G1900 coolant leak

[jcross312]

So weather is fine and I had another look at the radiator bottom mount bolt situation.

As I said before, put them in by hand from the side under the floor panels.

With a ratchet set you should be able to tighten them from above. For the left side use a small 1/4" drive set, an angle piece at the bottom and several extensions and it should work. For the right side pull out the intake hose from the instrument console.

Otherwise use your fingers from the side and use a spanner from the side as well for final tightening.

Thanks so much Hugo, you've been a Godsend. You've been too helpful to this internet stranger.

I was kinda thinking maybe could get to those bolts with some swivel extensions or a universal adapter. 1/4" would allow more clearance, good tip. I thought after my last post I was asking too many questions. Lol. Feel free to give up at any time

Funny tho, the parts came in yesterday, and about half way to the dealer realized I didn't get the serial #. (I wanted to get an oil filter while I was there)

But then I thought, surely wouldn't need the serial for an oil filter. Well, I was wrong!

Decided to guess it was the upper serial numbers, and of course I was wrong again. Got home and saw its in the lower numbers.

So either got to go and swap it, or...

I just wonder what might be the difference? It currently has a Wix 51358 that must be working well. Think its been awhile since the oil has been changed

One other small detail, the dealer seemed to charge higher prices than they quoted me over the phone for the hoses. Seems they added about $10-15 to the total. Was a little irritating, but at least it arrived quickly. The oil filter ended up being $16.99, which i thought was a little high also. But everything is costing more everywhere you go...

 

[jcross312]

I tried to do some online research, and it seems like "maybe" one doesnt have a bypass valve...? Then again, I could be wrong about that.

Why......WHYYY!!!!



Its a oil filter. C'mon man

Rant over

 

[jcross312]

Just one more post about the oil filters. Pulled up the part #s and pics online. The earlier s/n shows a larger OD than the later s/n. But the one on it now is the narrower size (wix 51358)

And, of course, neither part number matches what Kubota sold me. Possibly "new and improved" part numbers (nevermind, I see the new numbers in red)

I got a HH1J0-32430. Interestingly, the last numbers match the wider version that supposedly fits this tractor, but is narrow

This is as clear as mud and if anyone cares except me it would be a miracle

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Yes, the filters look expensive at first sight.

Did you read post #39?

I got a service kit from my Kubota dealer with two oil filters, two fuel filters, one air filter and a Kubota cap for around 50 quid. I found that reasonable and I did not have to spend hours searching for alternative parts that may or may not be compatible.

 

[jcross312]

Yes, the filters look expensive at first sight.

Did you read post #39?

I got a service kit from my Kubota dealer with two oil filters, two fuel filters, one air filter and a Kubota cap for around 50 quid. I found that reasonable and I did not have to spend hours searching for alternative parts that may or may not be compatible.

Thanks man. I haven't read thru. Maybe after Im done, lol.

Ive almost got it back together now. Everything is going fairly smooth so far. Got the bolts in the bottom brackets (wasnt bad at all) and all the new hoses installed and the new belt. Just gotta finish buttoning it up and add coolant. May go back and read the post now to see what I might have done wrong or better. Just been kinda busy lately.

One of the clamps should have probably been positioned differently, but its in there and tight and not hitting the fan or anything... the hardest one to reach, of course

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Yes, that is the right approach! Mess everything up and read the manual later how it should have been done correctly

If you do not have too many bolts left over, you are probably doing ok.

Let us know if the operation was successful !


And once you are at it: grease everything!
I had a lot of time consuming repairs due to the previous owner skimping on grease for a few cents...

 

[jcross312]

Yes, that is the right approach! Mess everything up and read the manual later how it should have been done correctly

If you do not have too many bolts left over, you are probably doing ok.

Let us know if the operation was successful !


And once you are at it: grease everything!
I had a lot of time consuming repairs due to the previous owner skimping on grease for a few cents...

Im one step ahead. Already greased most of the fittings as soon as I got it back running. Still got a couple I haven't got to yet. I found the ones inside the back tires with the little access hole...

Im curious what you think a shop would charge (hours) to remove and replace radiator + new hoses and a fan belt. Im guessing 3 hours. Maybe more

 

[jcross312]

Yes, that is the right approach! Mess everything up and read the manual later how it should have been done correctly

If you do not have too many bolts left over, you are probably doing ok.

Let us know if the operation was successful !


And once you are at it: grease everything!
I had a lot of time consuming repairs due to the previous owner skimping on grease for a few cents...

Everything seems to have turned out really good! Ive tested the repair a couple of times. The second time I ran it a good 30-45 minutes and there is no sign of coolant leaking anywhere

I ended up picking up a Mobil 1 M1-108 oil filter that was an exact replacement for the WIX filter that has been running on it for at least the past couple of years, and changed the oil. Kubota dealer is on the other side of town and didn't feel like going that far.

I searched G1900 engine oil capacity and saw 3.2 quarts as the oil capacity. So I poured almost 3 quarts in and checked the level. It was high! Ran it awhile and checked again. Still really high, wayyy above the full mark. Ended up draining about a quart back out to get it down to the full mark. Dont know what's going on there,

And dont have any extra bolts left over. Id call it a success. Only thing I kinda wish I would have done different is replace the lower radiator cushions, as I feel the old ones aren't very cushion-y anymore. Although they didn't look too degraded either

 

[jcross312]

Im pretty disappointed I didnt change those cushions, the more I think about it. They did seem compressed and hard, not very cushion-y

This one also has a missing top bracket, so the cushion isnt there either, obviously. I saw where you made one Hugo, youre pretty industrious. I dont have that skill level, and thought they may not be as important as the lower ones anyway

Im thinking of trying to get to just the lower cushions, but that would mean accessing those bolts and clips.

