What engine (model number) is in the L2501?

[millsrv]

I gave $900 extra for the HST. Best $900 I ever spent. I had a Deere 3032E before buying this tractor. The HST on this tractor does not seem to be any louder than on the John Deere. I back the tractor into brushy fence rows when bush hogging and the HST is hard to beat for a lot of back and forth motion. If I were buying it over, I would skip my R4 tires to save several hundred dollars but would keep the HST.

My L2501 just turned 3 years old this November. I also have the HST and I would opt for it again today if I were replacing this tractor. I only use the clutch when changing ranges or going in or out of 4WD. The ease of operation especially when going from forward to reverse and visa versa is worth it. I have no issue with noise like everyone seems so concerned about.
This has been a fantastic tractor thus far and every time I use it I am grateful to have it!

 

[dlundblad]

The L2501 owners manual says to not operate at full speed for the first 50 hours of use for break in purposes.

Looking at a link posted on the first page of this thread, the engines max RPM is 2800.. The L2501 chokes the D1703 down to 2200ish RPM's if I am not mistaken so I wonder how important their engine break in requirements are. Not that I have a need to go over 2000.. Just curious.

 

[Geotech]

The manual also says this after the 50 hour break in instructions:

"The above precautions are not limited only to new tractors, but to all tractors. But it should be especially observed in the case of new tractors."

So what does that mean? Eternal break in? The L2501 doesn't even rev barely past 2200 rpm. The L3301 and L3309 have similar engines with likely identical build quality and machined parts tolerances and rev higher than that at PTO speeds. Probably a non-issue with the L2501. My dealer said there are no special precautions for operating during break in period. That is in slight conflict with the manual, but the manual is a bit ambiguous, too. I guess the intent is just don't operate your tractor balls-out, new or old, and you'll be fine.

 

[PaulL]

You kinda have to operate the tractor at the appropriate revs to make 540 at the PTO. They usually rev a bit higher than that if you try, but there's not much point as you're not really going to see much improvement in performance - your hydraulics won't lift any more, and you're unlikely to be able to put more power on the ground for pulling things.

If we summarise the recommendation as "run at the right revs for 540 PTO, but only go higher in exceptional circumstances", then really that's just common sense.

 

[troverman]

Keeping this thread alive. Thinking about making a deal tomorrow on an L2501. Most people seem very pleased with them.

 

[rbtreasures]

Hey yall,

I'm currently waiting on delivery of an L2501, and am satisfying my urge for tractor porn by trying to figure out what Kubota did to that motor to make 24.8 horsepower out of a ~100 cubic inch engine.

I was looking at some of the other Kubota models, they make more horsepower with less displacement. Significantly less in some cases. So what gives?

I have been searching the internet for a couple of days now, and I can't find an engine model number anywhere. It seems like if I had one, I might find more information at the Kubota Engine America site.

My hope is that one of you guys with an L2501 under the shed can tell me the model number of the engine. Or maybe have some insight into what limits the HP to just 24.8.

What are you going to do with it.?? I originally bought a L3240hst. Cat 1 LOVE HST. 4 wheel drive is a MUST!! it is OK for puttering around digging ( dug a tank), pulling trailer, shredding. Bucket not strong enough to lift large or wet round bails. needs repair constantly!! down 40% of the time. to small to do real work. I bought a 1976 IH 1086 Cat 3 to work. 113 HP. Works great for Box Blade, Root Plow, Hay, etc. May need to fix TA for heavier pulling

 

[35chevypu]

i realize this is an old thread but nobody mentioned that this engine is non-turbo mechanical injection with no emission equipment whatsoever . it uses the larger displacement to make 25 hp and is a torque monster. i have 260+ hours on mine with no issues except a broken tachometer drive cable due to being zip tied to tight to pump causing too tight of a bend in the cable causing premature failure. very happy with it so far. just wish i had sprung for rear remote and third function

 

[eserv]

i realize this is an old thread but nobody mentioned that this engine is non-turbo mechanical injection with no emission equipment whatsoever . it uses the larger displacement to make 25 hp and is a torque monster. i have 260+ hours on mine with no issues except a broken tachometer drive cable due to being zip tied to tight to pump causing too tight of a bend in the cable causing premature failure. very happy with it so far. just wish i had sprung for rear remote and third function

The reason they have low HP for the displacement relative to other engines is the lower RPM that they run. This means less wear and stress on the engine and drive train. John deere used to claim when they were building low speed engines that the wear goes up at the square of the speed. If a L2501 tractor will do the job for you they are a excellent choice!

 

[m.t.hands]

I would bet kubota 2501 has more actual horse than what it's rated at. We know the 1.6 L is capable of it. They just rated it lower to scoot under the dpf regs. Those Japanese are smart.

when I was looking I looked really hard at the 2501 and a friend suggested it is the same displacement as the tractor I ended up with (L 3400) which would (well in my simple mind) suggest a slightly more modest fuel and tuning setup, I know my 3400 is rated @ 34.7 / 2700 RPM's and the 24.8 at 2200 so it does make you question the true numbers on the 2501, so far everyone I know that has ended up with one is satisfied

 

[degoniaorange82]

With almost 90hrs on mine, Im glad I chose it...outworks my brothers jd 32e at everything we have tried, and no regens on mine!

 

[Bigshooter]

Has anyone figured out how to squeeze more HP out the L2501 yet?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Has anyone figured out how to squeeze more HP out the L2501 yet?

Well that's easy... Trade it in on a bigger tractor!

 

[dlundblad]

Well that's easy... Trade it in on a bigger tractor!

Very true indeed.

Buy a bigger tractor or enjoy the emission equipment free fuel sipping 25 horse diesel in a 40 horse platform.

 

[Bigshooter]

Well that's easy... Trade it in on a bigger tractor!

I would if they weren't all filled with emissions garbage.

 

[PaulL]

I would if they weren't all filled with emissions garbage.

You could get an older pre-emissions one.

From memory the secret to more power on the L2501 is more revs (it makes its power at very low revs, and that same engine in other uses makes more power at higher revs).

Then, as with any engine, more revs means more fuel and more air.

Having done that, you then have a problem that your more power isn't made at PTO revs, for some implements that's fine because they're happy running higher than 540rpm (I'm thinking something like a bush hog), for other implements the extra power isn't useful unless you can find a way to regear them - they have to run at 540rpm.

 

[tawood]

I've owned this tractor for about a year now. Before buying, I went to my local Kubota dealer to buy a L3301 (or possibly even a L3901) but my dealer talked me out of it. He offered for me to just try the L2501 (DT, I'm an old country boy that thinks HST is for girls, lol). He let me have it for a couple of days and said if I didn't like it, he'd come get it and sell me the L3301 instead. Well, its a year later, and I still have it! Probably his best selling point was that he noticed I was driving my new Ram truck diesel, and he asked me if I knew diesels, and if I liked my trucks EPA-mandated DPF, EGR, DEF, etc (I DONT!). When I said "no", he said that I would probably prefer the L2501 because it doesn't have any of that garbage. He was right.
I've always owned tractors, and mainly 2 other tractors in the past 30 years, first a Ford 8n, and after that a Kubota L2350. Both of those tractors were also supposed to be 25hp tractors, but this L2501 will run circles around them! Way more power, IMO. If this L01 is 25hp, then my L2350 and 8n were 15hp (I suspect my 8n really WAS 15hp, as it was tired, but my L2350 ran great). I run 6 foot back blades, 5 foot tillers, plows, discs, post hole diggers, 5 foot mowers, and more, and this tractor runs them all just fine.