Kubota F-3060 won't start

[gwg55]

I picked up a F-3060 Kubota mower that wasn't running and not being used.
The owner said it started running rough and died. He opened the engine hood and found diesel fuel leaking.
Traced it to a cracked fuel return manifold line. He didn't use it much so decided to get rid of it.
When I got it, I found the return line broken and spewing diesel when the key was turned on. The engine turns over fine and everything works
as I could test without the engine running. I replaced the return manifold and some of the old rubber hoses attached to it.
Pressured it up and no leaks. Since all the lines were removed, I bleed the lines at the injectors after installing new fuel filters.
Tried to start it but no luck. Bleed it again and even removed the lined again and checked the pump output. Bled the system again and no luck.
I have tried everything I know but no luck on getting it to start. I have another of these mowers and are very familiar with them.
That is what's so frustrating. Not sure where to go from here. Spoke to the original owner and he said it was running fine before the line leak.
I am getting a steady fuel flow at the injectors when bleeding. Any help and ideas would be appreciated.
The engine only has around 300 hours on it since an overhaul. Engine is a V1305.
By the way tried a little starting fluid but no help. Engine did not like it.

 

[MOOTS]

Fuel fresh and water free? Check intake for restrictions? If you are getting fuel up to injectors while cranking, it should start. May be time for compression test.

 

[gwg55]

Fuel fresh and water free? Check intake for restrictions? If you are getting fuel up to injectors while cranking, it should start. May be time for compression test.

Fuel is good no water. Compression test is where I was headed. Odd since it was running fine. Intake is clear. Wondering about the valves. Pulled the valve cover. No issues I could see. Might run the valve clearance to make sure. Very confusing.

 

[gwg55]

Fuel fresh and water free? Check intake for restrictions? If you are getting fuel up to injectors while cranking, it should start. May be time for compression test.

I am going buy what the seller told. You never know. Thank you

 

[GreensvilleJay]

so.. do all the glowplugs actually work ?
How OLD is the diesel, more than 2-3 months, dump it all start with KNOWN fresh fuel.
Get rid of the fuel in the new filters too .

 

[gwg55]

so.. do all the glowplugs actually work ?
How OLD is the diesel, more than 2-3 months, dump it all start with KNOWN fresh fuel.
Get rid of the fuel in the new filters too .

Glow flags function. Fuel is fresh. Installed new filters.

 

[MOOTS]

I am going buy what the seller told. You never know. Thank you

I don’t think we ever get the WHOLE story when something has been sitting. It is odd, based off of what you stated and have already done.

 

[PaulL]

There are things that can cause it to stop running even with fuel flow. Weird that it ran, then stopped when return hoses were repaired. But that could be coincidence, or could be related.

A bit more information about exactly what it does when it doesn't start could help.

So:
1. It was running when you got it, but just leaking. Did you actually start it yourself, or did the previous owner tell you that? First is reliable information, second less reliable.

2. You have fuel delivery to the injectors. Have you pulled the injectors and checked spray? Not that I know how to do that myself, plenty of posts on here talking about it.

3. Did you mess with anything on the fuel pump at all? Seems that when people do that you can get the timing off. Guessing you didn't, but if you did that could be something to look at.

4. What about it doesn't start? It cranks (and cranks fast enough?) but doesn't kick at all? It sort of fires but not enough to run? Any smoke, any sign of firing at all?

5. Plenty of people say never to use starting fluid on a Kubota. It can bend rods? I'll put that out there before anyone else does, best not to try that again, because plenty of people say that can turn an almost running engine into a need for a replacement engine.

 

[gwg55]

There are things that can cause it to stop running even with fuel flow. Weird that it ran, then stopped when return hoses were repaired. But that could be coincidence, or could be related.

A bit more information about exactly what it does when it doesn't start could help.

So:
1. It was running when you got it, but just leaking. Did you actually start it yourself, or did the previous owner tell you that? First is reliable information, second less reliable.

2. You have fuel delivery to the injectors. Have you pulled the injectors and checked spray? Not that I know how to do that myself, plenty of posts on here talking about it.

3. Did you mess with anything on the fuel pump at all? Seems that when people do that you can get the timing off. Guessing you didn't, but if you did that could be something to look at.

4. What about it doesn't start? It cranks (and cranks fast enough?) but doesn't kick at all? It sort of fires but not enough to run? Any smoke, any sign of firing at all?

5. Plenty of people say never to use starting fluid on a Kubota. It can bend rods? I'll put that out there before anyone else does, best not to try that again, because plenty of people say that can turn an almost running engine into a need for a replacement engine.

I was told it was running before leak. Fuel at injectors. Seems to spin over fine. I did not mess with anything except to change the return manifold. It does not even try to start. Very odd. Thank you

 

[PaulL]

I was told it was running before leak. Fuel at injectors. Seems to spin over fine. I did not mess with anything except to change the return manifold. It does not even try to start. Very odd. Thank you

OK, so I'd put that in the category of unreliable information and/or information that may have been true 2 years ago, but not necessarily true today.

So we're not necessarily looking for something that happened when you dealt with the return pipes, it could have issues predating that.

That brings in compression, fuel pump timing, injectors and some other things. I struggle a bit with compression and injectors, because I feel that those would likely impact a single cylinder (maybe two), but you still should get something approximating a fire somewhere.

Timing would absolutely cause it to not fire at all. And something with the injection system that was preventing fuel to all injectors would do the same (not sure what that would be).

I guess arguably lack of air could do it - have you checked the air filter(s)? Maybe they're fully gunked up - a rat or mouse been living in them perhaps?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Pull the Injectors and inspect them, and do a compression test.
Pray you didn't do serious damage with the starting fluid, that stuff is a KUBOTA ENGINE KILLER!