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Service Bulletin
General 187 Issue 1
Fuel system guide June 2004

This service bulletin applies to 100, 400, 700, 900, and 1000 series engines and also applies to 6 cylinder 1100
series engines.
Many problems can occur to the fuel system and may not be directly linked to a problem with the fuel injection
pump. The low pressure fuel system should be checked before the fuel injection pump is considered as a
suspect.
The symptoms listed below can occur and not necessarily indicate a problem with the fuel injection pump.
The symptoms:
Low power
Hard to start
Excessive black smoke or white smoke
Engine stall
Use the following steps to help guide you to the source of the fuel system problems.
1 Check the condition of the fuel filter and water separator.
If the components are full of water or sediment the problem could be dirty fuel or excessive water in the fuel
tank. The fuel filter and water separator elements should be checked every day. In addition, the filter element
must be changed at regular intervals. Refer to the relevant User’s Handbooks for the particular engine. Failure
to follow the recommendation may lead to severe fuel system problems.
2 Check the quality of the fuel and fuel storage tanks for contamination.
Refer to the relevant User’s Handbook for fuel specification information.
3 Check the low pressure fuel lines.
If the engine has a intermittent problem, where the engine stalls the problem may be in the low pressure fuel
lines.
If the engine has an intermittent problem, where the engine cannot start the problem may be in the low
pressure fuel lines. Therefore check for the following conditions:
Loose pipe connections
Blockage in the pipe connections
Electrical shut-off solenoid and connections on the fuel injection pump

Cautions:
Air must not enter the fuel system. To prevent this, ensure that all fuel pipes and unions are correctly
installed.
Do not over tighten the pipe connections
4 Check the mechanical lift pump.
The lift pump on some of the engines may be equipped with a small filter on the inlet side of the fuel lift pump.
Check the condition of this filter. Refer to the relevant User’s Handbook. The fuel filter for the lift pump should
be checked and replaced at the same time as the primary fuel filter and the filter for the water separator.

1
Service Bulletin - General 187 Issue 1 June 2004

Check the fuel pressure at the lift pump when the engine is off load and at rated speed. The pressure should
be between 30kPa (4.4psi) and 69 kPa (10psi). Low fuel pressure may indicate a problem with the lift pump.
Measure the fuel pressure at the fuel outlet on the lift pump. Replace the lift pump, if the pressure is below
21kPa (3psi).
5 Check the starting aid.
The 1004 and 1006 engines are equipped with a starting aid. If the check valve in the starting aid fails to seat
correctly, inlet air pressure may push fuel out of the fuel line to the starting aid. This may introduce air into the
fuel system. This condition will result in low power and the engine to run erratically. This condition is especially
true for the turbocharged engine.

End

Issued by Perkins Engines Company Ltd, Peterborough PE1 5NA, England.  Proprietary information of Perkins Engines Company Ltd
2004, all rights reserved. The information is correct at the time of print. This bulletin is for technical information only and cannot be used
as a basis for any claim including but not limited to warranty.

To enable the distribution lists for service bulletins to be maintained, If you currently receive service bulletins, but no longer
require them, please contact Michael Lowrey by email at lowrey_michael@perkins.com