Intermittent Power on L2600

[Ray in Texas]

I've got an L2600 with a little over 700 hours on it. I was shredding away last night and then the power seemed to get weak. Turned off the PTO and revved it up and I could go a little ways, but then it would die. I removed the air filter and screen in front of the radiator and nothing changed. It would start, but not want to stay running. So, I took a break and did something I knew how to do, feed critters, drink a beer and think about it.

After about 45 minutes I decided to see if could coax it back near the garage where I could work on it. It started up, no problem. Drove to the garage, put in a new air filter, blew out the radiator screen. Then I unscrewed the fuel filter slightly and fuel was running out pretty good so I tightened it back up. I figured whatever it was cleared the lines and I might be good to go.

Of course if it was i would not be typing this question right now. I got around the pasture about one time before the same thing happened. Left the tractor out there overnight and this morning it started right up and is now parked near my garage again.

I'm guessing (hoping) it's a fuel delivery problem. I need to get a new fuel filter, drain the tank i just filled and check all the lines.

What I am wondering is what else do I need to do/check? I'm not a bad car mechanic, but diagnosing a tractor problem is not my forte.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

#1 Replace the fuel filter! Don't drain the tank, its probably fine since fuel runs out of it, unless there is any chance that it got some contaminates in it like say Gasoline or water.
#2 Check the vent on the fuel cap.

 

[Ray in Texas]

I put in a new fuel filter and checked fuel cap and still no change. It runs for about 10 minutes and then slowly loses power under load and then under no load until it just won't go. Let it sit a while and it rusn again for aobut the same length of time.

Any clues would be appreciated. This is the only diesel i've ever worked on.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm thinking bad fuel pump/ lift pump or failing stop solenoid.

 

[gpreuss]

It sounds to me like a restriction in the fuel line, probably at the tank. When it sits for a while it fills everything up. When you start working you use fuel faster than the restriction allows it to refill, and it dies. (ten minutes would be a long time in this scenario...)
I'd take tools out with me, and as soon as it quits, break the line from the tank at the first filter, and see if you have a good flow.
I'd also take compressed air and blow backwards through the line to the tank. Naturally, be careful, and have the tank cap off while you do it. Just a shot or two and you should be clear. Might be worth a try.
Do keep us posted.

 

[ShaunRH]

My favorite tools for fuel flow problems are pipe cleaners (available in bulk at any arts/crafts store or Wally World) and a small diameter cable (usually something from the brakes of an old bicycle that went to the dump). Those can fish about anything out of good lines.

If you have checked or bad lines (weather checked/seepy/weepy) change them all out, fuel line is relatively cheap.

Empty out your tank and flush it out so there's not debris in it. Just a chunk of paint or rust sliding over the exit port could explain your issue. Once cleaned out, put your fuel back in but put it through a coffee filter first so you know it's clean. Then remove your in-line filters and run your tractor.

Now, before anyone jumps my shark by advising running a tractor without fuel filters, keep in mind I've advised him to clean his entire fuel system before the pumps first and so we know he has a known, good, clean fuel system with clean fuel.

If the problem goes away, then replace your in-line filters with new ones and see if it stays away, if it does, you are good to go.

I had a similar problem with a gasoline based engine and this was the only way I could guarantee the problem was fixed. It was indeed the issue but there is no way of being certain the problem is dealt with unless you clean the entire system.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Check oil level, read on another thread if oil is too high
It will cause similar problems.

 

[Ray in Texas]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be working on it this weekend and will let you know what happens. Have not added oil in a while and it is in the middle of the OK zone.

My local Kubota dealer service manager told me some things to check too. Talking to him makes me think I need to totally drain the tank. I didn't see any water in the diesel that i captured when replacing the filter, but to make sure i'm going to drain it and clean it up like Shaun said. I DID fill the tank with 5 gallons from a can in the barn right before i started mowing, but it mowed OK for quite a while before losing power. The can had only been in there for four or five weeks, so I think the fuel was good. I know i've stored it for a lot longer than that.

I'm also going to check the line from the filter to the injector pump. Service Manager said lines rarely get clogged past the fuel filter. I'm just hoping this is something easy because I'm needing to use the tractor.

 

[Ray in Texas]

OK, problem solved. It turns out it was user error. When I went to get one of my yellow 5 gallon Diesel containers to drain the tank into they were both full . . . even though I had just filled the tank a couple days before. In my haste to fill the tank and start shredding I put gasoline in the tank.

I drained the gas, and after searching around the Internet found that I should put the diesel back in and see what happens. After 15 or 30 seconds of sputtering the tractor started to run. Had a couple low power moments the first five minutes or so, but then it ran fine.

I did call my local Kubota dealer before starting it up and he basically said go for it that's the only way you'll find out if there was any damage. He also made me feel a little less stupid by telling me that it happens more often than you would think. It did take me 14 years to do it.

I have seen some other low power/stall threads on this site, but no confessions of what I did. So, I figured I would follow up so if anyone else does this they might find this thread.

 

[ShaunRH]

Well, at least it WAS a fuel problem!

I have a personal rule set: Diesel goes into a Yellow container. Gas into Red, Water into Blue. I've been able to hold true to it so far.

Glad to hear it's all better and you have a clean fuel system now! (always find the bright side!)

 

[D2Cat]

It's got to be a relief to get it fixed.

Diesels are pretty simple engines. They need compression, fuel and air and when one of those components gets out of kilter there's problems.

I once bought a Case 930 tractor for peanuts because it had been dragged off a hay field because it just quit running. Sat on a terrace for 2 years. Paid for it and got a bill of sale, then put a new battery in it, aired up one tire and it would not fire. Ended up removing the shutoff valve at the fuel tank to drain and clean. Out came a wad of grass (hay!). Fired her up after dumping in some clean fuel and drove it off.

 

[Ray in Texas]

ShaunRH: Yeah, i got the yellow can, red can rule too. I was just in a rush. I've been up to my neck in alligators since march and mistakenly grabbed a dust covered red container for a dust covered yellow container. They are usually not together in the barn, but I had recently moved a lot of things around getting rid of old and getting ready for new hay.

 

[rentthis]

Ray, I rent tractors and equipment to just about anyone that walks in the door. Over the years, I have had many occasions of people putting gasoline in my diesel equipment. They never know how it happened and always deny that they did it. So far, out of 15 of these episodes, the only thing I am aware of having lost was a bent push rod in a mini excavator. I have never lost a Kubota engine in 22 years but I seldom keep them over 1500 hours. Whether or not they failed later in life, I don't have a way of knowing. Having said all that, I think you can be fairly certain that this is just going to be a lesson in color coding fuel cans.

 

[Ray in Texas]

RENTTHIS: Thanks for the info. Tractor does run good and seems not to have been damaged. Like you said people are reluctant to admit and I think it's probably because it is one of those "feeling stupid" moments that no one wants to go on record with. In your case they may worry about having to pay for damages.

Anyway, i thought by confessing here people might check their fuel when they have the loss of power symptoms I posted. I only was one forum post discussing this on the Internet. My guess is people with this issue may have decided not to confess. As I mentioned, I do have the color coded containers. I was just in a hurry and screwed up. I won't do it again.

Again thanks for the reassurance as far as damage goes.

 

[Oscarman]

Ray,

Thanks for being confident/trusting enough to let us know what happened. We've ALL done similar things, so we can all relate. This thread will likely save one or more of us from making the same mistake.