Motor loses power after hour running then stalls. how does that little tube make it breath if cap has a gasket
Good catch , should be a valve either on the cap or the tank . Can you post a picture of the underside of the cap .
I'm betting it has a fuel cap similar to the one on the 710D Back-hoe we had at the quarry. If you look at the underside of the cap there is probably a hole with a sinter bronze filter in it, guessing maybe 3/8 diameter and when cleaned looks like a bunch of small beads all stuck together. Just clean that area with some type of solvent or soapy water and a stiff brush and blow air through it. Amazing what you can find with a Google search, see the picture below the red arrow points to the filter that needs cleaning!
If your 550B has original cap, there is no vent in cap. Deere did not vent cap on dozer until G series. If you look close into fuel neck, you will see a small metal tube about 1/8 to 3/16 inch in diameter. It runs down inside of tank and exits out bottom of fuel tank. I have seen small sticks dirt etc. get jammed into the tube. You will see a little round boss that appears to be welded to bottom of tank you should see a very small portion of tube protruding from it. Mud Dobers like it also.
I have had customers who have plugged this tube because when fuel tank was overfilled fuel would weep out of tube at bottom of tank. I thank the filler neck is larger diameter on later units so not sure if vented cap would fit.
Well guess it's a good thing I didn't put money on my bet I would have lost! I was going by it having the same symptoms as the 710D they had at the quarry, once or twice a year someone would complain about it hardly having power enough to crawl out of the pit. Remove cap and flush that little breather out with solvent or brake clean, blow air through it and it was good to go!
If it doesn't have original cap, you may still win.
Ok I cleaned vent which goes from fill neck to base of tank w steel wire it was plugged w debris. That’s solved the suction issue on tank but machine stalled out today after hour n half pushing topsoil. changed fuel element few days ago had gunk in bottom. Wondering if suction line could be obstructed or pump has an issue. Also after hour running started hesitation goin from reverse to forward like pump is sucking air or something not engaging for moment. Transmission element is under seat about 8 inch diameter not sure how it’s removed without disassembling some things. Is that elem cleanable or order one. thank you for advice on tank vent
Sounds like a good cleaning of the tank and related lines is in order. Just looking around and found this link, might be worth looking at it: https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/navigation/equipment/82964 Also might be a good idea to find a operators and maybe service manual, seem to be seeing a few online.
There is a fine mesh fuel strainer number 3 in diagram that rarely gets checked at fuel supply tank to pump.