RTV-x1100c black smoke and loss of power.

[Flyinnuts]

New forum user here,
Have a 2020 1100c with 40 hours on it. Changed the oil, drove it around the barn in Texas and then loaded it in a trailer and brought it to New Mexico. 8500’ altitude and it idles fine but any more than half throttle or steep incline and it rolls the black smoke and loses power.
Before I left Texas, filled it up with diesel out of the same tank I had used before on 2 other kubota engines I have. Filter doesn’t appear to be dirty.
Ran perfect in Texas but not doing well at all at altitude. I checked the oil level and it’s about 1/8 inch below top fill line on the dipstick.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

[whitetiger]

New forum user here,
Have a 2020 1100c with 40 hours on it. Changed the oil, drove it around the barn in Texas and then loaded it in a trailer and brought it to New Mexico. 8500’ altitude and it idles fine but any more than half throttle or steep incline and it rolls the black smoke and loses power.
Before I left Texas, filled it up with diesel out of the same tank I had used before on 2 other kubota engines I have. Filter doesn’t appear to be dirty.
Ran perfect in Texas but not doing well at all at altitude. I checked the oil level and it’s about 1/8 inch below top fill line on the dipstick.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Do you have any hydraulic accessories on this unit?

 

[Flyinnuts]

Do you have any hydraulic accessories on this unit?

No sir.

 

[whitetiger]

No sir.

The diesel unit suffers from thin air above about 7,000 feet and higher. If you are going to run it above 7,000 feet above sea level, you may want to consider adding a turbocharger kit such as this one.
https://www.turbokits.com/tk-kubota-rtv-x1100-turbo-kit.html

 

[Flyinnuts]

The diesel unit suffers from thin air above about 7,000 feet and higher. If you are going to run it above 7,000 feet above sea level, you may want to consider adding a turbocharger kit such as this one.
https://www.turbokits.com/tk-kubota-rtv-x1100-turbo-kit.html

Thank you for the insight. Much appreciated.
I guess that’s better news than my rig is broken. I probably should have researched Kubotas operating at high altitude before I hauled it all the way out here. Still disappointed as my kubotas have always performed flawlessly in the past. Only at 8500 feet for another month, so I’ll have to give some thought to the aftermarket turbo.

 

[whitetiger]

Thank you for the insight. Much appreciated.
I guess that’s better news than my rig is broken. I probably should have researched Kubotas operating at high altitude before I hauled it all the way out here. Still disappointed as my kubotas have always performed flawlessly in the past. Only at 8500 feet for another month, so I’ll have to give some thought to the aftermarket turbo.

It is not just Kubotas, most any naturally asperated mechanical injection diesel engine suffer, smaller ones probably show it worse than larger ones unless they are run at max load.
The gas RTVs use an ECM which can adjust them for altitude changes to a certain point.

 

[Flyinnuts]

It is not just Kubotas, most any naturally asperated mechanical injection diesel engine suffer, smaller ones probably show it worse than larger ones unless they are run at max load.
The gas RTVs use an ECM which can adjust them for altitude changes to a certain point.

Makes sense now. It just didn’t dawn on me that a naturally aspirated diesel would not have some sort of altitude compensation. Lesson learned.

 

[whitetiger]

Makes sense now. It just didn’t dawn on me that a naturally aspirated diesel would not have some sort of altitude compensation. Lesson learned.

Now if Kubota would just install common rail, turbocharged, intercooler engines in the RTVs!

 

[lugbolt]

Now if Kubota would just install common rail, turbocharged, intercooler engines in the RTVs!

please NO!!

 

[CGMKCM]

Turn the A/C off and stay in low is about all you can do to make it run better. Naturally aspirated diesels lose 2.5% of output per 1,000 ft. of elevation.Tech source

 

[Jchonline]

New forum user here,
Have a 2020 1100c with 40 hours on it. Changed the oil, drove it around the barn in Texas and then loaded it in a trailer and brought it to New Mexico. 8500’ altitude and it idles fine but any more than half throttle or steep incline and it rolls the black smoke and loses power.
Before I left Texas, filled it up with diesel out of the same tank I had used before on 2 other kubota engines I have. Filter doesn’t appear to be dirty.
Ran perfect in Texas but not doing well at all at altitude. I checked the oil level and it’s about 1/8 inch below top fill line on the dipstick.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

ALtitude, plain and simple. That is a non-turbo charged diesel engine so you are loosing about 30% of your rated HP at 8500.

I am at 8600 and had EXACTLY the same symptoms.

Here are your choices::
1. Add a hand throttle kit with will let you adjust RPM like in a tractor. Before you go into the hill, get the RPM up and it will go better. Still not awesome, but better.
2. Have an aftermarket turbo put on it. I had this done to mine and it does make it better. It definitely starts better in the cold, but also runs better up hills. Thjis will set you back a few thousand dollars.
3. Creep up the hill. In HST, less throttle is more torque. It will make it, just much much slower.



What you have to get used to is the Kubota RTV diesels are pretty slow by nature. Adding the loss of power at altitude makes it much harder to endure.

 

[Flyinnuts]

ALtitude, plain and simple. That is a non-turbo charged diesel engine so you are loosing about 30% of your rated HP at 8500.

I am at 8600 and had EXACTLY the same symptoms.

Here are your choices::
1. Add a hand throttle kit with will let you adjust RPM like in a tractor. Before you go into the hill, get the RPM up and it will go better. Still not awesome, but better.
2. Have an aftermarket turbo put on it. I had this done to mine and it does make it better. It definitely starts better in the cold, but also runs better up hills. Thjis will set you back a few thousand dollars.
3. Creep up the hill. In HST, less throttle is more torque. It will make it, just much much slower.



What you have to get used to is the Kubota RTV diesels are pretty slow by nature. Adding the loss of power at altitude makes it much harder to endure.

I will try the hand throttle technique.

Plan on talking to the Kubita dealer in Sante Fe when they open up and investigate the turbo option. Fine with the price if it will improve the performance.

Do you install the turbo kit? Dealer?
Thank you for taking the time to respond.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Check your air filter. Might get you a little more air.

 

[Jchonline]

I will try the hand throttle technique.

Plan on talking to the Kubita dealer in Sante Fe when they open up and investigate the turbo option. Fine with the price if it will improve the performance.

Do you install the turbo kit? Dealer?
Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I had the dealer do it. However you can get the aftermarket kit for it from a few places. I have the SFS. http://sfsspecialties.3dcartstores.com/Turbo-Kit-RTV-1100_p_1133.html

Just didnt have the time to do it myself in the Spring. I think it was $3000 installed. Let me say again it isnt some miracle on the machine. YOu are still limited by the capabilities of a HST transmission. They are not designed for acceleration or speed. I can almost guarantee you will be disappointed with the turbo…but it does make it start up much better at altitude, and it is probably 30% better on hills. If I dog the throttle I can still make it smoke. With HST, less pedal is more torque.

 

[woodman55]

RTV's are work horses, not race horses. Unloaded or loaded, they're slow and steady.