Question about diesel fuel color/clarity in tank LX 3310HSDC

[Jeffcall720]

Sorry in advance if this is a dumb/easy question, but I appreciate any insight. I have an LX3310 HSDC that is around 75 hours right now of light use, mostly mowing. 20+/- hours a year. I had my full 50 hour service performed at my Kubota Dealer. I am having a problem now where it runs fine until 20 minutes into mowing, then like a switch it starts to bog down and has trouble keeping speed in turns, going uphill, and maintaining the PTO RPM, and sounds about like it could stall if I didn't let up on the treadle - but yet it can idle fine. No exhaust smoke at all when this happens. It can also mow fine on the flat and downhill straight when this is happening. It's just under load when the problem happens. My air/fuel separator looks good and drains fuel, I have verified all of my air filters and radiators are clear, and it is not overheating based on the gauges. I am going to change my fuel filter, but I looked into the tank to see if I saw any foreign objects, material, etc - and this is the color of the fuel in there. I always use highway-taxed diesel from a major fuel station near me. I have never had stale fuel issues or seen diesel get contaminated or go bad - but honestly I don't use this tractor sometimes for months at a time. Is this an abnormal appearance for diesel in the tank? I'm probably going to drain it and flush out the whole system with new diesel and put a stabilizer in it and see how it goes, and I'll looks for diesel crud in the bottom of the tank/filters/etc. I was just surprised about how cloudy and fluorescent blue the diesel looks. No additives have been used in this tractor so far, by the way. I'm in Maryland, FWIW, and it doesn't get really cold here. Sorry if this is a dumb question!

 

[Edke6bnl]

Try for fun to remove fuel cap, could have a plugged vent cap

 

[Jeffcall720]

Try for fun to remove fuel cap, could have a plugged vent cap

Thanks, I tried that, it did not change what was happening. And I did not hear any negative pressure when I cracked the cap open after it was happening while running.

 

[Mitjam]

Thanks, I tried that, it did not change what was happening. And I did not hear any negative pressure when I cracked the cap open after it was happening while running.

Definitely sounds like a fuel issue. If you’re not sure I would siphon out the old diesel, fill with new fresh and change fuel filter and check your fuel seperator canister. These motors with ECU will derate if the motor is running hot or not getting the proper charged air from the turbo. Just check your radiator and air filter also too. The little rad infront is for your fuel cooler. Check the all the clamps for correct tension coming from turbo to intake manifold also. Good luck

 

[Russell King]

I suspect that the fuel color being bluish is fro the LED light that is shining in through the tank fill port or the camera reaction to the light reflecting off the fuel.

But you can either siphon or drain some into a glass jar and look at it under normal light.

But it shouldn’t be blue, red maybe for off road but I would say it should be clear amber color.

 

[Jeffcall720]

I suspect that the fuel color being bluish is fro the LED light that is shining in through the tank fill port or the camera reaction to the light reflecting off the fuel.

But you can either siphon or drain some into a glass jar and look at it under normal light.

But it shouldn’t be blue, red maybe for off road but I would say it should be clear amber color.

Good thought, thanks. I will siphon some out and see what it looks like outside the tank. I just wasn't sure what bad, sludgy, fouled diesel looked like.

 

[Jeffcall720]

Definitely sounds like a fuel issue. If you’re not sure I would siphon out the old diesel, fill with new fresh and change fuel filter and check your fuel seperator canister. These motors with ECU will derate if the motor is running hot or not getting the proper charged air from the turbo. Just check your radiator and air filter also too. The little rad infront is for your fuel cooler. Check the all the clamps for correct tension coming from turbo to intake manifold also. Good luck

Thanks for the ideas, I did not know these would derate themselves like that, but it makes sense. That's what is feels like. Radiators are all blown out both directions as well as the screens and filter canister are cleaned out. Operating temp seems good, at least from the light bars on the dash, for what those are worth. I'll do the fuel system clean out and check around for loose clamps like you said.

 

[Mitjam]

Thanks for the ideas, I did not know these would derate themselves like that, but it makes sense. That's what is feels like. Radiators are all blown out both directions as well as the screens and filter canister are cleaned out. Operating temp seems good, at least from the light bars on the dash, for what those are worth. I'll do the fuel system clean out and check around for loose clamps like you said.

It’s a long shot but might save a yourself a trip to dealer.