Kubota 040-4 Excavator

TFordALA

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Kubota KX040-4
Jun 14, 2021
23
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1
Alabama
I have an issue with fuel somewhere..It will not start unless you hit it with a small shot of either...there is alot of air going into the water sperator..engine runs great ..strong ,,but from time to time will skip like air is in the system..I have replaced fuel pump and water seperator to no avail..it has the 3 cyl turbo engine in it ..compression is 400+ per cyl..it was doing great and got parked for a couple of months and this is way its been. Even after running it for an hour and turn it off you have to hit it with a shot of either to recrank even hot... Any ideas on what to check next?
 

Henro

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Either in a Kubota engine is considered a very dangerous proposition. Many reports of serious engine damage from using either.

Best to stop that practice while you are ahead. Just going by reports I have read here…no personal experience.
 

RCW

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Leave the ether on the shelf. Can cause bent rods and piston damage.

Some water separators are known for getting trash stuck in the 90 degree fitting on the inlet side.

Not familiar with your machine….Is this a computer controlled engine? Common rail injection? Is it throwing any codes?
 
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Jchonline

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Crud in the fuel tank? The KX040 is a high pressure common rail engine so I dont think you can easily bleed the injector lines. I am no expert here so maybe others will chime in.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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'sucking air' should mean a loose connection or maybe a 'porus' rubber hose ??

and YES, STOP using ETHER !!! Don't want to read 'wanted ,new engine for excavator..........'
 
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TFordALA

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Kubota KX040-4
Jun 14, 2021
23
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1
Alabama
Leave the ether on the shelf. Can cause bent rods and piston damage.

Some water separators are known for getting trash stuck in the 90 degree fitting on the inlet side.

Not familiar with your machine….Is this a computer controlled engine? Common rail injection? Is it throwing any codes?
Yes its computor controlled engine...done replaced water seperator and fuel pump it was running good till parked for about 2 months and now acting this way..took it to kubota dealer and they ran a check on it and found no codes. all they said was it needed a new motor for 21 grand.
 

Workerbee

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Does their recomendation for a new engine mean that it was damaged due to ether use? Or is that a case of a low quality/reputation/knowledge dealership?
 

RCW

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Yes its computor controlled engine...done replaced water seperator and fuel pump it was running good till parked for about 2 months and now acting this way..took it to kubota dealer and they ran a check on it and found no codes. all they said was it needed a new motor for 21 grand.
Wow - you said it runs well after starting…

I missed the part about a lot of air getting into the system. Jay caught that, but now I’m not sure what it means in a common rail high pressure engine. Water kills them quickly, so others have said.

The dealership MUST have said WHY a new engine was the fix…..nobody drops a $20k estimate on a customer without some causation/justification…

I don’t know If 400+ is sufficient for that engine. I really am unfamiliar with that type of injection.

Not being a smart aleck, but thinking we’re only hearing part of the issues.
 

fried1765

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Yes its computor controlled engine...done replaced water seperator and fuel pump it was running good till parked for about 2 months and now acting this way..took it to kubota dealer and they ran a check on it and found no codes. all they said was it needed a new motor for 21 grand.
I suspect that you may have used ether just often enough to need ..... "a new motor".
There is a documented history of this being the case with modern diesels.
 

TFordALA

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Kubota KX040-4
Jun 14, 2021
23
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Alabama
I suspect that you may have used ether just often enough to need ..... "a new motor".
There is a documented history of this being the case with modern diesels.
Either has only been used 3 or 4 times and only a very small amount ,, motor runs to good to be anything with the engine wrong...but its got me stumped on the air in the water seperator
 

Russell King

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If air is getting into the water separator then that is (probably) why it won’t start. Try to bleed it throughly and then immediately see if it starts.

The high pressure rail system is probably not getting enough pressure built up and causing the problem.

But you will have to fix the issue with air in the water separator which may be to replace the hoses between the tank and water separator or make sure that the water separator is assembled properly with all the correct o rings and springs per an illustrated parts list diagram.

Good luck with it
 
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TFordALA

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Kubota KX040-4
Jun 14, 2021
23
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1
Alabama
If air is getting into the water separator then that is (probably) why it won’t start. Try to bleed it throughly and then immediately see if it starts.

The high pressure rail system is probably not getting enough pressure built up and causing the problem.

But you will have to fix the issue with air in the water separator which may be to replace the hoses between the tank and water separator or make sure that the water separator is assembled properly with all the correct o rings and springs per an illustrated parts list diagram.

Good luck with it
 

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Russell King

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I would say that is definitely the problem with the fuel system. I am not familiar with your system but can suggest that there is either a fuel blockage or a lift pump issue. The injection pump is creating a vacuum that the water separator can not handle and air is being sucked into the water separator. See if you have a good supply of fuel into the water separator, inspect the o-ring seals on the water separator, see if the lift pump is pumping properly into the water separator (if it is placed in between the tank and the separator).

Basically you are running out of fuel to the injection system
 
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Jchonline

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I am absolutely floored the Kubota dealer recommended a new engine. What justification did they give for that repair given the symptoms your machine exhibits?
 

TFordALA

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Kubota KX040-4
Jun 14, 2021
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Alabama
I am absolutely floored the Kubota dealer recommended a new engine. What justification did they give for that repair given the symptoms your machine exhibits?
They do not repair an engine at all at this dealership..They only replace with brand new from Kubota..They said it showed same issues 2 skidsteers had and they are replacing the engines in them.
 

Henro

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They do not repair an engine at all at this dealership..They only replace with brand new from Kubota..They said it showed same issues 2 skidsteers had and they are replacing the engines in them.
Cannot help but wonder what that dealership will say when those engines are replaced and the same issue remains?

Rather than repairing engines, it sounds like they don’t repair tractors at that dealership… of course I don’t think I would have much problem with them putting a new engine in, if it was covered under warranty and didn’t cost me anything. Might even try to buy the old engine for scrap value… if they didn’t have to destroy it by drilling a hole through the block and a cylinder.
 

TFordALA

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Equipment
Kubota KX040-4
Jun 14, 2021
23
0
1
Alabama
Cannot help but wonder what that dealership will say when those engines are replaced and the same issue remains?

Rather than repairing engines, it sounds like they don’t repair tractors at that dealership… of course I don’t think I would have much problem with them putting a new engine in, if it was covered under warranty and didn’t cost me anything. Might even try to buy the old engine for scrap value… if they didn’t have to destroy it by drilling a hole through the block and a cylinder.
There is no warranty on this machine..I am 2nd owner. I am going to just start replacing every fuel line on it and see. Its getting a ton of air into the water seperator I hadnt ran the machine for a couple of moths and tried to start it and its been acting this way since. A motor just dont go bad sitting up for 2 months when it ran fine before. There is a pic of the amount of air going into to the system
 

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mikester

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Oct 21, 2017
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The dealership MUST have said WHY a new engine was the fix…..nobody drops a $20k estimate on a customer without some causation/justification…
Maybe the dealer wanted someone to go away...80/20 rule.

I would suggest draining all the fuel, purging the lines and cleaning the tank.
 
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