I have a d2 3j that I keep haveing problems with the fuel system. I go to start it and it will fire right up them 3 or 4 minutes later it die's. It shows good fuel pressure when it ran. The thing is it leaks fuel from somewhere and I have a pan underneith it and I checked it and there was about a 1inch of fuel in it. So I'm wondering if the fuel filter canister is leaking?? and it is showing pressure because when I try and start it it's trying to force fuel in the canister and the air can't get out? Is there a seal somewhare that is going bad? Then I tryed bleeding the ejector pump and it pumps fuel out but when I craked the lines before the ejector nothing comes out? Stumped???? Mike

Check for leakage from the fuel filter bleed line, the injector leakage line and the injection pump weep line that will be run down the left front side of the engine block. These will be the source of "normal" leakage, but it's best that there isn't any.

On the dying out after running fine, are you sure the fuel pressure is still up there as it dies out? If it is still good, I expect you have a bad injector allowing compression back into the injection pump which will slowly interrupt the fuel supply to the other pumps. If this is the case, you should find air in the injection pump bleeds after it dies. If you bleed this out, and open the throttle wide open, unless the rack is stuck, you should soon get fuel out the nut at the injector when you loosen it and crank the engine over with the pony.

I thought about your description some more and realized that we recently had a similar situation on a D333 engine where it would run for a minute and then cut off and have to be rebled. Thought the transfer pump seals were bad and it was putting air into the filter housing until it built up enough and slugged into the injection pump. Bleed it out and it would fire right back up. swapped pump for another one and it still did the same thing. Then we found a loose ferrule on a line between the tank and the transfer pump. Made up a new line with new ferrules on it and cured that.

If fuel pressure drops as it dies, then you might have a simple problem like a fuel tank top that doesn't vent enough air in to allow the pump to suck fuel.

Can you check for adequate fuel flow at the transfer pump by taking the line loose and let it run into a bucket for long enough to make sure it doesn't slow down because of a restriction somewhere.

Sure the tank valve is wide open?

I too have a 3j and am very curious about exactly what is happening with yours? I know from what happened to you on your very detailed posting that I probably will not pressure wash very hard around the Diesel.

Lets us know what's happening!

Good Luck hope you her fired up.....

Haole Cat... Hawaii.

It is leaking or dipping from the line behind the fuel filter contaner. I think there is two lines that conect behind there. It does not quit dripping. So I think its draining the fuel filter contaner. ?????

With the J model and tractors with the big spray nozzles like the J model there should be four places that fuel can bleed from. The one is the filter base to bleed while purging air out the filter housing and down below drains fuel from the transfer pump and fuel inj. housing if seals get bad and drains it off so it doesn,t dilute the engine oil and the 2nd.. one drains off fuel from the top of the tall nozzles that are worn.That is the line that branches off to each nozzle and drains to the ground.

If it leaks while the tractor is just sitting, you have a bad seal/seals on the transfer pump (assuming you have good plumbing joints). The line from the pump drains off the cavity between the transfer pump seals (2) so that the fuel does not find its way to the sump. There is enough clearance between the pump gears and housing to allow flow that will eventually drain your tank.

So do you think there is a seal going bad? What one should I look for. Doesn't fuel come from the top of the fuel filter canister then down a passage way into the injection pump? If that is so then wouldn't my problem be in the filter assembly?

Yes, bad seal as stated. You will have to remove the fuel transfer pump to get access to dismantle and replaces seals which should be done in pairs. Filter towers almost never have a problem other than the seal between the tower and the injection pump housing which allows diesel into the main engine oil pan (not externally). You can tell by smelling the dip stick or increase in the oil level.

The fact that you are seeing fuel leaking from the tell tale line even when not running indicates the transfer pump is your leak source.

Sorry about that Old Magnet, you must have posted your message while I was typing mine.

No problem:)

There is also a possibility that you have more than one problem source going on but the leakage needs to be addressed first.