Gehl 4500 Skid Steer Stalling Out/Hard Re-Starting

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r8f1k

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Oct 12, 2018
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Still having trouble with my Gehl 4500. I installed an electric fuel pump to alleviate any suspected vapor lock issues, set the regulator to 4.5 PSI. The issue that I still get it that the engine will stumble for 2 seconds and die when a slight load is applied. It can happen during turning, lifting, dumping, but so far never when driving in a straight line. If you catch it stumbling fast enough, you can throttle down and save it from dying. Then slowly throttle up and she will be good for a while. It is a very difficult situation to be in when you need a machine to do it's job. I have good spark, engine runs very nice, no misfire, spark plugs all have a nice even burn on them. Ford 1.6L Industrial, Zenith carb. Not sure what to do, I am very frustrated. Could I have a bad or going bad vacuum advance?
 
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r8f1k

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Oct 12, 2018
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Ok, so I think I may have narrowed this down. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could help. When I bought my 4500 it had an old hydraulic filter housing, very large and aluminum. It leaked poorly because the matting surfaces were scared by screwdrivers and chisels by who ever had this before. They also needed LOTS of RTV to keep it sealed up. So I replaced it with a Prince FA1300-00 Filter Head, Cast Aluminum, 25 psi Bypass Spring, 20 gpm. It is running the Hastings version of Princes' FA10 filter, 10Micron. Is the filter and housing too small? Is the filter too small? Are the PSI/GPM ratings wrong?
 

Tazza

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Ok, so I think I may have narrowed this down. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could help. When I bought my 4500 it had an old hydraulic filter housing, very large and aluminum. It leaked poorly because the matting surfaces were scared by screwdrivers and chisels by who ever had this before. They also needed LOTS of RTV to keep it sealed up. So I replaced it with a Prince FA1300-00 Filter Head, Cast Aluminum, 25 psi Bypass Spring, 20 gpm. It is running the Hastings version of Princes' FA10 filter, 10Micron. Is the filter and housing too small? Is the filter too small? Are the PSI/GPM ratings wrong?
10 micron sounds about right to me, but i don't think the hydraulics is where your issue is, it sounds more like a fuel supply issue. The engine should bog down, but not stall without fighting you all the way.
Have you replced the fuel filter and air filters?
 

flyerdan

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Mar 7, 2009
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983
10 micron sounds about right to me, but i don't think the hydraulics is where your issue is, it sounds more like a fuel supply issue. The engine should bog down, but not stall without fighting you all the way.
Have you replced the fuel filter and air filters?
It sounds like it might be a carb issue, when the governor tries to change throttle opening due to load, an obstructed jet or something isn't letting the additional fuel through. When you throttle back and reduce the load, it recovers, and will probably run all day at whatever throttle setting as long as no load change is introduced.
If you can get a rebuild kit for the carb, give that a try, and blow out all the passages and check all jets and orifices. The corn gas that the green energy crooks have foisted upon us causes all kinds of problems in older carbs; varnish like deposits like to grow in small openings. That would contribute greatly to hard starting, as well.
I've started using a bit of Seafoam in the fuel for small engines, and it seems to help, as my tiller started right up this spring. Some people slag it off as snake oil, but it doesn't do any harm and seems to help a bit, at least for my uses.
 

4510

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Joined
Oct 25, 2015
Messages
40
Ok, so I think I may have narrowed this down. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could help. When I bought my 4500 it had an old hydraulic filter housing, very large and aluminum. It leaked poorly because the matting surfaces were scared by screwdrivers and chisels by who ever had this before. They also needed LOTS of RTV to keep it sealed up. So I replaced it with a Prince FA1300-00 Filter Head, Cast Aluminum, 25 psi Bypass Spring, 20 gpm. It is running the Hastings version of Princes' FA10 filter, 10Micron. Is the filter and housing too small? Is the filter too small? Are the PSI/GPM ratings wrong?
Agreed, sounds like a lean bog when the governor reacts to load as was said above. I had this same issue with my 4510 same engine. I cleaned/rebuilt the carb and got new points and she came out of it. Zenith model 33 kit from Carbsonly.com was $62 to the door. If you tackle the carb rebuild, be careful when removing one of the small pipes inside, there is a tiny check ball and spring underneath that will shoot out onto the ground. Ask me how I know... Another lesson learned with my Gehl, don't leave the key on with points condenser ignition, it prematurely wears/welds the points if they are in the right spot. I was having to file the points all the time because I would leave the key on to run an electric fan.
 

“ boss

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Oct 6, 2022
Messages
1
Still having trouble with my Gehl 4500. I installed an electric fuel pump to alleviate any suspected vapor lock issues, set the regulator to 4.5 PSI. The issue that I still get it that the engine will stumble for 2 seconds and die when a slight load is applied. It can happen during turning, lifting, dumping, but so far never when driving in a straight line. If you catch it stumbling fast enough, you can throttle down and save it from dying. Then slowly throttle up and she will be good for a while. It is a very difficult situation to be in when you need a machine to do it's job. I have good spark, engine runs very nice, no misfire, spark plugs all have a nice even burn on them. Ford 1.6L Industrial, Zenith carb. Not sure what to do, I am very frustrated. Could I have a bad or going bad vacuum advance?
I know it is an old post but I just ran across it. I am having the same trouble with my gehl 4500. Wondering if you found a solution to the problem. My governor actually locked up and I was wondering if that was your problem also. If so did you find parts
 
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r8f1k

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Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
6
Agreed, sounds like a lean bog when the governor reacts to load as was said above. I had this same issue with my 4510 same engine. I cleaned/rebuilt the carb and got new points and she came out of it. Zenith model 33 kit from Carbsonly.com was $62 to the door. If you tackle the carb rebuild, be careful when removing one of the small pipes inside, there is a tiny check ball and spring underneath that will shoot out onto the ground. Ask me how I know... Another lesson learned with my Gehl, don't leave the key on with points condenser ignition, it prematurely wears/welds the points if they are in the right spot. I was having to file the points all the time because I would leave the key on to run an electric fan.
So here is where I am now. I replaced the hydraulic filter and housing. Completely changed the way she ran. Stopped dying under load. Ran great for hours. Now it started to do it again, but it does it irregularly. Some days, perfect runs for hours. Some days dies every 30 mins under a small load. I am going to have the carb professionally rebuilt and go from there. Is it possible that there is an issue with the hydraulic pick up?
 

Dschmidt1006

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Joined
Apr 15, 2023
Messages
1
Still having trouble with my Gehl 4500. I installed an electric fuel pump to alleviate any suspected vapor lock issues, set the regulator to 4.5 PSI. The issue that I still get it that the engine will stumble for 2 seconds and die when a slight load is applied. It can happen during turning, lifting, dumping, but so far never when driving in a straight line. If you catch it stumbling fast enough, you can throttle down and save it from dying. Then slowly throttle up and she will be good for a while. It is a very difficult situation to be in when you need a machine to do it's job. I have good spark, engine runs very nice, no misfire, spark plugs all have a nice even burn on them. Ford 1.6L Industrial, Zenith carb. Not sure what to do, I am very frustrated. Could I have a bad or going bad vacuum advance?
 
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