New Holland LX885 fuel issues

[houser]

Good morning everyone. This is the first thread I'm posting in Skidsteers. I have a 1995 New Holland Lx885 and it has been running great for the last 5 or 6 years that I have owned it. I parked it in October, just before it started getting cold. I went out a couple of weeks ago and it would not start. I found the hot wire lead to the fuel shutoff solenoid appeared to have been arcing against my starter. However, there is still 12v getting to the solenoid. I ordered a new one but am unsure if I need to remove the fuel pump before I remove the solenoid. I wouldn't think so, but this is the question if anyone can answer it. I also found the intake manifold glow plug had failed. I fixed the wire in the glow plug and it now glows, but when I removed the fuel line from it and turned the unit over, no fuel came out. That is what lead me to the shutoff solenoid. I have ordered a new glow plug as well. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[houser]

Here is my fuel pump. The solenoid can be seen at the lower left corner of the fuel pump.

 

[houser]

Another pic of my fuel pump with a better view of the shutoff solenoid on the lower left corner.

 

[houser]

Here is a pic of my fuel filters. According to the manual, I should have a lift pump on top of them but it does not look like the pic of what is in the manual.

 

[thepumpguysc]

If u think the solenoid is the problem.. u might be able to unscrew it from the pump and remove the plunger and spring from the solenoid body and screw it back it the pump, w/o the plunger and spring..& try to start it..
If it starts, u can shut it off with the short lever on the top cover..
Be sure to tape or cap off the hot wire that feeds the solenoid.. u don’t want it arcing on the block.
On the newer solenoids, the plunger and spring DOES NOT come out of the solenoid..
Good luck

 

[houser]

that is what i thought. thanks for takking time to help.

 

[houser]

If u think the solenoid is the problem.. u might be able to unscrew it from the pump and remove the plunger and spring from the solenoid body and screw it back it the pump, w/o the plunger and spring..& try to start it..
If it starts, u can shut it off with the short lever on the top cover..
Be sure to tape or cap off the hot wire that feeds the solenoid.. u don’t want it arcing on the block.
On the newer solenoids, the plunger and spring DOES NOT come out of the solenoid..
Good luck

Update. I replaced the fuel shutoff solenoid and still won't start. Checked all fuses, in the cab and in the engine compartment. None are blown. I'll be working on it again tomorrow. Any suggestions are deeply appreciated. I have read the service manual and it's not much help either. Does anyone know the circuitry that controls the fuel supply?

 

[thepumpguysc]

R u saying it won’t CRANK THE ENGINE OR it won’t START.?
U have to get the engine to CRANK BEFORE it’ll START..

If it’ll crank but not start, loosen the fuel line that feeds the inj pump and crank the engine and look to see if fuel is gushing out of the loosened line..
If it is, stop cranking and tighten the line back up..
Now pull the throttle to wide open and loosen the lines going to the injectors AT THE INJECTORS.. just a turn or 2.. u don’t have to take them off, just loosen ALL OF THEM.
Now crank the engine a couple of short 10 second bursts.. and see if u get fuel squirting out of the loosened lines..
If yes, tighten up all the lines and crank the engine.. it should start..

 

[TVA]

I work on those engines on wrecker yard forklifts. Those things have too many problems besides solenoids.
You should have make sure that fuel flows everywhere and there’s no air sucking in, especially in between those glass bowls. And make sure your strainer on the transfer pump on the back of the injection pump is not obstructed.
And purge air like PumpguySC says.

Are those gravity fed it lift pumped in the skid steers?

 

[thepumpguysc]

U see the double screw next to the name plate on the side of the inj pump, 7/16 body with a 5/16 screwed into it..
THATS the bleeder screw.. loosen the 5/16 and crank the engine.. it should shoot fuel a foot or 2.. with NO AIR.. snug it back up..

By the looks of the filters, they haven’t been changed in a LONG TIME..
U might wanna put THAT on ur to-do list..

 

[houser]

R u saying it won’t CRANK THE ENGINE OR it won’t START.?
U have to get the engine to CRANK BEFORE it’ll START..

If it’ll crank but not start, loosen the fuel line that feeds the inj pump and crank the engine and look to see if fuel is gushing out of the loosened line..
If it is, stop cranking and tighten the line back up..
Now pull the throttle to wide open and loosen the lines going to the injectors AT THE INJECTORS.. just a turn or 2.. u don’t have to take them off, just loosen ALL OF THEM.
Now crank the engine a couple of short 10 second bursts.. and see if u get fuel squirting out of the loosened lines..
If yes, tighten up all the lines and crank the engine.. it should start..

