2940 won't run

Kept the 2940 on a bock heater all night with 2 oil pan heaters too. 20 degrees here. Started hard but started and ran normal for about 10 minutes. Stopped in front of the garage as I was clearing snow. Thought the fuel filter was gelled even though I put new diesel in in Nov and put half a white bottle of power service in at that time. Ran the tractor several times since then with no problems. Thought maybe I had cavitated the injectors so I loosened the two nuts on one injector. When I cranked the motor just a trickle of fuel came out of the fuel line to the injector. If I loosen the fuel line from the filter to the carb/injector mainfold on the left side the fuel comes out in a good stream when I crank the motor over. What do I do now? THANKS

Does your 2940 have a pull-cable fuel shut off, or is it an electric solenoid (start key operated) fuel shut off?

If solenoid controlled, make sure the solenoid is pushing (or pulling, depending on its setup) the fuel shut off lever on the injection pump back to the Run position when the key is turned on. Electric solenoids do fail every now and then. Some fuel shut-off solenoids are spring-loaded to pull fuel off, and electro-magneted to push fuel on, but I've seen 'em designed to work the opposite way as well.

If that's not it...

Time to change your fuel filter(s) and then bleed the system of all air.
You have to have good flow through the filter(s). I've seen many plug up with fuel bacteria (looks & feels like black sludge) and shut the tractor right off. Once you replace the fuel filter(s) you will also need to use the hand primer on the lift pump to bleed the air from the filter housing, as well as to assure yourself that fuel is flowing freely from the filter housing down to the injection pump.

If she still won't go, check to see that you have good flow from your lift pump (the mechanical one that feeds your injection pump) by removing the outlet line and cranking the engine over. If the fuel really shoots out, then the lift pump is good. If not, you need a lift pump. (That's the cheap one.)

Finally, crank the engine with the injection lines loosened or even removed from the injection pump. Fuel should really flow like mad out of the injection pump. If not, your injection pump is shot. At this point, you have 2 things to do. One, get a manual and time the pump BEFORE removing it from the engine for repair. Two, also go buy a new lift pump and replace it at the same time you put a new injection pump on. It's really good insurance, as a bad lift pump can destroy an injection pump.

A few back, our JD 2630 and JD 2555 both decided to die. The 2630 started surging and running bad and eventually died. The 2555 just plain shut right off. Both tractors needed new fuel filters, bled the air, and they were up and running again. Turned out that we had a bacteria problem in our bulk diesel storage tank, and it was "gumming-up" the works.

A few years ago my JD 2555 shut down on me while I was just driving along. Turned out that the injection pump took a dump. Tractor had somewhere around 6,000 hours on the clock at the time.

I hate to say it, but from what you described, if you have good fuel flow to the injection pump, your injection pump is probably shot and it's time for a rebuild.

Good luck,
Andy

Check your banjo fittings before your fuel filter. My 4430 was starving for fuel and i changed filters and couldnt get a prime in my system. Took the bolt out that held the banjo fitting onto the fuel filter block and it was so clogged it had to push the crud out with my pinky. This was the hard line from the fuel tank to the fuel filter block. The system primed right up and no more problems. Maybe this is your problem. Just giving you another opinion. Hope it helps

If the fuel you put in it was summer blend bio diesel, it will gel at around 30 degrees. All the power service won't help.
Change and bleed the filters, If it still won't start check the fuel in the tank,If it looks like it's gelled or gummy,you will have to drain the tank,and start over with fresh winter blend.

Oh yeah, and you mentioned that the tractor started hard in 20 degree weather with 2 engine oil heaters AND a block heater plugged in all night?!

Something seems screwy here. That tractor should fire right up in 20 degree weather if the block heater is plugged in even for only about 4 hours - possibly less.

Most guys leave block heaters plugged in too long as it is. All that happens is that they eventually burn out and quit working, or worse, sometimes they short out and burn up the plug - which can be pretty dangerous for your barn and your tractor's well being. I don't know why, but nobody seems to use timers. I've always been a fan of having a good Heavy Duty timer for my block heaters. They turn on for several hours in the early morning hours, so that the tractor is warmed up and ready to start when I get out there, and off the rest of the time. You just set your timer based on your preferences. A minor note, but by not running your block heater all the time, it also saves on your electricity bill as well.

I wonder if your block heater is working properly (if at all). You should hear it "hissing" withing a few seconds of plugging it in. That's an indication that it is working - heating the coolant around the heating element that is (I believe) screwed into your 2940's engine block.

How many hours are on your tractor? How much blow-by is there coming out of the crankcase (valve cover) breather?

Like some of the other posters on here, I'm wondering as well about fuel gelling up as a problem, or possibly water in your fuel also. Again, that's all pretty easy to figure out, based on your fuel flow.

But, as you originally stated, you think you have good fuel flow TO the injection pump, but not out of it? Well, if that is the case, then back to my original diagnosis... Time for a new (or rebuild yours) injection pump.

Andy

(quoted from post at 15:12:58 02/03/11) If I loosen the fuel line from the filter to the carb/injector mainfold on the left side the fuel comes out in a good stream when I crank the motor over. What do I do now? THANKS

Click to expand...

Are you referring to the injector pump as the carb/injector manifold???????

If so then your fuel shouldn't be gelled. I would remove return line from inj pump and try to start engine to see if fuel will come out of return line fitting. If no fuel comes out of this fitting while cranking the the check valve(glass ball) in the fitting is plugged. I would also loosen inj lines at the injectors to see if fuel or air comes out while cranking engine.