Fuel problem

[Shelbyjoe]

I’m new to the skid steer community and I already have problems. My bobcat 863 1999 model run out of fuel at about 20 gallons left in the tank. If I top it off by putting 5 gallons and hitting the bulb it primes and starts and runs. Has any one had this problem before?

 

[brdgbldr]

Most likely your fuel pickup hose has broken off or has a crack in it. This is quite common. The hose will need to be replaced. No need to fish the part of the hose that broke off out of the tank. You will also need to replace the screen, wich is also a check valve, that was on the end of the hose.

I have not worked on an 863 before so I’m not sure how you will need to access it.

 

[Shelbyjoe]

Most likely your fuel pickup hose has broken off or has a crack in it. This is quite common. The hose will need to be replaced. No need to fish the part of the hose that broke off out of the tank. You will also need to replace the screen, wich is also a check valve, that was on the end of the hose.

I have not worked on an 863 before so I’m not sure how you will need to access it.

That is what I needed! Thanks so much!

 

[koko]

You need a friend with very long arms! Access by removing right rear wheel & access plates. Make sure that no church goers are nearby when working on that because your language will change!

 

[Shelbyjoe]

Koko, appreciate the advice. Nieghbors already know I got a potty mouth. Just another “project “

 

[Flip57]

I had the same thing happen to my 863 a few years ago but it broke off right at the top of the tank so I had to rig a gallon jug to get the machine into my shop. I found that I had to pull hydraulic tank, the cooling fan and plenum. Then you can reach over the pump and do most of it by feel. You can put your head in to see or your hands to work but not both at the same time. Another post stated that he used steel tubing (brake line?) instead of the plastic tubing going into the tank itself. Not sure how he got it to fit to the elbow. I Just got through changing the fuel gauge last week and that was a similar tear down operation. When the gauge quits you get a low fuel alarm (annoying!) and cannot read the hour meter. You might think about changing that out at the same time just for general principal.

 

[Flip57]

I had the same thing happen to my 863 a few years ago but it broke off right at the top of the tank so I had to rig a gallon jug to get the machine into my shop. I found that I had to pull hydraulic tank, the cooling fan and plenum. Then you can reach over the pump and do most of it by feel. You can put your head in to see or your hands to work but not both at the same time. Another post stated that he used steel tubing (brake line?) instead of the plastic tubing going into the tank itself. Not sure how he got it to fit to the elbow. I Just got through changing the fuel gauge last week and that was a similar tear down operation. When the gauge quits you get a low fuel alarm (annoying!) and cannot read the hour meter. You might think about changing that out at the same time just for general principal.

I also had the tank half full problem and it turned out to be a hole in the squeeze bulb. As long as the tank was full it ran fine but when I got down to half a tank I started have fuel supply problems.