Kubota L35 new engine from generator

[jbradtke9112]

Hello all, first-time post here so please be gentle. I picked up a Kubota L35 machine recently and it needed major engine work. Wouldn't start on ether or anything so rather than adding to my long list of projects I picked up a new Kubota engine still in the shipping crate. Problem is that the engine was designed for a generator, not a tractor. Does anyone have experience taking a generator engine and dropping it into a tractor? I'm a very good in-depth electrical guy and pretty good mechanical as well. I see in the electrical schematic for the generator engine that it just has 2 speeds of 1200 rpm and 1800 rpm but I wonder if I can remove that feature and just use a normal throttle cable to the injection pump.

I can't find the original engine tag on the machine but from my research, I'm thinking it's either a D1703-M-E2B, D1703-M-E3B, or D1703-M-DI-E2B, or maybe another variation that was obsoleted.

The new engine is D1703-M-BG-ET01.

Any input positive or negative would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

maybe check 'online parts' to see what 'things' are different ? for sure take pictures all around of both engines BEFORE you do the swap (if that's possible). Little 'details' like rad hose spigots(connections), wiring of sensors,throttle you already know something about.... crankshaft output size ?,maybe airfilter 'plumbing' ??

 

[jbradtke9112]

maybe check 'online parts' to see what 'things' are different ? for sure take pictures all around of both engines BEFORE you do the swap (if that's possible). Little 'details' like rad hose spigots(connections), wiring of sensors,throttle you already know something about.... crankshaft output size ?,maybe airfilter 'plumbing' ??

So I had the same thoughts about looking at the parts breakdowns but I can't find just engine breakdowns for the new generator engine...maybe I missed something on one of the many Kubota websites. I can look at the tractor parts breakdown for the older engine but not sure how to get a parts breakdown for my new one.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Google 'should' be able to find it...maybe a website that sells 'generators' will have that engine's parts list ?

 

[PoTreeBoy]

There are several knowledgeable Kubota folks on here and I'm sure they'll pitch in.

You'll almost certainly have to swap oil pans, and maybe pickup.

I'd check to make sure the new engine can accommodate the hydraulic pump.

You may need to re-use the old governor, and other things.

 

[jbradtke9112]

There are several knowledgeable Kubota folks on here and I'm sure they'll pitch in.

You'll almost certainly have to swap oil pans, and maybe pickup.

I'd check to make sure the new engine can accommodate the hydraulic pump.

You may need to re-use the old governor and other things.

I had to call a Kubota dealership to get a parts breakdown on the new generator engine. I plan on going through the entire engine number by number to make sure everything is the same. Hopefully, the major items are the same. Crankshaft, pistons, valves, injection pump. Little things like coolant elbows, exhaust and intake manifolds, and hopefully the governor assemblies should be relatively easy to change over. Keyword "hopefully".

Had I known it was a generator engine I probably wouldn't have bought it. For some reason, the D1703 whole engines seem harder to find than the smaller D1105 or D905.

 

[Jim L.]

Wouldn't start on ether or anything

While ether start has no problems on some other engines, Kubotas do not tolerate it. Several instances on this forum of broken and bent engine parts when starting fluid was attempted.

Good luck on your new project. Hope that you'll report your progress.

 

[Dieseldonato]

Wouldn't start on ether or anything

While ether start has no problems on some other engines, Kubotas do not tolerate it. Several instances on this forum of broken and bent engine parts when starting fluid was attempted.

Good luck on your new project. Hope that you'll report your progress.

Yea kubotas don't Luke starter fluid.

 

[jbradtke9112]

Yea kubotas don't Luke starter fluid.

Are you saying that because of the glow plugs? If so I disconnected the electrical wire feeding the glow plugs. That would make sense that rods would bend with glow plugs on and ether.

 

[Dieseldonato]

I had to call a Kubota dealership to get a parts breakdown on the new generator engine. I plan on going through the entire engine number by number to make sure everything is the same. Hopefully, the major items are the same. Crankshaft, pistons, valves, injection pump. Little things like coolant elbows, exhaust and intake manifolds, and hopefully the governor assemblies should be relatively easy to change over. Keyword "hopefully".

Had I known it was a generator engine I probably wouldn't have bought it. For some reason, the D1703 whole engines seem harder to find than the smaller D1105 or D905.

Should be close enough, governors should be the same internally. You'll have to swap all external components over from your engine. Biggest thing to look out for is casting differences between the two blocks.

 

[Dieseldonato]

Are you saying that because of the glow plugs? If so I disconnected the electrical wire feeding the glow plugs. That would make sense that rods would bend with glow plugs on and ether.

No I'm saying that because of the cracked pistons, bent rods, and broken rings I've had to repair from people using starting fluid on these little engines.