Ill give it a go today and see if I have any luck. May just stack a couple rubber washers in there if I can get to them...

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Take the radiator out to change them, will be the fastest way (I did not manage to get the bolts and bottom rubbers in with the brakets mounted already, despite 1.5 hours of shouting and swearing... ). First time fitting it took me over an hour, when I did it the third time it took me barely 10 minutes. Don't ask why I did it three times ...

The top rubber holds the bonnet up, otherwise it scrapes along the instrument cluster.

Where are you located? I have a spare rubber holder and have material to make spare rubbers (had to buy 1m at the time). If you can clean the top of the radiator, light a propane torch and hold a piece of electronics solder you can repair that yourself.

 

[jcross312]

Take the radiator out to change them, will be the fastest way (I did not manage to get the bolts and bottom rubbers in with the brakets mounted already, despite 1.5 hours of shouting and swearing... ). First time fitting it took me over an hour, when I did it the third time it took me barely 10 minutes. Don't ask why I did it three times ...

The top rubber holds the bonnet up, otherwise it scrapes along the instrument cluster.

Where are you located? I have a spare rubber holder and have material to make spare rubbers (had to buy 1m at the time). If you can clean the top of the radiator, light a propane torch and hold a piece of electronics solder you can repair that yourself.

I just went out and spent a few minutes trying to get to the clips. It went from "NAW"... to "H*@% NAW"

Id rather take the radiator back out than try that. Im not a fan of frustration, I am a fan of smooth processes, even if they take longer. And, like you said, it gets easier the second or third time

The hood/bonnet sits on the one remaining cushion, but mostly on the edge of the dash. Seems like it isnt hurting the dash any for it to be resting there...? And believe the missing cushion has been gone for at least a year, probably much longer (I did some other work on it a year ago and it was missing then too)

Figured it compresses the radiator into the lower cushions for some of the weight to be resting on the upper cushions, in a nice cushiony bubble.

Very generous of you to offer me the part, but you've already helped so much, and kinda thinking of just letting it ride 'as is' anyway. (I pushed the radiator down and theres a little spring left in the bottom cushions)

Not ideal, but the mower is way past its prime, deck has holes in it, etc. One of the spindles is rattling. Maybe it'll last awhile. If it fails in short order, Ill take some of the credit and make it right. The correct action? probably not. But life is full of less than ideal circumstances, including this 30 year old mower!

But...if it comes back, I live in Bama!

One other thought that just crossed my mind, there is a mark on the underside of the hood where the missing cushion once rested. I suppose if I could find a chunk of rubber the right size, I could mount it to the hood (drywall screw thru the top of the hood ftw ) so when it closes it would sit on the radiator. But then id need a "wear plate" where it contacts the radiator to prevent the cushion from eating into it

Starting to think the missing upper cushion is probably more important than the lower ones

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Don't you dare putting a hole in the bonnet / hood !

Repair it propely, I can send you my spare piece plus a rubber (you can get those from Kubota too) and soldering it on is easy, I can tell you how to go about it. And since you will beat my ten minutes putting in the radiator after the third time, there are really no excuses left not to do it.

The spindles is two standard bearings, one or two dust seals and it is like new again. No reason to hesitate. Those machines are built to last and built to be repaired, the latter not available any more with new machines, keep that in mind.

Holes in the deck can be welded, my old deck has a hole as well, but it fills itself with grass

I do not think the upper rubber does a lot for the radiator, apart from putting extra load onto it. But if one is missing, the sheet metal of the bonnet / hood will eat its way into the instrument housing. Again, more cosmetic than anything, but it would bug me, let alone the extra rattling noise.

 

[jcross312]

Don't you dare putting a hole in the bonnet / hood !

Repair it propely, I can send you my spare piece plus a rubber (you can get those from Kubota too) and soldering it on is easy, I can tell you how to go about it. And since you will beat my ten minutes putting in the radiator after the third time, there are really no excuses left not to do it.

The spindles is two standard bearings, one or two dust seals and it is like new again. No reason to hesitate. Those machines are built to last and built to be repaired, the latter not available any more with new machines, keep that in mind.

Holes in the deck can be welded, my old deck has a hole as well, but it fills itself with grass

I do not think the upper rubber does a lot for the radiator, apart from putting extra load onto it. But if one is missing, the sheet metal of the bonnet / hood will eat its way into the instrument housing. Again, more cosmetic than anything, but it would bug me, let alone the extra rattling noise.

Ive been experimenting with the solder, using flat washers and soldering them together.

It ain't pretty, but the first ones seem to really be stuck together! (Have done two attempts so far)

My 2nd attempt, I went with a much thicker solder (plumbing solder I think). Wasn't as successful, at least didn't go as smoothly. But they are stuck together. The first time I used really thin, I believe electrical solder. And putting flux on the washers before heating both times. I tried splitting them apart with a screwdriver, with a good bit of force and they seem pretty well stuck together.

I believe I was getting around 350+ degrees (Fahrenheit)before either would melt easily. Seems I remember you said you used the electrical solder on yours. Hopefully that isnt too hot for the copper radiator....

 

[Hugo Habicht]

No, electronics solder works fine, leaded type with rosin flux.

I would not use the flux you have, it is very aggressive and cannot be fully removed from under the bracket. I believe it leads to corrosion long term.

The top of the radiator is brass as well, that will solder beautifully (not like your steel washers) once you cleaned everything beforehand.