Looking for onsite assistance in San Diego, CA (paid)

Drewdaman

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Apr 3, 2015
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Descanso, CA
Hi,

I recently purchased 2 non-running Kubota's (L2650 & L295) and could use some (paid) assistance getting both repaired and running properly.

I've got the WSM, Operator's Manual and Parts List for each tractor, have changed fluids, bought & installed new parts (injectors, glow plugs, battery) however I'm having a hard time getting them running.

The tractors are located in Descanso (in east county) and my schedule is very flexible and this is a high priority for me, so hopefully someone knowledgeable can give me a hand.


Thanks!
Drew
619 818-3739 mobile & text
 

Tooljunkie

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If you pick on one machine at a time to reduce confusion, no start can possibly be figured out with a little more information.
For example, smoking when cranking,or not.
Kind of sound its making,like it has compression.
Glow plugs getting power(can check with a test light)

Some have electronic fuel shutoff on injection pump , may not be activating or stuck.

If you managed to swap injectors and bleed them and replace glow plugs, then this should be manageable.
 

Drewdaman

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M4950DT with FEL, L200 with rototiller, RTV900 with winch
Apr 3, 2015
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Thanks for the reply, ToolJunkie, and I appreciate the suggestion - and yes, my main focus so far has been the L295, and at one point while cranking on it, it was trying to run on it's own, but never did...since then, it hasn't been that close to running on it's own.

I guess my thought was that I've learned just about as much as possible from the books and forums, and now I'm wasting my time and/or possibly stressing the starter by continuing to crank on it.

Having said that, the electrical wiring is not intact so I've run a jumper from the battery to the (new) glow plugs, and the ends of the glow plugs are getting warm, so it seems that component is okay.

I think my next step will be to focus on restoring the integrity of the wiring at the glow plugs and starter and possibly the key switch (I've been jumping the starter too), that scope of work seems manageable to me right now, and will be required at some point anyway, so might as well take care of it now. Hopefully after that is done, it'll be easier to bleed the system, too.

Thanks for the encouragement to keep plugging away, I appreciate it! :D

Drew
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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The L295 is a basic non electronic or heavy electrical tractor so little need to work for it to run.
When you crank it is there any smoke?
And if so what color is it?
When cranking is there smoke coming out the blow by vent tube that comes off the valve cover?

When you get to the L2650, I can really help as I have it's bigger brother and can walk you threw all of it. ;)
 

Drewdaman

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M4950DT with FEL, L200 with rototiller, RTV900 with winch
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Descanso, CA
Thanks a lot, Wolfman, and yes, there was black and white smoke initially - when it almost caught on and ran by itself several days ago - but more recently, no. And I'll have to check the blow by vent tube, I don't recall seeing any smoke there.

Regarding repairing the electrical system, right now I'm having to run a jumper to the glow plugs and then jump the starter, so thought I'd try to fix those wires so I can have a more orderly starting process - I'm working by myself, so it's tough to get the glow plugs hot, then go over to the other side of the tractor and jump it at the starter.

Again, thanks for the encouragement! :D

Drew
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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I would suggest that you get a compression tester for diesel engines, you can get them off EBay or Harbor Freight for fairly cheap.
 

Drewdaman

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Quick update: I've ordered the HF compression tester as Wolfman suggested, and I've double checked everything done so far, including bleeding the system, and it still won't run, so it appears that the problem is low compression.

I'll update this thread after testing that, but in the meantime, I thought you guys might be interested in seeing some pictures. :D

The first 3 pictures are from the day I found both tractors in the back of a golf course in El Centro, CA and the last 2 pictures are from yesterday, at my place in Descanso, CA.

I've still got lots of work to do, but I'm having a blast playing with these quality machines! :D
 

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ShaunRH

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If you confirm low compression, they can still start, but they'll need some help. You either need to increase the turn over speed or add stimulants to the system to get them running.
If you have the budget to get those machines up and working, and you confirm low compression, a rebuild is probably in order for both.
 

Drewdaman

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Re: Looking for onsite assistance in San Diego, CA (paid) - now with pics

Thanks very much for the input, Shaun, and to clarify, all my comments above are related to the L295; I've not yet tried to get the L2650 running, I'm still waiting on parts (nozzles, glow plugs, fuel lines) and the specialty tool to extract the nozzles.

Re increasing the turnover speed, I've got a big new battery with 1000 CCA, fully charged - is there anything else I can do to increase the turnover speed?

And I've very carefully added a stimulant (ether, without the glow plugs) but was concerned about possible engine damage so may have added too little...

Moving forward, I've made contact with a local diesel mechanic, and once I get the parts from Messicks for the L2650, I'll have him come over to evaluate both machines.

Thanks again,
Drew
 

coachgeo

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have heard that a less volitl substance is better than ether for a diesel machine starting assistance.

Had a fellow tell me a rag soaked in gas and let the engine suck the fumes into the air cleaner while trying to start it was a good route to help start and still be less potentially damaging to the engine.
 

D2Cat

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Drewdaman, you really need to wait until you get your compression tester. Once you know the numbers you will have a much better idea what direction to proceed.

