Need some help...fellow orange heads

Orangetractorinde

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L3650 Kubota
Sep 25, 2018
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Milford Delaware
I have a 1993 kubota L3650. I have already split the tractor and installed a new clutch. But have ran into an issue. I can not find a conclusive answer and i knew one of you guys would absolutely know. My number 2 cylinder has a small hole in the what looks to be a liner. So its leaking coolant down into my oil pan. My question is does the V1902 engine have replaceable cylinder liners? It looks like it does from underneith but cant quite tell. I see online they have liners for sale for the V1902. Please let me know what you guys think.....
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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The V1902 DI engines can have liners.

Now your not going to like this, The liners are dry liners, they do not have water next to them, and if they do you have a damaged block, and no just installing new liners will not fix the problem.

Is the hole perfectly round?
Is it in line with a freeze plug location?
If it is pull the freeze plug and look for a drill hole where someone messed up and drilled thru the block, usually done when installing a block heater, or trying to remove a failed freeze plug.

If you find that hole you're in luck, you will need to have someone that's experienced with block repair to weld the hole up, now if the hole in the liner is below (looking from the head side) the ring travel line then your good to go no other work needed, if it's above the ring travel line you will need to have the motor rebuild, pressing out the liners, pressing in new liners and having the liners bored to the right size.
 

rbargeron

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As Wolfman says, if the hole is round and is within the travel of the rings, the repair is a new or welded liner. Is this tractor new to you? If the cooling system become pressurized the hole is likely within the ring travel.

To prove it see if a tooth pick will go into the hole and touch the piston. Turn the engine slowly and see if you can feel the rings going past the hole.

If you can feel only the piston and not the rings, the hole may be safely outside their travel. In that case try putting a small piece of neoprene rubber in the water jacket against the outside of the hole, clamping it in place with the freeze plug.

As always, prompt cheerful refund if idea is bunk,
 
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Orangetractorinde

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L3650 Kubota
Sep 25, 2018
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Milford Delaware
Wolfman and Rbargeron, thankyou. I missed it . The freeze plug behind the starter was new or fairly new. I popped that out and low and behold someone has drilled through. I think im safe tho, because the hole is only about an inch from the bottom of the sleeve so it should only be towards the middle of the piston skirt. However i do have access to a fairly good welder but he has never done anything with nickle rods or a block.......im thinking about that piece of rubber trick...any other things you think might work??

Thankyou guys so much by the way!
 

Jim L.

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Jun 18, 2014
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you will need to have someone that's experienced with block repair to weld the hole up
I'm pretty sure that Wolfman means exactly that.

Experienced with preheat and cool down of the block, because of its properties.
 

JeffL

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Jan 8, 2016
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Do you have enough thickness to drill and tap for a small plug. They make 1/16" & 1/8" pipe plugs that work well. Remember if the plug extends into the piston bore you will need to carefully grind smooth. Coat the plug with permanent (red) Locktite before installation. I can give you the number of the loctite I use if you need it.
Hope this helps, Jeff
 

JeffL

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I would stay away from welding unless you have access to a good shop that is welding blocks everyday.
A lot of shops can do cosmetic welds like fill in broken corners of pan rails. Structural cast iron welding is another ball game.
A poor weld can lead to bore distortion and cracks!
Thanks, Jeff
 

BruceM

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L2550D
Sep 19, 2018
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JBweld and/or steel stick epoxy come to mind if the water jacket hole can be plugged where it's not going to get too hot. This is considered very tacky, but I used it to plug a coolant leak defect in a Lister CS stationary engine head and we haven't had to put in the replacement head yet and it's been 3 years so far. Many Lister CS cylinders with freeze damage have been repaired in this manner and ran on for dozens of years. The big issue is heat and heat stress. If the area is bathed in coolant, it does seem to work.

I also like the threaded plug idea but would not like trying to grind the head of the plug smooth while not wrecking the cylinder surface. That would require great skill and steadier hands than I have now.
 

JeffL

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Not to hard with a pencil grinder and time. You can pre-grind the plug after a fitting. Just don't put the Loctite on until the final installation!

