My Jinma 254 idles for a few seconds then cuts out.

Well, to run you need fuel, air, and heat. You have the heat (compression), otherwise it would not start.

Exception: are you using the glow plugs to get it started? If so, there is a slight chance (very slight) that you don’t have enough compression to keep it running. This can be tested by hitting the glow plugs right after it starts to see if it will continue to run.

Other items are air or fuel. How is the air filter? Try removing the intake hose at the manifold and see if it will run that way. Not likely the problem, but it should be checked anyway.

Last is fuel which is more difficult to troubleshoot.  If you found no air while bleeding the system and since it does start, air in the system is probably not the cause.

Poor flow rate might be it, so first step would be to check (or just replace) the filters. You can also take the hose off at the sediment bowl and turn the valve on to see if there is proper flow there. If not, clean the sediment bowl and check again. Some units have a screen in the tank that may be plugged.

Last thing to look at is the lift pump. If it is not providing enough fuel flow to the injection pump it could cause the symptoms you describe.

Start with the simple things first. Check the fuel flows and let us know what you find.

I would think it must be a lack of fuel flow somewhere, if you have a glass or plastic bowl look in there should not be much in there. If there is that would be a good place to start checking for flow and cleaning out. Simply remove bowl after turning the shut off valve on the fuel tank off , then put a jar or something under the bowl base and turn valve on there should be a good stream not a dribble. If you do not have a visual bowl to remove just remove hose at hand pump and check it there.

What you should do first in this case is to shut off the fuel supply at the tank and remove the glass/plastic sediment bowl and inspect the screen. Dispose of the fuel and clean the bowl. The screen is located above the bowl gasket. If it appears to have sludge on it, those are dead diesel bugs. If the screen is clean, replace it and the bowl, and turn on the fuel and see how fast the bowl fills with the hand priming pump. If it doesn’t begin filling after the second or third pump the in-tank screen is probably plugged. Bad news.

It should be noted that you can run completely out of fuel and the sediment bowl will still be full. Why? Because the lift pump takes it’s suction from the TOP of the bowl just below the screen, not the bottom, because that’s were the sediment and moisture are supposed to precipitate out of the fuel.

Make that ABOVE THE SCREEN. Not below it.

Wow, that was unexpected, but completely understandable.

Good thing the engine never got above an idle because if it had dead-headed at speed more than likely something would have broken.

The factory quick connects on the hydraulics are a know source of problems. The good news is that they are easily replaced.

Check out the vendor sponsors of this site to find good replacement connectors.

Thanks for posting the follow up, it will help someone else in the future.

If for some reason replacing the connectors does not solve the problem, at least it will be isolated to the FEL.

make sure your hoses are not crossed up maybe use color coded ty raps on each end of the hoses to prevent crossed hoses.