2005 200clc Fuel issues

[Derrick Raney]

2005 John Deere 200clc 6.8l 6068HT059 after running for hour to hour and a half excavator started to lose power under load. When this happens is I get out and check it has sucked the primer pump plunger down tight and the machine can’t get enough fuel under load. The longer it goes on the worse it gets. Fuel tank has been drained and cleaned, fuel line from tank to fuel water separator is just changed, fuel cap breather is clear, fuel filters are new, new injectors, injector pump, lift pump, new computer, new primer pump. As soon as excavator is turned off the primer pump starts to release. I can let the unit cool for and hour or so and start it back up and go back to digging and after 45 mins or so it will do the same thing.

 

[Diesel Dave]

I assume the primer pump plunger you are referring to is on the top of the water separator housing ?
Any chance the 2 fuel hoses at the water separator got crossed at some point?

 

[Derrick Raney]

Yes the primer pump plunger on top of the water separator housing. No the only hose that has been removed is the one from the tank to the water separator.

 

[Vetech63]

Sometimes the cap breather looks clear but isn't. Try running with the cap loose. I had the exact same thing going on with a dozer a month ago.

 

[Derrick Raney]

Not fuel cap it does fit tight enough to cause issue and I have run with out cap latched and issue still occurs.

 

[d9gdon]

I think the problem is that the fuel system is not venting, causing a vacuum and sucking the plunger down.

A collapsing fuel supply line would do that. I'd also look for something floating around in the fuel tank that is covering the outlet while running, but then floats back up when it's not running and allows fuel to flow again. A shop vac is a big help to clean the bottom of a fuel tank. I had a couple of operators that would lose the fuel tank lid every week or so, and one time they tied an empty plastic bag over the lid to keep dirt out and it fell into the tank and caused this problem. At least they tried to keep the dirt out...

I'd strap a temporary fuel tank on top of the excavator that's big enough to run for 2-3 hours and see what it did then.

Don't forget that the return line off the injectors can make one run funny if it gets stopped up...but it doesn't sound like it's happening here.

The one I owned had a rotary injector pump, but I remember there were several different styles of injector pumps that Deere used.

 

[Derrick Raney]

D9gdon,

Tank in the last five running hours has been drained, rinsed, and vacuumed. Along with the fuel line being replaced from the tank to the water separator in the last two hours of running. It does have a new rotary pump installed with in the last five hours and I have replace the relief valve in the top of the pump as another tech told me he has seen this be an issue in the past sticking once fuel heats up.
I have blown out the return Line in the past five hours and I can hear the returning fuel in the tank pouring in when removing the cap while running.

 

[d9gdon]

Check for piece of trash in that water separator housing. Take the lines off and the plugs out and blow compressed air through it.

Is it JD filter or aftermarket? I've had aftermarket fuel filters that don't work like OEM.

What's the history, did you just buy the machine or have you put hundreds of hours on it before now? We don't know if it's always had this problem or not.

Just thought of something...is there an elbow near the fuel pump that has one of those glass beads in it that JD is famous for on the old Roosa Master pumps? I don't think there is, but trash likes to hide in elbows. Also, sometimes a fitting will have a screen in it that can stop up. Sometimes there are banjo fittings on fuel lines, and the fastener for it will have a screen in it (hollow bolt).

It's surely not cold enough for the fuel to gel yet?

I didn't hear you say anything about the final fuel filters, only the separator? Have they been changed?

Also, look for a crushed or crimped steel fuel supply line...could have happened when parts were changed.

Check your primer pump to make sure the disc or other piece wasn't put in upside down or something like that.

 

[d9gdon]

Your machine has the Stanadyne DE-10 injector pump right? They didn't sell you a different one due to supply chain issues did they? Same with the transfer pump...did you get the exact one that came off the machine?

Deere supplied Bosch injection pumps on some of them...can't mix and match parts for the different systems.

 

[Derrick Raney]

Machine is new to me. John Deere looked at it before I purchased and said it needed injectors and pump. It had a standing DE-10 pump. I have the type pump that was on the machine. It was not the exact one. Transfer pump was from Deere same one that I took off. Fuel lines I am not seeing any crimp and I would think is something was in the line it would be acting up all the time. But it takes about an hour from cold to act up. If it cools down completely it will run for another hour.
Both filters are new Deere filters. The primer pump is new and I could have installed something wrong but I am pretty sure I put it back just like it came off. But I could have mess placed something.
No it’s still in the 70’s here. No fuel gel.

I can say for sure it is not fuel cap I ran down to the farm after work and ran it for an hour without the fuel cap on and it still acted up.

I have previously blown out lines but not as good as it probably could be done.

it seems like it has something to do with the fuel getting warmed up but it’s not getting hot as the fuel cooler stays cool to the touch.

 

[Diesel Dave]

The engine control system is equipped with a diagnostic display. I believe it is in the compartment behind the cab .
Are there any active engine fault codes ?

 

[Derrick Raney]

No fault codes on display.

 

[d9gdon]

Tee in a vacuum gauge into the fuel line immediately before the injection pump. You have to rule out a restriction. Then go to the next issue.

Something is not right if it's sucking the primer pump down.

 

[d9gdon]

You may have to tee it in right after the primer pump to get a proper reading.