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Any forklift mechanics?

bobj49f2

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Nov 13, 2009
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SE Wisconsin
I have a Yale forklift that doesn't want to stay running.

A little background. It's a Yale, don't know the year or model, I bought it used about ten years ago. It's always has been a good truck and has run great. It has a Mazda 2.0, the same as a Mazda pickup. I found this out about three months ago when the timing belt broke and I had to figure out what kind of engine it had, all it say on the valve cover is "Yale"

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Yesterday I started for the first time in probably a month, or more. It started just fine, I put in gear, turned it 90°, it started chugging and died. Like it was running out of fuel. I got it started again but had to crank it over, in many spurts but it finally started but would only run maybe 30 seconds before dying. I went on line to a couple of discussion boards and found posts that sounded a lot like my problem. It seemed the main diagnosis was a plugged fuel filter. Made sense because I've had this problem with regular gasoline engine. Checked the truck today and there is no filter. I tried to start it again today and it popped right over and ran fine, I'd say "perfect' and this time for at least a minute or two before starting to chug and die. It restarted a lot easier than it did yesterday and would run again for a minute or two just fine and then chug and die.

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I traced the lines from the LP tank to component 1, 2 and 3. Between the tank and component 1 I cracked open the fitting and got a strong rush of gas. Between 1 and 2 seemed strong. But when I removed the big hose between 2 and 3 there was nothing. I thought there should be a vacuum from 3 but I only felt a very slight vacuum, nothing much at all. I am asking two things, first, should there be pressure coming out all components and secondly, what are the names of these components so if I need new parts I can tell the parts guy at the forklift dealer what I need.
 
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txvwnut

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Bedford, Texas
3 is your carburetor and there won't be a high pressure supply to it. 1 is most likely a filter and 2 is the high pressure regulator. All that's really in those is a labyrinth passage setup with some small orifices. Propane is a little oily and you can get a film build up in the passages which will starve it for gas. If the number 1 is a filter it will have cotton type element in it which you should be able to wash out.

Make sure you have a full propane bottle too. I've had several of my guys start trouble shooting a symptom such a as yours and it's actually out of gas.
 
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bobj49f2

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SE Wisconsin
The first thing I checked was the tank. The gauge read 1/2 and I also removed it from the bracket and it felt half full.

Thanks for the info about the filter. I Google image searched trying to find an image of a fuel filter and nothing came up that looked like anything on mine. I was looking for something that kind of looked like an inline filter used on a car. I'll take a look inside the filter now that I know what it is and check it's condition. I appreciate the help.
 
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bobj49f2

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SE Wisconsin
I have a second empty one sitting in the back of my truck, heading to get it refilled after work tomorrow night.
 
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bobj49f2

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SE Wisconsin
One more thing, on one of the forklift boards I visited last night there was a few mentions of bad tank and bad gas that had the stink oil settle in them. Today when I lifted the tank again to verify it has fuel in it I shook it pretty good. The truck started right up and ran for a few minutes. When it died I shook the tank again and it again started right up. When it died again, and a few times after if died again and again, shaking the tank didn't do anything so I thing the first two time was just a coincidence, maybe not, it didn't help after the first two tries.
 

Gear Box

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Mar 21, 2013
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Minnesota
Sometimes the O rings in your tank connection get so dry/hard it won't let the check valve open properly,couple drops of oil or new rings at the fuel tank connection point may fix it.
 
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camd64

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Sep 7, 2015
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Cedar Park, TX
1 is a lock off valve, 2 is a vaporizer/regulator, 3 is carb. The problem by what you are describing is in the vaporizer. You have 2 fuel lines and two coolant lines through it. Both in and out. Either the coolant isn't flowing through it causing it to ice over or an internal failure of the vaporizer.
 

camd64

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It also looks like someone used a lot of Teflon tape. You may want to make sure none ended up sucked into any of the fuel system.
 
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bobj49f2

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Gear Box looks like you won the price, I own you a cold one if you ever make it down to the Milwaukee area.

I put a couple of drops of oil on the oil ring and I was able to keep the truck running for a fairly long time. It still starts to run rough after running for a few minutes but keeps running and then clears up for a few more and then starts to sputter but keeps running. I was able to get done what I had to do.

My guess now is the O ring is bad and the oil only could do so much. I'll get the tank filled and have them replace the O ring.

Hope this is the fix, it was too easy.

Thanks again guys.
 

Gear Box

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Mar 21, 2013
Messages
159
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Minnesota
Yep,we have the o-rings hanging right in the fuel shed,ours have two. Kind of a ****** to get them in and out but you'll see how hard they get when you remove them. I was just half way over last weekend,went to leinenkugels brewery. Thanks
 
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bobj49f2

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Messages
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Location
SE Wisconsin
Got the tanks filled yesterday. The guy installed a new O ring in the tank that was on the truck. Got back to my shop, installed a filled tank and it still ran a little crappy but I suspect I put the tank on that didn't have the new O ring on so I did the oil trick and the truck ran better. I'll have to take that tank back and have them put an O ring in that one too.

I can't believe it was that easy.
 
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