L3130 lost power steering??

[Kindanocturnal]

I have a 2007 L3130 HST that the power steering stopped working yesterday. All the other hydrolic functions seem to work fine. Troubleshooting, I disconnected the hydrollic lines at the distibution box and the fliud seems to be be flowing very well. The same thing occured 4 months (150 hours) prior but just started working again after sitting for a couple days.

I changed out the hydrollic fluid and filter after it happened last time thinking I may have had a plugged filter. The other weird thing is both this and last time this occured was just after changing the tractor's engine oil?

Any ideas would be helpfull.

 

[Ob1kubota]

Kinda... welcome aboard guy! Depending on time of purchase you are still covered by the Kubota warranty. If your tractor was "wet" from the factory it had Super UDT in it with the correct micron filter for the particulate size of contamination during break in. Your engine oil is not in anyway connected "hydraulically" so rest assured this is a coincidence. I will check Kubota link today for a service bulletin. For the time being please post your serial number and current hours, and do nothing that would void your residential two year warranty.

 

[Kindanocturnal]

Unfortunately when it did it the first time, I was 2 months out of my warranty so now I am @ least 6 months out. The tractor now has 1030 hours on it and it has had the UDT changed and filters changed out 2x. (Once by my and once by kubota). I am going to dive into it this AM and see what I can find and will post the S# later.

 

[Ob1kubota]

Hey Kinda hold off I found out that the Orbital Steering valve has a spring loaded machined pin (1/4") riding on the bottom ( Brass Plate ) valve. The fix is to scribe the plate for alignment and then remove the bolts, hose whatever is attached and elongate the spring so the spring will force this machined pin into the valve body and the air pocket issue will go away. This matches your symptoms of setting a while and going to working again because it lets the air out of the hydraulic fluid. I will scan a schematic asap...

 

[Kindanocturnal]

Is the "Orbital Steering valve" the distribution valve? If not, where is this located? I was told that there was a diverter valve on top of the steering pump that likely had a stuck valve in it, but it turns out that is on the L3130 Manual trans, not the HST. The HST does not have this valve assemble.

I was getting ready to go get a pressure gage so I can verify the pressure @ each side of the cylinder. There is obvious good flow, but unknown pressure. My S# is 59250

 

[Ob1kubota]

I'm trying to get my hands on the service bulletin or the WSM showing the procedure. Evendently it's pretty common failure on these L3130 HST.... more later....

 

[Kindanocturnal]

That would be great. I have talked to three different kubota dealers; all of which giving me a differnt answer involving $1000+ in parts each.

 

[Ob1kubota]

Vic I'm trying to get my hand on it I think it's in the TSI stage with Kubota and not published. My contact is swamped with back log of Dealer questions and promised to slip me the information asap. At least a procedure. Its an Aeration issue with pressure relief in the Obitial steering stack valve. If I get time tomorrow to push some buttons I'll have it for a Post. You know those poor Kubota boys are busy. 2011 models are on the table now. You know how it goes during design. Their having meeting about having meetings right now......

 

[eserv]

There is no bulletins about it or kubota tips yet. Will be interesting to see what it's about! we have 15 -20 of these tractors we've sold and no complaints yet!

 

[Ob1kubota]

Yep Ed you are right KubotaLink produced nothing and service engineering says "no kit" forth coming either. I guess they want to sale part assemblies at the risk of loosing customers if the rumor is true about the valve block being nothing more than a 50 cent spring and detent ball...... shame for shame... the problem exist for sure at least for Kinda's s/n 59250.

 

[Kindanocturnal]

Well the good news is; again it started working. I left the front end up on the front bucket over night putting pressure against the hydrollic system and after settle down the next day, ithe power steering started working again. I have put +/- 20 hours on it since & still so far so good.

This again makes me think it is air not bleeding from the system verse a failed $1000.00 pump.

I would still love find the answer because I am guessing it is going to do it again in the next 4 months.

 

[eserv]

Hi Ob1kubota,
They DO show a breakdown of the orbital control valve in the service manual. what spring are you talking about? Is it the pressure control and check valve? If the check didn't close it could create a poor/ no power steering condition. I'd be suspicious of a leak in the suction pipe to the tandem pump though in this case. Look closely at the hose and clamps right at the back of the pump. ( specially if there is a Kubota block heater installed in the RIGHT frost plug!
Ed

 

[Ob1kubota]

Ed ... scan a copy of the broken down valve and I will try to pick out what kubota was telling me verbally over the phone. Look how long it took Japan to release the stage two pumps for the ZDs. KAC can only do emergency field fixes without Japans approval and I bet you by Spring they will anounce a fix for this Aeration problem.

 

[Kindanocturnal]

Although it is working now, I expect it will stop again (hopefully during the rainy season). I would love a breakdown of the orbital steering valve for when it gives out again. Being that they want over $1000.00 for the valve, I have nothing to lose pulling it apart and stretching a spring.

 

[Kindanocturnal]

Well I was was lucky enough to get a couple months but it seems to have stopped working again. The last two times it fixed itself by me leaving it overnight with the front wheels lifted by the bucket. Hopefully this will work again since there is no garantee that the orbital w/ fix the problem. Has anyone come up w/ any idea's since my last post? I would still love a breakdown if it was ever scanned in. Thanks!!

 

[camer]

did you get it fixed? i have the same tractor nad mine does it to. if you turn the wheel back and forth real quick it gets the steering working again. seems to build up pressure and works for a while. i think its a seal in the steering shaft. whenyou turn it i think it gets the seal warmed up and expands.

 

[3130]

New member here with same problem I stalled tractor down and when I started it back up no Power steering rebuilt cylinder but not the problem L3130 HST Any updates thanks

 

[GrizBota]

New member here with same problem I stalled tractor down and when I started it back up no Power steering rebuilt cylinder but not the problem L3130 HST Any updates thanks

Dang that’s an old thread you revived. In the future go ahead and make your own with and maybe link to the historic one if relevant.

Anyhow, try jacking front axle off the ground or lifting it up with the FEL, if you have one. Then, with the engine running, cycle the steering lock to lock a dozen times. Basically that bleeds the PS system. Found this out on my L3830 when I ran it out of fuel nose up on a slope and had to use the HST pedal to get it to roll down the slope. Since the power steering and HST pump share the same housing, apparently that’s a great way to get air in the PS system.

Hope that does it for you. Good luck.

 

[3130]

Dang that’s an old thread you revived. In the future go ahead and make your own with and maybe link to the historic one if relevant.

Anyhow, try jacking front axle off the ground or lifting it up with the FEL, if you have one. Then, with the engine running, cycle the steering lock to lock a dozen times. Basically that bleeds the PS system. Found this out on my L3830 when I ran it out of fuel nose up on a slope and had to use the HST pedal to get it to roll down the slope. Since the power steering and HST pump share the same housing, apparently that’s a great way to get air in the PS system.

Hope that does it for you. Good luck.

Will do thanks for replying was told when engine stalled could have rotated backwards causing a relief valve problem had wheels up before removing cylinder cycled only couple times raining now will post later thanks again

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Since the power steering and HST pump share the same housing, apparently that’s a great way to get air in the PS system.

The PS and the HST are two completely separate systems, the only thing they share is the fluid in the sump.
What happened in your case is that you cavitated the suction side of Hydraulic system from the HST sucking oil out of it.