Diesel tractor with engine problem?

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I have a 1988 JD 855 compact tractor used for road maintenance, snow blowing and tree clearing and harvesting. The machine is a workhorse and has put in over 100 hours per year with just routine maintenance. That being said, it has developed a pattern of suddenly losing power and dropping the RPM's shortly after the engine has been throttled up to speed. Advancing the throttle further will get back up to speed and it does not repeat the drop in speed until it has been throttled down and back up again. This does not seem to be related to the load on the engine but rather it occurs a random but short time after the throttle is advanced.

I'm wondering if anyone could suggest what might cause this. Any ideas or suggestions welcomed.

Paul

-- Paul from Nova Scotia (Canada) (lfanning@ns.sympatico.ca), April 08, 2002

Answers

have you checked the fuel and air filters?

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), April 08, 2002.

Ill go with dave. Sounds like a fuel problem. Clean the fuel tank, replace the filter and put in new fuel.

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), April 09, 2002.

I'd check the mechanical linkages in the throttle mechanism too, and watch them while it's happening. I've seen funny things happening with sticky/sticking linkages, including sometimes with wire/thin rod sliding/sticking within sheathing.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), April 09, 2002.

Actually that is pretty light use! Less than 2000 hours, a diesel should appoach 5000 before major problems.

I'd look to the fuel supply as well, start with the filters, perhaps you got a bad batch of fuel. More serious would be the injector pump. Start with the simple stuff - filters, fuel lines, bad cable.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), April 09, 2002.


Install all new filters. Replace the fuel and add injecter cleaner.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), April 09, 2002.


Good answers but if these fail than I would be looking at cracked or dry rotted O-rings both at the cylinder head and in the pump itself. This creates first; an unexplained acceleration from having to much air sucked in by vacuum and then a loss of power because it affects your compression and air to fuel ratios. Try the filters first than we will go looking for Zebras.

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), April 10, 2002.

Thanks for the help; fuel filter was a bit dirty but the throttle linkage was bending rather than sliding smoothly. Both are better now.

Thanks again.

Paul

-- Paul from Nova Scotia (Canada) (lfanning@ns.sympatico.ca), April 10, 2002.


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