the fuel line going to the tank to make sure the tube isn't plugged or broken....you should hear bubbling.
Thanks, Mike. I thought maybe I had air still in my lines so I tried the primer lever again but nothing was coming out. I turned the motor several times but nothing was happening. It's really frustrating trying to get to things with the boom down. No, it's downright impossible to get to things. I jumped back in the cab to try it again and it cranked for a bit then caught for a split second then died. I think my heart skipped a beat and I tried it again. It cranked for about 5 seconds and struggled to start but did finally start. I took advantage of my normally (and dwindling) small window to get the boom up and on its safety pins. That boom is NOT coming down again until this thing is running non-stop. Whether the pumping of that lever had anything to do with it or not, I don't know. But I have to think it might have had something to do with it because it wasn't wanting to start at all before I did that. This could very well be a plugged or leaking line and I'll have to try and trace the problem down. I'm a little slow in doing things as I have a lot to do around my place all the time but I will keep this thread updated. I take everyone's suggestions and consider them and look into everything suggested. I could never do this on my own and without this websites help.
If it like my 665 you can get at the lift pump with the boom down and disconnect the out line to see if the pump is pumping fuel. What percentage of biodiesel do you have down there? With cold weather that stuff will clog filters too.
I don't even know where the lift pump is on my machine. I had a pair of gloves on my seat. I grabbed them and noticed the palm on one of the gloves were chewed to bits. Dang rats could be the problem here, too. Sometimes I hate it out here in the country.
Stovein, we don't have access to biodiesel in our area.
Is that little thingy with the lever on it that I prime the fuel the lift pump? Is that also called a fuel pump on these machines or is there a fuel pump, too? Maybe that is faulty? I still can't seem to get any fuel to come out of it no matter what I do.
fuel pump, lift pump, transfer pump, manual pump, mechanical pump, all names for the same thing, the pump that moves fuel from fuel tank to injection pump. The manual lever is used for priming when fuel filters have been changed. It's a mechanical lever pump that operates off of a cam lobe, if the lever is sitting on top of a cam lobe the manual lever won't operate the pump, have to bump the engine over so the pump lever is on the low side of a cam lobe, then manual lever will operate the pump. If you're not getting fuel flow to lift pump, you need to check your fuel lines and the pickup tube inside the tank. Also, there's a s/n break for the L190 in around 2008, later models do show an inline filter in the fuel line.
Lift pump / fuel pump same thing. Not to be confused with fuel injection pump. The lift pump has another lever on the inside that rides on a cam lobe. While engine is running it will work up and down to pump the fuel. Now if by chance the engine stopped when the inside lever was at or near the high point on the cam you will not be able to work the pump using the outside lever. That is why others have suggested turning the engine over a little and trying again. If the inside lever is on the high point and you try to pump it with the outside lever it will feel like it is not connected to anything. When it is positioned so the outside lever will work you should feel a clear difference while working it. Is there any chance of getting a picture of this pump and posting it? Some of these pumps do have a screen inside that will get plugged and also cause your problem. I'm sure a picture will answer a lot of questions those trying to help may have.
Looks like me and kshansen were on the same page at the same time.
Fuel lift pump, s/n N7M459487 and after.
I was a little slower typing I guess it's the cold weather up north!
Very good picture, shows the two levers I was talking about, hope that help explain it to the OP. That pump does not look like the ones I was talking about with the internal screen/filter. Those will usually have a small bolt like a 10-32 screw in the top.
Thanks, Willie! You're always a big help in explaining things. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. I understand how it works now. I guess the cam lobe just hasn't been in the right position. About my luck. kshansen ask for pics of pump so here it be: Pics didn't transpose. They never do. Have to do a certain thing here but I post so little I always forget how to do it. Anyway , maybe you can see them. You may get to see my whole photobucket album for all I know. :tong