# 1997 Ford Model 1920 wont stay running - then trouble starting



## PhilCod (Sep 16, 2013)

Hello,

New to the site but I have read some of the discussions and it looks like there is a lot of great info on here. 

I bought a 1997 Ford 1920 and I am having some issues keeping it running. It’s a diesel model. It will run for 10 -15 minuets and then die and won’t start. A neighbor of mine took a look at it and suggested I drained all the diesel, replace the fuel filter, and start with fresh diesel. I did that, and bled they system, and it started right up and seemed to be fine. But then it started doing the same thing. My neighbor suggested it might be getting flooded out and to remove the return line to the fuel tank and clean it out. That worked, and I got it running. Bu then it died again. But when I do take that line off and it seems to start for the most part, and run for a littlie while and then die. 

So any suggestions?


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## Ed_F (Jun 18, 2013)

Hello Phil,

Welcome to the Ford/New Holland Tractor Forum.

When a diesel quits running, it's not getting fuel. Your symptoms are similar to those of a plugged fuel filter, or a plugged fuel cap vent. See the attached FUEL TANK & RELATED PARTS diagram. Since you changed the fuel filter, the only filter remaining is in the fuel cap. Normally Fords have a vented cap, but yours apparently has a filter of some sort in the cap vent system to keep dirt out of the tank. The simple test to check this out, is to remove the cap and run it to see if it continues running beyond the 15 minutes.

Let us know the results of this test, because if it isn't the fuel cap then there's another fuel screen/filter in the system that we haven't found. 

On the old Ford tractors, there is normally a fuel screen attached to the shut-off valve that sits up vertically inside the fuel tank. I do not see this screen in your tank. Your tractor is a Shibaura-built (Japan). 

I also attached the parts diagram illustrating the pre-cleaner in the air intake, just to make you aware that it's there. These are not common to the old Fords.


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## PhilCod (Sep 16, 2013)

Ed,

Thanks for the info and the diagram. I'll give it a try with the fuel cap off. 

One note, when it stops running I have unscrewed the bleeder valve to enusre it was getting fuel, and it was. I also took the fuel line off of the injector body to ensure fuel was flowing, and it was. Now it might not be flowing enough, and it could be the vent issue. 

Also, one other guy suggested a crank or cam sensor might be bad. 

I'll try running it with out the fuel cap and let you know what happens. I'll be out of town the next two days for work, but I'll give it a shot Thursday evening or Friday. 

Thanks again,

Phil


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## Ed_F (Jun 18, 2013)

OK, another thing that I have encountered is an obstruction (dirt) in the fuel line between the tank and the filter. If you can, pull this line off at the filter and see if you have GOOD flow from the tank. 

Flow it for a while into a clean bucket. A trickle flow is often not good enough to keep up. Remember, your pump is injecting fuel and circulating excess fuel back to the tank. If you have dirt in the line, you may have to clean the tank.

Additional note: As I stated previously, most (maybe all) of the older Fords have a fuel screen in the tank. It is attached to the shut-off valve and sits up vertically in the tank and is quite tolerant to dirt in the bottom of the tank (tank bottoms). Your tractor is a Shibaura-built (Japan). It may have a fuel screen in the tank. I do not see a screen in the fuel tank diagram. Just to make you aware of this possibility


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