Can you trust your fuel gauge

[dave56]

Hi there. I got airlocked on an 8111 despite the fuel gauge reading a half full tank. Visual inspection of the tank didnt tell me much as depth perception is difficult in a top down view. In my opinion the gauge is really only a toy as it oscillates wildly with the fuel sloshing around in the tank. Also what is the procedure for doing a full bleed on these tractors. I undid the screw above the fuel filters and hand pumped the plunger but there still appears to be a hint of Airlock it starts chugging every so often and I have to clutch and get the revs up again but it could work away the finest for a good while.

 

[dave_peters]

Heres a copy of a post dated 2nd april 2007 :
Reply #1 Posted at Mon Apr 2 09:47:45 2007
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Make sure the Gauze filter under the tap is clean!!!
On the top of each filter is a screw. Not the bigger bolt.
slacken each screw about 2 turns.
Pump the fuel hand pump until fuel with no bubbles comes out.Then tighten while slowly pumping to stop any air getting back in.
(The hand pump is the round "wheel" under the main injector pump, unscrew it and then pull it in and out to pump.)
Then look at the top of the Injector pump where the 4 pipes come out to go to the injectors. At the front of the pump is a hex bolt, usually with a screw slot, may be painted red, 12 mm spanner I think, slacken this one and again hand pump until fuel with no bubbles comes out. Then tighten.
Crystals will normally start after 15-20 seconds of starter after this.
occasionally,although I have never known a crystal to need it, you may have to slacken Injector pipes where they join the injectors behind the inlet manifold and let air out while cranking.
Hope this somewhat rambling answer helps. Dave

 

[dave56]

Thanks dave thats a good help there I never went near the 12mm bolt on the fuel pump. I have an 8011 and an MF 165 that never as far as I can recall got airlocked. I usually never let a tank get more than half empty. I think the Hydraulics on this tractor are airlocked as well. They are very sluggish when lowering. Also they have a mind of their own and raise and lower spontaneously. The shut off lever on my fertiliser spreader poked out the rear window and tore a gash through the passenger seat(thankfully there was no one it) due to the lift arms raising of their own accord. And I dread that one of one of these days I am going to make bits of a PTO shaft on the pick up hitch lip all it takes is the lift arms to lower a bit. Bad design in my opinion either the PTO stub is back too far or the hitching lip juts out too far I have a serious pain in my neck from turning around keeping an eye on it. I sometimes use the screw under the seat to stop the arms lowering but your screwed then if they start raising up cause you couldnt undo the screw and lower them in time. I think this problem is going to cost me a few quid to fix. Probably looking at a new pump

 

[four]

All diesels will do this - zetor are pretty good to get going because the manual fuel pump is strong compared to some tractor makes - you can pump a lot of fuel.
I've noticed ours will sometimes get air in the line sooner than expected if the front of the tractor is uphill for long.
This happened on the silage clamp for example.