Bobcat 873 doesnt want to run in zero temps

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jerry

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May 3, 2007
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Not familiar with your fuel pump set-up but if you can, take the line off before the filter and make sure it is pumping a good flow for several minutes into a clean container. If so then that eliminates so do the same after the filter. Just follow the flow up to the injection pump. can you manually hold the fuel shut-off open or bypass it to eliminate it as a problem? On my new Holland the see through filter never is full unless it is getting blocked .
I tried to reuse the spin on water seperator fuel filters that I had changed out last year with only a short time on them and they didn't work long this year . Only a few minutes running on them but the only cure was a new one. Now with #1 fuel it seems to be ok this time.
 

antfarmer2

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Oct 28, 2013
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I tried to reuse the spin on water seperator fuel filters that I had changed out last year with only a short time on them and they didn't work long this year . Only a few minutes running on them but the only cure was a new one. Now with #1 fuel it seems to be ok this time.
Does yours have the little wheel by the injector pump that is a bleeder valve and needs to be closed after bleeding and the oring in it could be cracked and sucking air check all fuel lines for cracks loose or pinched
 

antfarmer2

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Oct 28, 2013
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Does yours have the little wheel by the injector pump that is a bleeder valve and needs to be closed after bleeding and the oring in it could be cracked and sucking air check all fuel lines for cracks loose or pinched
You did try looseing your fuel cap to check for a pluged vent
 

bobcatguy

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Oct 31, 2014
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Well sorry to say i still have a problem , replaced pickup tube & screen with new , new pickup pump , this is what it doing it will try to start and run for 30 -45 seconds or so and then die . the motor runs very slow like it running out of fuel . on the fuel filter if i take it off it's about 3/4 full of fuel i tried two filters and it does the same thing . if i fill the filter full to the top and put it back on the motor will start and run at full throttle for about a minute or two then it will die like it just ran out of fuel , i checked the line and the fuel will pump up with the hand pump , any idea's for trouble shooting more of the system . i live in a rural area so no dealers around closest bobcay dealer 3-4 hours away so i need to try to learn and fix the problem myself .
Thanks for any replies
Jess
It sounds like you're pulling air. Are you sure you have the fuel filter properly bled? I'm assuming you know but putting it out there just in case, there's a small brass screw on top of the filter housing that you turn to open. Squeeze your primer bulb until you have a good stream of fuel coming from the bleeder, tighten the bleeder then squeeze the primer bulb until tight. Once you've done this, try starting the engine. Another thing that comes to mind. Check your lines to the injectors. I had an deutz with rubber fuel lines on it. There was an updated line that is metal with shorter tubes running to the injectors. On mine, there were cracks in the rubber line and cracks allow air Have you switched the fuel pull relay with a known good relay? Keep plugging away, you'll get there.
 

antfarmer2

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Joined
Oct 28, 2013
Messages
2,801
It sounds like you're pulling air. Are you sure you have the fuel filter properly bled? I'm assuming you know but putting it out there just in case, there's a small brass screw on top of the filter housing that you turn to open. Squeeze your primer bulb until you have a good stream of fuel coming from the bleeder, tighten the bleeder then squeeze the primer bulb until tight. Once you've done this, try starting the engine. Another thing that comes to mind. Check your lines to the injectors. I had an deutz with rubber fuel lines on it. There was an updated line that is metal with shorter tubes running to the injectors. On mine, there were cracks in the rubber line and cracks allow air Have you switched the fuel pull relay with a known good relay? Keep plugging away, you'll get there.
One more thought you said there was no pickup tube on there when you pulled the fuel hose are you sure you put the new pickup tube on the right hose? That is if it's like mine and has a return line
 