I have seen JB weld work in cosmetic repairs, although I never allowed it in my work. Instead I used lead as the filler, a little more permanent than the epoxies.
Thanks, Jeff
 

Kubota Newbie

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If you can get at the bottom to grind off the excess inside the cyl. see if your local cyl. head repair shop will put a head repair pin in it. The repair pins for head cracks are actually fine thread tapered screws, takes a special tap, which they'll have.. They are also made of cast iron so the expansion rate of the liner and pin/plug will be similar. There is a special sealant/locking compound that they use as well. This is assuming that the genius that drilled into the liner didn't use too big a drill. I want to say the drill dia. for head repair plugs is something around 1/8 - 3/16 but can't remember for sure.
 

Kubota Newbie

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M4500, New Idea Cut-Ditioner, JD 14T Baler, IH "Plow Chief" plows, Oliver Rake
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Just make sure that whatever you do the plug/pin/epoxy/weld... whatever, is ground down a tad below the liner surface. A little dimple in one spot won't hurt anything, but if it sticks up, even just .001, you'll be replacing the piston too.
 

rbargeron

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The wall thickness is not enough for a threaded plug. The nice aspects of a neoprene stopper are 1) no heating or potential cracking of the block 2) nothing protrudes to require disassembly for smoothing the bore 3) the patch material is compatible with water, oil and antifreeze 4) cost and time required are small 5) its an effective and permanent cure and 6) if the rubber sticks through the hole a bit the piston will shine it flush with no damage:cool: Dick B
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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If you don't want to have it welded, I would say either Epoxy or the rubber plug or both just to be sure would also do it.
I would just hate to hear later on that the plug failed and ruined the engine due to coolant getting in the oil! :(
 

Orangetractorinde

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L3650 Kubota
Sep 25, 2018
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Milford Delaware
You guys are all great. I appreciate everyone lending their time to help a fellow out. Well my first choice would be a welder. Unfortunately i dont believe that is going to happen this time. Im one of those guys probably like a lot of you guys who will think of something no matter what tome is is and go out to the garage or shed to see what needs to be done. I like fixing things right. However i might not be able to help this i dont want the welder to do more damage than good. I am going to take a look at plugs and epoxies. I love this tractor. I knew she beeded a little work, i dont mind tho..not a big deal. She will get there. Iwill let you guys know what we have...thanks guys!
 

Ironman2

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L185 or L1501, tiller, brush mower
Aug 28, 2018
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I'm pretty sure that Wolfman means exactly that.

Experienced with preheat and cool down of the block, because of its properties.
I've done block welding and no, rubber or glue is not a solution.
When welding cast with nickel, there are 2 ways to do it.

One is to heat the whole block and weld, then cover with insulation and cool slowly over a 24 hr period.

The other method is the cold method. I have welded a 24 inch long crack in a David Brown engine this way. You weld about an inch of bead and then peen the bead with a chipping hammer as it cools. Repeat til the job is done. At no time do you want it to be too hot to put a hand on the block. If it is getting warm, go have a coffee. Peening is done to the weld to expand the weld as it cools to prevent shrinkage or cracking.

In your case the little whole can be done in just one shot, and one peening.
 

Yooper

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Bingo Ironman2! Preparation is the key to getting this right. As suggested earlier, getting the metal clean with a pencil grinder, removing any oil and antifreeze is critical for this to work.
 

JeffL

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B7200E, B4200DT
Jan 8, 2016
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Ironman2's cold weld comment made me thing of brazing the defect. Many people can braze and it does not get the iron so hot to cause heat affected zones. Would this be a option for you?
Jeff
 

Orangetractorinde

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L3650 Kubota
Sep 25, 2018
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Milford Delaware
Ok guys, a little follow up. Thanks Everyone again, for ideas. For lack of a good nickle welder, i did a small rubber plug and xold weld procedure. IRONMAN2, yes i would love to had that done but unaware of anyone around the area that does that kind of work. Overall im ok with the fix. I git it pretty clean sandpaper, small grinder, and scotchbrite pad, and about half a can of carb cleaner. It looks like it should last for quite sometime. I will get a picture posted asap. One more question tho. The lines on the loder look a little rough and going to replace them. I do not see a psi rating on the hoses does anyone know what psi is correct fot a la650 loader and fitting size is it stanard?
 

Ironman2

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I git it pretty clean sandpaper, small grinder, and scotchbrite pad, and about half a can of carb cleaner. It looks like it should last for quite sometime.
One good thing at least, is that if it ever starts to leak again, you can zero in on the problem quickly.
It's amazing that some ijit got away with that repair. He must have know he wasn't drilling sheet metal when he drilled through the casting.