Vermeer 1250 Chipper Motor Fuel Starvation

CurSedVoyce

California Hillbilly
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
41,921
Location
Near Yosemite in CA USA
So.... some of you have been following my little project. I thought maybe my learning curve could help some of us shade tree mechanics that get stuck having to do some of our own work.
Pretty much my plight up here. I guess the closest Vermeer or Bandit service is about 3 hours out. Hell bringing all that weight back up 3000 feet in elevation as well.
No good diesel mechanics up here. Save maybe the better part of an hour over in the next village .....
Some tractor dealers down in the valley could maybe take it on, but again.... mixed reviews.

The story goes something like this. Chipper is on a job site for a week (two actually next door to each other. All was going well until the very end of the job. Show up the last day and the chipper is a no start. Ran fine the day before.
Very discouraging. We are almost 5000 feet in elevation in a small community in the national forest. Bit of a drive from home base.

After getting it home and tinkering about, we figure out it is probably a fuel issue. Start with filters and work our wy through the system. Come to find out there are more filters than visible. Dig in.
Check lift pump, buy new one, same result. Re check old one proper and it is ok. Soooooooooooo
Everything would prime even. Use motor to prime the HP lines to the injectors. Seems cool... Starts up... idles, dies. Or just tries to start. Lose prime every time in the injection pump. Also the injection pump seems to 1) not have what I feel would be enough pressure, and 2)like the spurts to each injector come and go. Sometimes just one, sometimes 2, sometimes 4.... weird. Has to be the pump. It was. But then another problem come up :/:
Anyway, had it rebuilt. 1 year warranty.
Here is a little vid tour.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3XfOlQiWAIY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And some tips about Banjo Fittings/Bolts that gave me fits. Not like I can just run out and get this stuff.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n9WvS-BvC78" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hope this helps someone sometime if they go through it.....
Sorry the one video came out sideways. :dontknow:
 
I think you definitely qualify as more than a shade tree mechanic now. Real nice job, must be an amazing feeling to have prevailed.

I have a Perkins, it is an amazing motor.
 
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  • #6
I think you definitely qualify as more than a shade tree mechanic now. Real nice job, must be an amazing feeling to have prevailed.

I have a Perkins, it is an amazing motor.

I love mine too Cory. Thing is a beast. If ever this chipper becomes too nutz to fix... I might re-purpose the motor. Wonder if it would fit in the Willyz? :/:
 
Sorry this happened Stephen. In my experience the transfer pump will go out causing the injector pump to then go out also.
 
Very impressive Stephen. I changed the filters a few times. Don't remember doing much else except that stubborn oil leak at the transfer pump. I had parts troubles too. Nearest Vermeer dealer is in Livermore and I think they referred me to the Perkins outfit in Sacramento. The Massey Ferguson tractor dealer in Modesto wouldn't help me. Glad to hear you got it going.
 
You guys dont give yourselves enough credit. No need to think that some paid mechanic is a mechanical dynamo.

All it takes is cleanliness, organizational skills, a logical mind, and problem solving skills.

Some fancy paid mechanics I have known dont posses all those qualities.
 
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  • #11
Yeah Stephen, they did the same to me. I was getting frustrated and figured if I did not get it together by this weekend, it was headed for a dealer or a diesel shop. I think the Diesel Shop down in Fresno would have taken it on as they were the ones that rebuilt the injection pump. But ?.....
I found a lift pump at a tractor dealer for the same motor. JCB put the same motor in a back hoe. I figured Caterpillar might have some stuff too. But they all want the model of the tractor and know not a bunch about the motor model..But if you take the part in, they can usually match it.
Living in the boonies has it's interesting moments and puzzles.
You know that link at the reverse feed linking the bar to the hydraulic valve? Rob fabbed one up when the link broke... LOL
I did a quote for a client that owns a home up here that is from down south and owns a Vermeer Dealer in LA. He kind of wanted me to trade it in I think :/: :lol: I doubt I'll ever do such a thing. Love the beast. Don't really enjoy towing it much with my older trucks, but I love it. When we eventually up grade, I envision parking it near the mills and let it do clean up of the slash. Thing will fill a trailer up toot sweet.
 
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  • #13
Thanks for the kudos guys.... There has been times though I would have been berated by some of you had you heard my colourful speech during the process... LOL
 
I've done some pretty decent wrenching over the years myself and just yesterday I was cursing out loud doing an oil change on my '03 f350 gas pot that I've owned for coming on ten years. And still after all that time I manage to spill some oil on the floor. :|:
 
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  • #17
Seems inevitable. I think the 7.3 did that the last time I changed her oil. Laying underneath, that oil followed my arm all the way to the arm pit.
Trying to remember which one covered my chest.. Ohhhhhh yeah! The Dingo... We were trying to lift the boom wiht a jack to position it just right while I was changing out the hoses.... damn valve block saturated me... Hell, water was running off my chest in the shower as if it was a ducks ass. :lol:
Had some words for that at the time I fear :lol:
I still blame the English and Aussies for my use of the word **** and the like :lol:
 
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  • #19
I'll have to try that.
This was on the filter though... kind of slipped in my hand and I caught it on the way to the pan... holy moly it holds a lot of oil :lol:
 
Lol. My plowtruck is a 7.3 and I know exactly of the filter and the slightly goofy angle of the dangle that it hangs at that makes it want to get loose on you and give you a showering of oil.
 
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