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1ofU

1ofU

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May 19, 2012
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180
One more thought you said there was no pickup tube on there when you pulled the fuel hose are you sure you put the new pickup tube on the right hose? That is if it's like mine and has a return line
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featu...B7zJqFw1k&x-yt-ts=1422579428&x-yt-cl=85114404
Thanks to all for the replies on this thread ..
i have it running , it's running better now than when i first bought it .
i will list what i did and go from there . i didnt have anymore Bobcat brand fuel filters on hand so i went to my local auto parts and got some Wix filtesrs , i also bought a Mr Gasket micro diesel 12 volt pump ( that was good money spent $59.00 ) so i got my parts in Wed's & Thursday a new pickup pump and a pickup hose & screen i tried to start it thursday with no luck so i picked up the new Wix filters and electric fuel pump Friday before i came home first thing installed a new filter still would not start so i pumped out the fuel that was in the tank 20 gallons and the first 10 gals when it came out the pump it looked like Milk , a soft white in color dont know why the last 10 gallons looked like normal diesel fuel . so the tank was empty I had some new diesel in a cans 25 gal so i hooked up the electric pump to one of the cans and the bobcat and the bobcat started right up and ran great so this told me the problem was from the fuel line that leads to the filter back to the tank in the bobcat and filled the bobcat tank half full with fuel around 10 gallons hooked up the fuel line back to the filter and the bobcat would not start , i then hooked up the electric fuel pump to the tank fuel line and the bobcat started right up and ran , so the problem was back in the tank i removed the electric fuel pump and reinstalled the hand pump but his time i gave the hand pump a couple of pump real slow and i was able to hear air going back into the tank so i checked the hose clamp on the grommet comming out of the tank it was loose i didnt loosen it when i pulled the grommet out to install the new hose and screen so it must of been loose all the time filled the tank full of fuel and got inand the bobcat started right up i ran it a hour friday night i let it set all day Saturday and went out Sunday afternoon after we got 2.5 inches of snow temps around 25 with a 20 mile wind so windchill around zero didnt put a jumper on it i wanted to see if it would start right up like on Friday night , it was good to go it started right up on the first time on the glow plugs it hasnt done that since ive had it normal it would take 3-4 time through the glow plugs for it to start up .
so i think i had several problems that made this happen bad or jelled fuel and filters maybe i added too much red 911 to the tank , a air leak on the fuel line i think my hose and screen was good i think i blew it off when i shot air back through the line i say this because i could see and feel the hose swell alittle with a tad of air pressure was first done then i added more air and it blew the hose off the grommet .
anyway it runs better now than when i first got it , just having that electric fuel really got it running as i was able to drain the tank and run the motor from a can of diesel , it should be a must have in your tool box to trouble shoot fuel problems ,
Thanks again for the replies , hope we was able to help some one else out along the way with all of the great replies .
Jess
 

Tazza

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Messages
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZpB7zJqFw1k&x-yt-ts=1422579428&x-yt-cl=85114404
Thanks to all for the replies on this thread ..
i have it running , it's running better now than when i first bought it .
i will list what i did and go from there . i didnt have anymore Bobcat brand fuel filters on hand so i went to my local auto parts and got some Wix filtesrs , i also bought a Mr Gasket micro diesel 12 volt pump ( that was good money spent $59.00 ) so i got my parts in Wed's & Thursday a new pickup pump and a pickup hose & screen i tried to start it thursday with no luck so i picked up the new Wix filters and electric fuel pump Friday before i came home first thing installed a new filter still would not start so i pumped out the fuel that was in the tank 20 gallons and the first 10 gals when it came out the pump it looked like Milk , a soft white in color dont know why the last 10 gallons looked like normal diesel fuel . so the tank was empty I had some new diesel in a cans 25 gal so i hooked up the electric pump to one of the cans and the bobcat and the bobcat started right up and ran great so this told me the problem was from the fuel line that leads to the filter back to the tank in the bobcat and filled the bobcat tank half full with fuel around 10 gallons hooked up the fuel line back to the filter and the bobcat would not start , i then hooked up the electric fuel pump to the tank fuel line and the bobcat started right up and ran , so the problem was back in the tank i removed the electric fuel pump and reinstalled the hand pump but his time i gave the hand pump a couple of pump real slow and i was able to hear air going back into the tank so i checked the hose clamp on the grommet comming out of the tank it was loose i didnt loosen it when i pulled the grommet out to install the new hose and screen so it must of been loose all the time filled the tank full of fuel and got inand the bobcat started right up i ran it a hour friday night i let it set all day Saturday and went out Sunday afternoon after we got 2.5 inches of snow temps around 25 with a 20 mile wind so windchill around zero didnt put a jumper on it i wanted to see if it would start right up like on Friday night , it was good to go it started right up on the first time on the glow plugs it hasnt done that since ive had it normal it would take 3-4 time through the glow plugs for it to start up .
so i think i had several problems that made this happen bad or jelled fuel and filters maybe i added too much red 911 to the tank , a air leak on the fuel line i think my hose and screen was good i think i blew it off when i shot air back through the line i say this because i could see and feel the hose swell alittle with a tad of air pressure was first done then i added more air and it blew the hose off the grommet .
anyway it runs better now than when i first got it , just having that electric fuel really got it running as i was able to drain the tank and run the motor from a can of diesel , it should be a must have in your tool box to trouble shoot fuel problems ,
Thanks again for the replies , hope we was able to help some one else out along the way with all of the great replies .
Jess
HF1 in freezing temperatures could be because the oil has not yet warmed up. Keep it running for a while to heat it up. If you activate the aux hydraulics to load the system down, it iwll heat faster.
Glad it's running better than ever.
 

