limited use in last couple months 1600 hrs. Machine died out yesterday. Drained fuel separator to lightly colored brown fluid. Replaced filter and was good for an hour of use. today went to run and clear snow after half hr machine died. primer bulb collapsed. Unhooked out hose and tried pumping fuel to no go. Switched bulb around to blow into tank and check obstructions. None. Put bulb back around and checked fuel. 3/4 tanks. Ok maybe gauge goofy? Put like 8 gallons in it to full and pumped bulb right up. Started machine and will run for like 10 min and die. Pump bulb and good for another 10 min….. what gives?
Swap out the bulb.. Best on the market is a Yamaha primer bulb.. Good luck
I swapped out the bulb to my spare 1. The original1 was hard and Almost not squeezable. This one is soft and pumpable but it never pumps solid with a full prime?
Even with the fuel cap off.?? Do u have an air tank or air compressor that’ll reach the engine.?? Remove the tank cap. Remove the bulb and back blow the line towards the tank.. Give it a try.
I can reverse the bulb and pump into the tank with ease- it’s not blocked when bulb is correctlu installed it will pump fuel - I tried with out the out hose connected it pumps but not a full hose and when conrpected it pumps but the bulb never feels solid
That could be almost anything..?? Does your inj pump have an overflow valve.?? It might be opening up and not letting the line/bulb get hard.??.
Looking at some temperatures around New England, they are reaching the cloud point for #2 ULSD. I wonder if your fuel is gelling.
So machine idled fine for 15 min. Ran fine for 15 min then died out. Bulb collapsed. Pumped up good for 15 min and dies out bulb not collapsed tho i pulled the pick up tube and it was still atached. Just a tube not one with the screen and valve at the end- actually broke the hose connection so I need a new one anyway. full tank so draining doesnt sound great and the weather…… may put back together and hope to nurse it along till warmer weather? I may add more treatment for gelling and blow air around in tank to stir it up?
Sometimes it’s easier to tarp it and blast it with some hot air.
The pickup tube and the bulb are usually the main culprits. You could also have a small pinhole leak in the tank to bulb hose or bulb to filter hose. Change the fuel filter if you haven't already done so. HF has a decent fuel system test gauge kit with enough fittings to make something work to see if you have a leak. If the bulb is collapsing, you are sucking air somewhere.
I’m curious the process of a bulb collapsing could lead to the idea of sucking air? Not saying I disagree, but wondering the thought process behind it. A collapsed bulb to me means, you’ve sucked as much fuel as you can out of a closed tank, one that doesn’t allow air in to replace the fuel that’s gone out, so things start collapsing, weakest point being the bulb, starving your machine for fuel. (Example, sucking out of a plastic bag until it collapses, closed system). I’ve seen plastic fuel tanks suck in in real bad cases. An air leak usually leads to erratic idle. Usually the throttle doesn’t respond as it should or match rpm due to air in the system. Granted the above is just my experience, I’m aware there’s other possibilities for sure! So no disagreement, just wanting to learn. Is it possible there’s frozen moisture in your fuel cap not allowing the system to breathe? I’d like to think you have a gelling issue as a possibility as well, your symptoms seam to point to lack of fuel supply, hooking a clear fuel filter before your primer wouldn’t hurt to see and be sure clear fuel is coming to your pump. Gelling does odd things Is your bleeder screw closed ? The little finger tight half inch bleeder used for priming the system after fuel filter change, helps purge air out as well. Maybe dump half a quart of red diesel 9one1 treatment in if gelling is indeed a concern.
@Hondaracing02 - I guess in my way of thinking, an air leak doesn't directly cause the bulb to collapse, but rather a result of it. There is no lift pump in the bobcat, so it relies on vacuum to get from the tank to the injection pump. If there is an air leak, it loses that vacuum and then the injection pump takes all the remaining fuel available causing the bulb to collapse. I guess depending on where the leak is located and if there is a check valve in the bulb or not would determine if the bulb could vent and return to normal after the engine dies. Could certainly be gelling too. My Duramax wouldn't stay running this weekend in this storm. Yesterday, I pump up the fuel primer a few times and it fires off like the last 4 days never happened.
I replaced the pickup tube and primer bulb. Machine idled fine for 15 min. Started using it and died out and collapsed primer Disconnected primer and pumped up again- never rock hard ran for 15 min and died out again. Primer not collapsed. Pumped back up and seems ok……. Dumped some Hayes fuel treatment in tank And now letting it idle