Primer Fuel Pump

FriarDick23

New member

Equipment
MX5800
Aug 17, 2023
1
0
1
Oklahoma
I have an MX5800. It has run flawlessly since 2019. Recently wouldn't start. Changed the fuel filters. It looks like it is the primer pump. The local Kubota Dealer wants $266 for the little low-pressure pump. Amazon has cheaper ones for less than $20. What should I do? The cheap ones are for smaller tractors. But the fuel flow in the MX5800 is very low. Would a $20 replacement be a bad idea?
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
10,010
4,114
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
Not a 'bad' idea.....
I've had one in my BUDA BD153(30HP) powered forklift for 6 or 7 years.
But if you buy one, buy TWO ! That way you'll have a spare on the shelf and never need it !
Yes, I actually bought 3 of them...use one as a fuel transfer pump.
 

85Hokie

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,393
2,193
113
Bedford - VA
I like what Jay said, buy two - it can always stay on the shelf till time needed!
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,866
1,607
113
Mid, South, USA
I do a lot of work at the house on brands that I do not work on at my day job.

On the kawasaki mules, a lot of the 25xx and 30xx series Mules use a little electric fuel pump that supplies the carb. The kawasaki OEM pump is like $260 some odd dollars now. An amazon equivalent is like $45. Most of my home customers opt for the $45 pump because of price alone. Out of 10 pumps I've done, I've had to put 10 more on teh same units. I mean after all, $90 for two pumps is still cheaper than the $260 OEM pump right? Another issue, on these pumps, they do not have a high pressure shut off built into them. The OEM pump shuts off when fuel pressure reaches 4.5psi. The cheap ones keep running. All of the cheap ones run hot too. I've had a BUNCH of them leak fuel. Leaking fuel is a big deal! I know someone has to make those pumps for Kawasaki. The amazon ones look identical but they are not identical. Kawasaki pumps last years, decades, amazon pumps maybe a few months. But I kinda like them as I know that I get the labor from replacing them over and over until the owner finally caves and says put a oe pump on it. Those folks never have to replace them again, well not until they're allowed to sit for a long period of time or they wear it out in 10-15 years' time.

Just the same, Kubota. Kubota pumps are expensive for a reason, they usually last a while. I can't say that I've found an aftermarket equivalanet for them on the L-01 series, but I'm out of the tractor repair business for the most part so that's that.

Another one is the ZG2xx series, also uses an electric pump. It also has a pressure shutoff in it like the Mules do. People often hack up the harness and put a $20 chincanese pump on it because it's cheap and the kubota pump is not, failing to understand that the kubota pump is designed that way for a reason, which is why it's expensive. But people buy on price, now more than ever (inflation has a lot to do with that), which supports the chinese copycats, and often results in unwanted results.
 

Fedup

Active member
Apr 6, 2016
207
58
28
Winchester
For what it's worth. I've never had good luck with the little round style pumps. (like this one) Never had one last more than an hour in operation.


I pretty much always go with this style. Have installed many of them and most are still running today.