Should have turned on the fuel

37 chief · Jun 2, 2021

I don't use my MF 231 very often. I use my MF 231 and my 6 ft rotary mower, because a lot of of poly watering pipe is still on the ground, from an old lemon orchard. My flail mower will pick that up in a second and wrap around the drum. I had to park some distance away. I get my tractor off the trailer and head to the field. Got one pass started. The tractor started slowing down. Then stopped. Being a diesel I knew it had to be a fuel problem. I started checking the fuel supply. I forgot to open the fuel valve. So I hiked back to my truck, to find starter fluid, I usually carry, not there. I loaded up my ramps, and chains. Then headed back to the shop. No starter fluid. After more looking it was in the back seat of my truck, all the time. Got back to the tractor. Took a few wrenches to bleed the fuel filter. I was one wrench size off. Since I couldn't bleed the filter I gave it a shot of starting fluid. It started them quit. A couple more times it kept running. I don't like to use starting fluid, but it worked.
got done in time to fight rush hour traffic going home. Stan

Hdonly · Jun 3, 2021

Yes, I did the same thing on my Cat D6B dozer. Took a while with having to charge the batteries along with some starting fluid. So far, I haven't repeated that,,,,,,,,,,,yet!

Fred Werring · Jun 3, 2021

Stan
Got a Massey 398 with a loader. My hay feeding tractor. Glass bowl on the filter had water in it, froze and busted.
Can't open the hood with the loader on it to bleed the injectors. Starting fluid did the trick.
Like you, didn't like doing it, but not much choice. That was many years ago (I do a much better job checking that glass bowl now), didn't seem to hurt anything.
Fred

Desertjoe · Jun 3, 2021

Well, I live in an area of the USA that (fortunately) doesn't see many really cold temps to have to worry about losing so much equipment and machinery to hard freezes,,,altho,,ironically,,I am currently in the process of having to repair TWO cases of those hard freezes on machinery that DID freeze and bust. First is my Ferguson TO20 that came from the Oklahoma area with cracked liner webs and a 351 Ford boat engine from the Kansas area that has cracked intake manifold and a cracked block,,!. My Father never believed in antifreeze, or couldn't afford it,,,but he would always drain the water in the tractors and trks in the winter months,,so I learned early,!!
It's amazing what ice can do when it is not allowed to expand,,,,,

stevob671 · Jun 3, 2021

Had a slight leak on our 5200 Ford one time during hay rush. Shut fuel off when not using, turned on when using. Kept forgetting the on part. It's amazing how you can take the baler out of the shed, go hook up a wagon or two and be heading down the road before it quits! AND then you remember to turn the fuel back on!

M-MAN · Jun 3, 2021

At least you didn't kill the starter after leaving the fuel cut off. That'll hurt your feelings.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 3, 2021

Call me a little OCB. I have 3 toolboxes on truck. I know exactly where my starter fluid is. I get made at myself if I look for a tool and I didn't put it back where it belongs.
So did you talk to yourself when you couldn't find your starter fluid?

comfortking · Jun 3, 2021

I have done the same thing. When you forget to turn on the fuel just turn it on and wait a bit. If you have no leaks in your system there will be a vacuum in the filters and it will refill itself.

Should have turned on the fuel

37 chief

Well-known Member

Hdonly

Member

Fred Werring

Well-known Member

Desertjoe

Member

stevob671

Member

M-MAN

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

comfortking

Member

Similar threads