Even if your compression test low, I would no be overly concerned YET. I have a HF compression tester. I think it is junk. I tested the compression in the B7100 I have (and it was in similar condition as yours) and it showed extremely low. I really don't think the gauge is working correctly. The longer the engine sets idle the easier it is to get a less then good compression reading.

You will test the compression by removing the GP's. So when you have them out test them with you battery. Hold the threaded part to the neg. and a jumper wire from pos. to where the wire was on top. In 10 seconds or so they should glow red hot. That means their "Joe To"! (Oriential slang for "good")

While the PG's are out put 3 or 4 squirts of oil (from an oil can) in each cylinder. This will help seal the rings after setting for a long period of time.

The head was off when I got the tractor. When I cleaned the head, installed and torqued the engine started. I've been running it for a couple of months now. It fires right off. Plenty of power. No blowby. That's why I say HF compression sets are suspect.
 

olthumpa

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. . . That's why I say HF compression sets are suspect.
Agree, tried three different compression kits from them and got different readings from each - most read above factory specs for my engine. Mine has always been a problem child when it comes to starting. I have to use glow plugs even in the summer. I just tested the compression because I was curious.

Good luck and listen to some of the experts on here, they know what they are talking about. (I am only an expert on my own opinion and then sometimes I am still wrong.:eek:)
 

Drewdaman

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D2Cat: Thanks for your post, and that's very encouraging about your experience adding oil directly into each cylinder - couldn't hurt, right? Also, just a quick clarification re the GP's, as they are all new, and I can feel the block getting warm, so I'm pretty confident they're working.

olthumpa: That's what I suspected, the HF tester is only $40 delivered, so I was not counting on it to provide absolute confirmation.
 

ShaunRH

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If you have a MAPP gas torch, feed in some MAPP gas to the intake as you try to start the unit. That can add a little boost to the engine start without being as harsh as ether.

The compression tester will tell you if you have any dead cylinders. Most problems with tractors that have been idle for long is bad/old fuel and gummed up oil channels. I'd Seafoam the snot outta both the units. Also add some SeaFoam directly to the cylinders when you put in that oil. It will break stuff loose. Putting a strong mix with clean diesel into the injection pump to soak over night wouldn't hurt either.

On getting the starter to turn faster, use an engine booster. They dump about 13.5 to 14.5 volts to the battery, more than the standard 12v.
 
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Drewdaman

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Thanks for the input, guys, and as an update, I bought two 16-ounce cans of Sea Foam this afternoon and administered it as follows.
- 6 oz in the oil (1 oz per quart)
- 2 oz in each cylinder, along with 3 squirts of oil
- the rest, say 20 oz, in the fuel tank (which has about 2 gallons of diesel)

And I connected my charger / booster and jumped the starter, and it cranked and cranked but the engine didn't catch, not even a little bit. And there was a little whitish smoke evident, I'm assuming that is the Sea Foam?

And to confirm, I bled the injectors multiple times, and still nothing.

So, I'm going to let everything sit so the Sea Foam can marinate for about 24 hours and give it another try tomorrow when I get off work. I'll pick up some MAPP gas and try that, too.

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement, I appreciate it! :D
Drew
 

D2Cat

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Drew, when you bled the injectors, do you have the lines loose at the top of the injectors and fuel dribbled out each line before tightening them?

If you have fuel (without air in it), engine turning a sufficient RPM, air for combustion (air filter clean), the only thing left is compression to keep it from starting.
 

Drewdaman

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Descanso, CA
Yep, and to make sure I'm doing it right, here's the process I followed to bleed the injectors.
- crack the nut loose at the top of the injector tube, about 1/2 a turn
- crank the starter
- after it's spits fuel out in a clear consistent pattern / rhythm, tight the nut while cranking
- repeat above steps for each injector

And for confirmation, I do know that my fuel filter has a bleed valve on it, and I bled that several days ago, and every time I've checked it since it just dribbles fuel, no air. Same with the bleed valve on the injector pump, I didn't check that one yesterday either, but I've bled it multiple times in the last several days, and every time, it's all fuel, no air bubbles that I could see.

Hopefully the potion of oil and Sea Foam marinating in the cylinders overnight will do the trick, and get just enough compression so she starts - I'll report back as soon as I try again. :D

Thanks!
Drew
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Pull the injectors out of the motor, reconnect them outside the engine, bleed them again, with a piece of cardboard under them see what kind of spray you get out of them.
Do Not put your hand or anything else under them as they will inject diesel into you and that's a BAD thing!
 
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ShaunRH

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Careful how much oil/additive you add to a cylinder, you don't want to hydrolock it, bad for pistons and head. Those are in just to lube everything up until you get oil pressure back up.

It might not be a hideous idea to remove the glow plugs and keep the fuel off and crank the engine until you see the oil pressure gauge come up. If it hasn't been run in a long time, the oil system might not be working right either. This also gives the systems a change to break in while not being under pressure to 'start'. If you have a decompression lever, you can use that instead of pulling the glow plugs.