Hard starting L35

[Fireman453]

I recently bought my first little Kubota, 1997 L35 TLB. After trailering home I have discovered that she is a very hard start little unit. Not my first diesel, I am a Cummins/Dodge guy for ever. So cycle the key, unit rolls over very slowly only two or three times then seems to run out of juice. I assumed battery, on inspection, found its brand new Kubota battery less than three months old, brand new alternator, so seeing that I guessed the original starter was the issue, so replaced it. When to start her today, only - 5 C or about 22 F for all you Americans on here and still, very slow to toll over and almost failed to start but did, but sounded like if it rolled over twice more it would simply run out of juice and stop. Tried a different battery, same thing. I am perplexed. There is no block heater on it that I can find. Any ideas?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Get a block heater and pull the battery and have it load tested
Could even be that it's simply too small of CCA for that tractor.

Get a block heater for it.
Check the glow plugs and glow plug circuit.
Check/change the oil viscosity, 5w 40 will work for your environment.

 

[Fireman453]

Get a block heater and pull the battery and have it load tested
Could even be that it's simply too small of CCA for that tractor.

Get a block heater for it.
Check the glow plugs and glow plug circuit.
Check/change the oil viscosity, 5w 40 will work for your environment.

Oil was changed at purchase time, a week ago by Kubota dealer soi assume it is the appropriate grade, glow circuits and plugs all tested fine and the battery that I put in is out of my truck, 1000 cca rolls over my 5.9 in subzero so that’s not it either. So I guess it’s time for a block heater.

 

[Roadworthy]

Stating the obvious, thoroughly clean battery terminals and cable ends. Check cable ends for corrosion. Check ground wire for clean solid contact. Manual should tell how long to activate glow plugs before attempting to start. Generally turn key to the left to activate glow plugs for perhaps fifteen to thirty seconds before turning key to the right to activate starter.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Stating the obvious, thoroughly clean battery terminals and cable ends. Check cable ends for corrosion. Check ground wire for clean solid contact. Manual should tell how long to activate glow plugs before attempting to start. Generally turn key to the left to activate glow plugs for perhaps fifteen to thirty seconds before turning key to the right to activate starter.

Like he said. Most likely a battery cable connection. If replacement ends have been installed, buy new cables. I replaced my ground cable with one from the parts store. The OEM just seemed flimsy - but it did work.
On the L35, to pre-heat, turn the key to the ACC position. The glow light will come on. When it goes off, start your engine.

 

[lugbolt]

do a voltage drop test

batt post to cable both pos and neg
then batt post to starter
then batt - post to the chassis or engine block

bet you will find your problem

 

[L35]

Starter could be shot too.

 

[freewheel3]

Starter could be shot too.

He replaced it.

 

[L35]

He replaced it.

Well in that case, great thinking!

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Yep. Another vote for looking very hard at those cables. The voltage drop test is the best way to find out.