Thanks for the additional thoughts. Here is the situation. It will crank. It won't start. I used it in October. I parked it and was going to use it in December to move some snow. It wouldn't start. I found the intake manifold glow plug wasn't working. I fixed the glow plug, now it glows hot. The glow plug has a fuel line to it. I left it off and ran a hose from it to a container and then cranked it over, during and after the countdown. No fuel came out. Thought it was the solenoid and replaced the solenoid. It still acts like no fuel is getting anywhere. It has a small hand primer pump. I loosened the drain on the filter and pumped fuel through it manually. I checked for water, no water. Of interest, I did not see any type of electric lift pump that is shown in the parts manual. However, my filter situation looks different than the parts manual so this thing may have a hydraulic lift pump that I found in my searching for lift pumps. The first picture is the hydraulic lift pump, the second one is the electric variety pictured in the parts manual. I've also had the block heater plugged in after I installed the new shutoff solenoid. It still would not start. It's been in the 40's during the day and the 20's overnight. Today, I am planning on chasing down fuel supply issues. I have a dodge ram with the Cummins diesel and when the gas gauge failed, I ran it out of fuel and had to run it through the priming sequence to get fuel back to the injectors. I will go through the steps you outlined above. Thanks again.

 

[houser]

I work on those engines on wrecker yard forklifts. Those things have too many problems besides solenoids.
You should have make sure that fuel flows everywhere and there’s no air sucking in, especially in between those glass bowls. And make sure your strainer on the transfer pump on the back of the injection pump is not obstructed.
And purge air like PumpguySC says.

Are those gravity fed it lift pumped in the skid steers?

TVA - Thanks for your suggestions. See my situation I have outlined in my reply to thepumpguyssc. I used it, parked it, it got cold, tried to start it to no avail. I will get into the filters and fuel traceback today. Thanks again and will keep you guys posted.

 

[houser]

U see the double screw next to the name plate on the side of the inj pump, 7/16 body with a 5/16 screwed into it..
THATS the bleeder screw.. loosen the 5/16 and crank the engine.. it should shoot fuel a foot or 2.. with NO AIR.. snug it back up..

By the looks of the filters, they haven’t been changed in a LONG TIME..
U might wanna put THAT on ur to-do list..

thepumpguyssc, thanks for the addional suggestion. Yes, fuel filters are on my list as I go through on this thing. I haven't changed them since I purchased it 6 years ago, but I don't use it that much either. Regardless, I will be replacing them as well. Thanks again.

 

[houser]

Here is a pic of my pump and filters per the parts manual. part #6 is the small manual primer pump. It is a push pump.

 

[TVA]

The ones I work on are gravity fed without a hand pump, it’s a pain in the rear to purge that of air!!!

Every joint on those filters can suck air, and I wouldn’t really know that, because everything is on the suction side.
Eventually I’ve replaced all the copper crush washers under all the fittings and plugs with the bonded (dowty) washers. To eliminate that. The o-rings between filters and top and bottom housings and glass bowl are pain to deal with. I use aviation gasket maker ( shellac) to retain them in place, while assembling.

Do not use brake cleaner on that acrylic glass bowl - it’ll start eating at it. I use starting fluid instead. It’ll freeze your fingers off in the winter time though .
The bolts that assemble the filters together also need good compression style washers under them, or brand new o-rings ( I’ve seen the both ways).
Do not use o-ring that is too fat, they will crack or get chewed up on the installation.
New filters should have O -rings with them. But it’s depends who you get them from.
And thread the bolts by hand all the way until everything start touching each other - those suckers like to cross thread.

 

[TVA]

If the machine sat around idle for a while - it could have grown bacteria in the tank. If it did - it’ll keep plugging filters. I’d suggest inspecting the tank.
Because every time your file level will be getting lower - it’ll start sucking that black bacteria gunk to the filters

 

[TVA]

There’s another strainer under the fitting I’ve circled, despite having two filters before it, it also gets plugged up.
Be careful when you will be removing it, the bottom of the strainer goes on top of transfer pressure regulator, sometimes they like to come out together, and parts on the bottom of the regulator can fall down. Put something underneath when you will be pulling the strainer out, to catch those.
Hopefully only strainer will come out.

 

[houser]

There’s another strainer under the fitting I’ve circled, despite having two filters before it, it also gets plugged up.
Be careful when you will be removing it, the bottom of the strainer goes on top of transfer pressure regulator, sometimes they like to come out together, and parts on the bottom of the regulator can fall down. Put something underneath when you will be pulling the strainer out, to catch those.
Hopefully only strainer will come out.

TVA - thanks for the additional help. I'll check for fuel flow or stoppage a little later this morning when it warms up a bit more. The pic helps. I'll keep everyone posted as to my progress. Hopefully i'll get it running today or at least this week.

 

[houser]

There’s another strainer under the fitting I’ve circled, despite having two filters before it, it also gets plugged up.
Be careful when you will be removing it, the bottom of the strainer goes on top of transfer pressure regulator, sometimes they like to come out together, and parts on the bottom of the regulator can fall down. Put something underneath when you will be pulling the strainer out, to catch those.
Hopefully only strainer will come out.

TVA - a stupid question. Where is the lift pump? It does not have the electric pump as shown in the parts manual and does not show anything on the hydraulic lift pump. Any ideas?

 

[houser]

TVA - thanks for the additional help. I'll check for fuel flow or stoppage a little later this morning when it warms up a bit more. The pic helps. I'll keep everyone posted as to my progress. Hopefully i'll get it running today or at least this week.

TVA - Do you know if the fuel tubes in the tank give problems? My brother has a JD and a Bobcat and both have had broken fuel tubes in the tank.