1996 HDS-2135 Cub Cadet - approx 500 hours: Bad fuel pump question

[greynold99]

Hi everyone,
This past weekend I changed from snow-plow to grass mower. I had used this mower as recently as early March when we had a small snowstorm - worked great. After I got the mower deck mounted, went to start it up and it cranked and cranked (new battery last summer) but wouldn't start. Usually after sitting for several weeks, it takes 2 or 3 short duration cranks before it starts but this time I cranked it 5 times and never any indication of starting.

Some of you may remember my earlier post on an issue in the heat of summer where my 2135 runs fine for about an hour then appears to cut-out; initially stalling a bit, forcing me to disengage mower and if I can pump the foot-throttle and head downhill, I can keep it running...
If I miss it, and it stalls out and dies; I have to wait about an hour before I can restart it...

Anyway, like the other 2135 poster, I cleaned/rebuilt the carb and replaced the coil - which all seemed to help a little but the problem persisted

Well this winter, I used the tractor for plowing about 7 additional times while it was cold, I could run it for 2/3 hours - no problem until changing over to the mower this past weekend.

I did see Packardv8's posting in reply to the other thread and will check the electrical connections, particularly that one for the seat-interlock switch.

But there are two things I noticed yesterday: First, I had the top cover lifted and noticed I wasn't seeing gas coursing through the larger plastic fuel filter I put on last Spring. Secondly, when I pulled the plug after cranking several times, I didn't smell any gas; nor, was the plug wet on the end.

So my suspicion is the fuel pump has finally failed completely. It doesn't look too difficult to replace but I'm actually more concerned about being able to re-use the rubber/nylon fuel lines to/from the fuel pump.
If anyone has any ideas on other things to try or has replaced a Cub Series 2000 lawn tractor fuel pump; I'd appreciate hearing from you.
thanks
greynold99

 

[what?]

I set up a gravity feed arrangement to test if my pump was the problem or not. With the mower stationary in the open I disconnect the fuel line from the pump and held it above the carb and attached another tube inside it and ran gas down to the carb via a small funnel.

This will work for a couple of minutes of running. Of course, with a bigger container it would run longer.

If it runs, then it must be fuel pump, fuel lines or bad fuel.

Mine did not run, so it was carb or other issues - turned out to be an intake manifold leak.

After I fixed the manifold leak, this worked for a couple of minutes of running

 

[greynold99]

Thanks what? for your reply.

Your post got me to thinking - when I disconnect the fuel line from gas tank to fuel pump, does it have to be clamped off or plugged to keep gas from flowing out. Is it a simple gravity feed system?
In the posts I've read, it never mentions whether you plug the fuel line when replacing the fuel pump or not.

I read a while back that someone was experiencing a similar issue where the engine would just sputter and die and what the guy found in his gas tank was a small piece of thin plastic that had gotten inside his tank. Then, while his tractor was running would get sucked over the outflow hole in the gas tank and stay there until the engine starved and died. Once the tractor was jostled while he worked on it, the plastic would dislodge off the outlet allowing it to start and run again for a while.
greynold99

 

[Deerlane]

Quote,
I read a while back that someone was experiencing a similar issue where the engine would just sputter and die and what the guy found in his gas tank was a small piece of thin plastic that had gotten inside his tank. Then, while his tractor was running would get sucked over the outflow hole in the gas tank and stay there until the engine starved and died. Once the tractor was jostled while he worked on it, the plastic would dislodge off the outlet allowing it to start and run again for a while.
greynold99

Yes this happens a lot. Your fuel line is 1/4" But where the fuel line slides over the tank spout, the hole where the fuel feeds thru is LESS then a 1/8". A fly's head will block the flow, and then as the engine shuts off the blockage will come out and then run again until it gets sucks in again.

Check the metal fuel line that runs from one side of engine to other ( fuel pump to carb ) behind the blower housing. They will RUST inside bad and shut off fuel also.

 

[jross]

Delamination of the fuel hoses due to ethanol?

 

[greynold99]

I decided to pull the fuel-line off the filter and see if gas flowed out... Turned out there was a blockage and simply forcing air through the fuel-line cleared it.
I didn't see anything looking back through the fuel-fill opening with the cap off but did finally see a 'small' little opening in the bottom front of the tank closest to the seat area where the fuel-line connects. The opening looks smaller than the diameter of the fuel line and apparently is easily clogged

Decided not to take any chances and rigged up a siphon hose, sucking all the gas out of the tank and rigged it so I could move the siphon-end around to gather up any debris in the tank bottom and around the outlet opening.
Filled it up and it ran constantly for the next 2 hours with no problems.

Easy fix - just wished I'd thought of it before replacing the regulator, rebuilding the carb and changing the filter and spark plug. But should have a reliable tractor for the summer and I didn't have to replace the fuel-pump.

greynold99