Caterpillar 301.8 Excavator - Diesel Fuel System Explanation and Repair

Talking about fuel system on cat excavator

[@alandarmon8380]

Excellent video. I was experiencing the exact same issue. I changed the filter and was about to change the lift pump when I saw your video. I removed the seat and after cleaning out the mouse mess, I discovered the original hose clamps were very loose on the fuel lines. I replaced the suction line and clamp and she immediately ran like new. Thank you for saving me time and money. Well done!

[@rudijones]

Great to hear!

[@KINGSTONSPRIDE]

Having bog down problems under load I have the same excavator as you. Thanks for explaining in detail the fuel system. Hopefully I can find the problem on my machine.

[@KINGSTONSPRIDE]

Is there a filter in the tank on the end of the pick up tube?

[@jonathanhoag-j8u]

Thanks- great video. My 301.8c has power, but won't crank...

[@edstimator1]

A good rule of thumb is to start at the cheap end of the problem and work your way to the expensive end. In this case the two ends are fuel at one end and injectors and high pressure injection pump at the other. Pretty easy choice. So start with new fuel. Then clean the tank if it needs it. Then change the hose (that might have solved this problem and so far you might have fifty buck in the whole repair.) then the lift pump. $100, Then the injection pump $1,500. Then injectors at about $300 ea. If you look at every repair in this way, you can avoid a bunch of new expensive parts that weren't necessary to be replaced.

[@jdg1064]

Hi Rudi thank you for your detail on explaining it so well have the same machine and are glad i know have the knowledge on what to do should i have the issue ever present itself wish more people did the same walk through i recently had a no start started replacing parts which were quite expensive turns out it was just a fuse under the seat anyway have so good spare parts now for future repairs but would have loved to have someone do afault find on a no start walk through as you did with the fuel system

[@justinflott5133]

How’s your reolink cameras doing?

[@ADawk-ps3pp]

? Does a 309D have fuel pump are not and if so where where would it be located It looks to only have that injector pump please help me

[@felixtrigoso130]

Compre una 301.8 cat la use 3 veces ( 30hrs) la dejé de usar 3 semanas y ahora no enciende, muestra un código electrical default.

[@damirivancic4964]

what engine is in this cat?

[@ChrisKoh-vx9jj]

The 2 wires going to lift pump one is earth im guessing the other is ignition power? ...... im not getting power to mine the fuses seem ok got any ideas for what i need to do much appreciated

[@rudijones]

Yes one is ground and the other comes on when the ignition is on. This process is controlled however by the small computer that is inside the back of the hour meter/engine display module on the right hand side of the machine near the joystick. This little computer is actually what tells the pump to come on for a few seconds before startup and to come on continuously once you start cranking over the engine. If fuses and wiring look good then the computer may be your issue. You can replace it fairly easily but also do solder repairs to the pins on it as sometimes they corrode. At the end of the day though you must have 12v power and ground to the lift pump whenever the engine is running and for a few seconds before you crank it over. You could totally bypass the computer and just wire power from the ignition switch directly to the fuel pump.

[@ChrisKoh-vx9jj]

@@rudijones Legend! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. Ok so I didnt realise there is little computer in there and i reckon 100% Im keen to by pass.... So i need to find ignition power wire and hook that up ??

[@rudijones]

thanks, yes any wire that is hot when ignition is hot should work.

[@ChrisKoh-vx9jj]

@@rudijones Great have done that now starts and runs perfect. Down the track i might look into new hour meter i'm assuming the module is inside that hour meter ? Thanks again

[@stipekrzelj2171]

​@@rudijonesdo you have the manuals of the machine?