mark18mwm

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
240
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZpB7zJqFw1k&x-yt-ts=1422579428&x-yt-cl=85114404
Thanks to all for the replies on this thread ..
i have it running , it's running better now than when i first bought it .
i will list what i did and go from there . i didnt have anymore Bobcat brand fuel filters on hand so i went to my local auto parts and got some Wix filtesrs , i also bought a Mr Gasket micro diesel 12 volt pump ( that was good money spent $59.00 ) so i got my parts in Wed's & Thursday a new pickup pump and a pickup hose & screen i tried to start it thursday with no luck so i picked up the new Wix filters and electric fuel pump Friday before i came home first thing installed a new filter still would not start so i pumped out the fuel that was in the tank 20 gallons and the first 10 gals when it came out the pump it looked like Milk , a soft white in color dont know why the last 10 gallons looked like normal diesel fuel . so the tank was empty I had some new diesel in a cans 25 gal so i hooked up the electric pump to one of the cans and the bobcat and the bobcat started right up and ran great so this told me the problem was from the fuel line that leads to the filter back to the tank in the bobcat and filled the bobcat tank half full with fuel around 10 gallons hooked up the fuel line back to the filter and the bobcat would not start , i then hooked up the electric fuel pump to the tank fuel line and the bobcat started right up and ran , so the problem was back in the tank i removed the electric fuel pump and reinstalled the hand pump but his time i gave the hand pump a couple of pump real slow and i was able to hear air going back into the tank so i checked the hose clamp on the grommet comming out of the tank it was loose i didnt loosen it when i pulled the grommet out to install the new hose and screen so it must of been loose all the time filled the tank full of fuel and got inand the bobcat started right up i ran it a hour friday night i let it set all day Saturday and went out Sunday afternoon after we got 2.5 inches of snow temps around 25 with a 20 mile wind so windchill around zero didnt put a jumper on it i wanted to see if it would start right up like on Friday night , it was good to go it started right up on the first time on the glow plugs it hasnt done that since ive had it normal it would take 3-4 time through the glow plugs for it to start up .
so i think i had several problems that made this happen bad or jelled fuel and filters maybe i added too much red 911 to the tank , a air leak on the fuel line i think my hose and screen was good i think i blew it off when i shot air back through the line i say this because i could see and feel the hose swell alittle with a tad of air pressure was first done then i added more air and it blew the hose off the grommet .
anyway it runs better now than when i first got it , just having that electric fuel really got it running as i was able to drain the tank and run the motor from a can of diesel , it should be a must have in your tool box to trouble shoot fuel problems ,
Thanks again for the replies , hope we was able to help some one else out along the way with all of the great replies .
Jess
Glad it's running. Sounds to me like you may have had water in your tank. That would explain the milky fuel, the water is heavier then the fuel and was on the bottom of the tank and was the first pumped out , then the good fuel came out. the 911 should have "dispersed" and diluted the water suspending it in the fuel so it could go through the fuel system. It don't take much water to do that either, probably not even a cup full. The cold weather when you first had the trouble was enough to gel the fuel and freeze the water in the fuel, plugging the filter. Several problems compounding each other. Good job using a completely separate fuel source to get it going. Congrats.
 
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