Bobcat S185 Fuel starvation

[Bones101]

My first post and my first skidsteer. Recently bought a 2005 Bobcat S185. 3700 hours. Runs good for about 10 mins, then starves for fuel, smokes then stall. I have Bobcat excavators and Cummins trucks so diesels are familiar ground for me. I bled air out of system, it started and ran fine then same thing...repeated this a few times. New filter, checked pickup tube in tank-good,new fuel line from tank and tried feeding machine from temp tank. All same results. It will stay running if I keep pumping the primer bulb. My guess is the lift pump? It's obvious each time I bleed it I get it to run until I lose that pressure then restore pressure manually with the bulb. Any help will keep me from jamming the little lady in with the motor to keep ithe fuel to it.

 

[flyerdan]

It sounds like it could be a lift pump issue, a couple of low cost tests would be to see if it will run with a gravity feed fuel jug, and or tee in a pressure gauge between the lift pump and primer bulb. And of course check the oil for indications of fuel in case the diaphragm has failed.
There was a similar thread a while back, you might check it out for ideas.

 

[Bones101]

Following up on my post... I put an electric pump in line where the mechanical one is, sourced fuel from another tank and it ran perfect. Working backward, I removed the electric pump and plumbed the mechanical pump. Ran perfect. Eliminated the separate fuel tank plumbed the tank line and right back to original problem. As I said, pick up tube was good, new fuel line so the obvious. The new fuel I replaced the old with when I first started was bad. Pumped out 16 gallons and replaced it with fuel from another station, and I'm in business. I bought the fuel from a pump I never used before out of convenience. Last time I go there. I did stop back and let them know the fuel was bad. Didn't seem to interest the clerk.

 

[bobbie-g]

Following up on my post... I put an electric pump in line where the mechanical one is, sourced fuel from another tank and it ran perfect. Working backward, I removed the electric pump and plumbed the mechanical pump. Ran perfect. Eliminated the separate fuel tank plumbed the tank line and right back to original problem. As I said, pick up tube was good, new fuel line so the obvious. The new fuel I replaced the old with when I first started was bad. Pumped out 16 gallons and replaced it with fuel from another station, and I'm in business. I bought the fuel from a pump I never used before out of convenience. Last time I go there. I did stop back and let them know the fuel was bad. Didn't seem to interest the clerk.

Thanks for that feedback! And save that old diesel. It's good for treating bug-infested wood to kill those tree-killing bugs. ---Bobbie-G