Kubota L2501 engine - 3000 hour "useful" life?

[troverman]

So, I snapped a photo of the engine sticker on my new L2501 tractor:

And upon searching for the engine model, which is D1703-M-DI-EF03, I came upon a CARB certification document stating the engine useful life is only 3000 hours:
https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/cert/eo/2018/ofci/u-r-025-0750.pdf

What do you guys make of that? 3k hours is a lot, but not really at the same time. I would suspect the engine could last to 10k hours with proper maintenance?

 

[russell.still.5]

That might be the governments recommendation. I’ve seen light towers with close to 20k hours and still running strong. Granted this was well before the emissions standards we have now.


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[troverman]

That might be the governments recommendation. I’ve seen light towers with close to 20k hours and still running strong. Granted this was well before the emissions standards we have now.


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I was kind of thinking the 3000 hours may be useful life for emissions compliance. After that, engine wear, injector tolerances, valve clearance, and timing may be enough out of spec to not meet the standard.

From what I can see, this engine really should last very well. There are no electronic controls on this engine that I can see. The only improvement to emissions is mechanical direct injection.

 

[GeoHorn]

If you were an engineer working for an engine mfr'r and your boss came to you and asked you to design a new engine... one of the first questions you'd ask (besides "for what purpose, and what fuel, and etc etc) ***8230; would be "for what expected life-span."

Then you'd spend a year or so developing that engine, and then you'd participate in an excersize where a system of operating and service manuals were developed that made recommendations towards how to use the equipment and how to SERVICE the equipment... including WHEN to service the equipment based upon your previous design-criteria.
If your boss had asked you to design it for 20K hours before a catastrophic failure rate of 50 % fleetwide occurred.. you'd have to require certain service items be met by certain hours operating or chronological.

Someone noticing that it was 5PM on Friday and that half-price beer only lasted until 7PM suggested 3K hours for the emissions control systems for California-bound sales... and the discussion was ended.

 

[85Hokie]

Someone noticing that it was 5PM on Friday and that half-price beer only lasted until 7PM suggested 3K hours for the emissions control systems for California-bound sales... and the discussion was ended.

As much as this sounds funny as hell.....it might have a glimmer of truth to it!

My question.....why 3000 why not 2963? or 3265? that 3k seems to be a huge SWAG.....based on past performance of something similar? OR based on average of hours/year?

If this is the case ....my BX should last .....o ...lets see....60 years!!!!!

 

[Captain13]

On most diesels, lifespan rating defines whether the engine is a light, medium, or heavy duty engine and is typically determined by statistical analysis, however some companies use historical data to make the life span determination. For instance, Cummins rates their 6.7 Diesel Engines for 500,000 between overhauls. Based on the 5.9 that had the same overhaul rating, they have seen more than a few of those engines go over 1,000,000 miles. Just look at the old Ford diesel tractors still in use today that run just fine, don't smoke or leak and are great tractors.

With proper maintenance, most engines will far exceed the expected life rating. As you can see in the below link article, one of the variables that that is hard to quantify, is how the engine is treated over it's life cycle. That would include everything from long idle periods, heavy pulls, abuse by operators, etc.

Here's a link that may help you understand the ratings:

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/gauging-engines-life-expectancy-starts-b-life-rating

 

[ItBmine]

I was kind of thinking the 3000 hours may be useful life for emissions compliance. After that, engine wear, injector tolerances, valve clearance, and timing may be enough out of spec to not meet the standard.

Bingo! You are correct. If a Kubota engine was only good for 3000 hours I'd be buying a different brand, LOL.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

That is an emission compliance period only. That is the amount of time the manufacturer is liable if that model of engine is found to show a pattern of exceeding emissions levels.

After that, it’s not their problem if it’s out of compliance but completely different from both design life and actual life.

Those engines have no problem going 40k hours in generators and I’ve seen them over 60k hours without a major repair.

The biggest problem in small Kubotas is getting them warm enough to stay clean. Most that you see are wet stacked from low cylinder temperature which will cause all kinds of issues that will shorten the life. Do yourself a favour and partially block the rad or whatever you need to do so it warms up and runs at normal operating temperature then everything else will take care of itself.