Brand new L4701 lost oil plug and run dry

Ian SAVS · Sep 4, 2017

Here's a hell of a first post.

New L4701 with 12.5 hours. I was bush hogging some pastures and backing into some hard to reach places, so looking backwards and not viewing the dashboard when the engine starts knocking and bogs down, I immediately look forward, see the low pressure light, throttle down and kill the ignition. Temurature is in the normal range so I investigate further with the oil dipstick... dry stick and burnt oil smoke from the tube..what the actual fuc? I had checked the oil before starting 2 hours before and it was good to go. I climb down for a look under the engine to find oil drain plug missing.

I was able to follow the trail of oil for about 150 feet where it began but no oil plug to be found. I'm estimating that the engine ran dry for at least a minute with the PTO on before the engine stalled.
I'm a little bit pissed and I feel the dealer is responsible to some degree, I don't feel like oil drain plug was tightened properly on initial start up service or it would not have vibrated out after 12 or so hours. Definitely not torqued to spec.

How screwed is the engine and how responsible is the dealership?

I plan to go to the dealership first thing in the morning to get oil and a new plug and describe to them the events of today. I'm hoping to get it in writing that they may be responsible for future engine problems.

100 td · Sep 4, 2017

If you didn't touch the plug it's their problem. It should not vibrate out, or undo under normal operation.

rjcorazza · Sep 4, 2017

I would think "critical parts falling off tractor" would be covered by warrenty. At an absolute minimum they should be paying for the oil and plug. Personally I would make it clear that this is a documented warrenty claim, and have them check the machine out (likely they would just put oil back in and call it good). Regardless, the paper trail is started in the event of problems.
I suspect the engine is ok though.

Cathy Liebchen · Sep 4, 2017

Engine is fine

kuboman · Sep 4, 2017

Engine is baked. Even if it runs after you put oil back in the damage is done and damage will be severe. Sorry. They need to replace the engine.

85Hokie · Sep 4, 2017

I agree.........engine may run again....but damage is done - kaput!

IF you have the Kubota insurance .........I am thinking it should be covered - and even if not, I would think it should still be covered!

Jim L. · Sep 4, 2017

Man, that's bad news.

I don't think that I would run the engine. Then their insurance company can claim that you made things worse.

The diesel engine guys here can probably come up with the items which can be inspected to get an indication of damage.

This could turn out to be a big deal.

Bmbbm · Sep 4, 2017

Ian SAVS said:
Here's a hell of a first post.

New L4701 with 12.5 hours. I was bush hogging some pastures and backing into some hard to reach places, so looking backwards and not viewing the dashboard when the engine starts knocking and bogs down, I immediately look forward, see the low pressure light, throttle down and kill the ignition. Temurature is in the normal range so I investigate further with the oil dipstick... dry stick and burnt oil smoke from the tube..what the actual fuc? I had checked the oil before starting 2 hours before and it was good to go. I climb down for a look under the engine to find oil drain plug missing. I was able to follow the trail of oil for about 150 feet where it began but no oil plug to be found. I'm estimating that the engine ran dry for at least a minute with the PTO on before the engine stalled.
I'm a little bit pissed and I feel the dealer is responsible to some degree, I don't feel like oil drain plug was tightened properly on initial start up service or it would not have vibrated out after 12 or so hours. Definitely not torqued to spec.

How screwed is the engine and how responsible is the dealership?

I plan to go to the dealership first thing in the morning to get oil and a new plug and describe to them the events of today. I'm hoping to get it in writing that they may be responsible for future engine problems.

.

I see a big pissing match on the horizon. Kubota will say the dealer should have caught it the predelivery and the dealer will blame Kubota. Either way I think your entitled to a new engine. A expensive tractor with 12 hours!!! If you put oil in and it seems fine I still think you have hours and hours of premature wear.

North Idaho Wolfman · Sep 4, 2017

Hope you have Insurance!

motorhead · Sep 4, 2017

It is VERY important that you DO NOT touch the engine or try to put another oil plug and oil into the engine. LEAVE it alone and call the dealer right away. Have the dealer come to your place. See if you can find the original oil plug in the field. The engine is JUNK now, especially a diesel engine. DEMAND that the whole engine is replaced with a new replacement, not a rebuild or yours rebuilt. That engine would never be the same.
I speak from 50 years of mechanical and engine experience and 36 years experience with diesels. There is no way that the oil plug should have ever fallen out if it was tight to begin with.
I would also strongly suggest that you get Kubota Corporate involved and any witnesses that would swear in court that you never touched the oil plug.

geoff · Sep 4, 2017

I'm sorry to hear of your woes, as said by others, don't do anything to the tractor, and don't start it, get both the dealer and kubota involved.
The engine will have suffered serious damage and need replacing.

SwampCat · Sep 5, 2017

Boy you aint kidding, thats a a hell of a 1st post. Wish you the best of luck with the dealer. As others have said. Leave it sit right where its at. Get Kubota out there as soon as possible, go over the local dealer also and get corporate Kubota out there .

Cathy Liebchen · Sep 5, 2017

As the dealer will point out, the engine is fine. You only lost one oil plug, so there is still oil in the engine. The low oil light is designed to shut it down before any damage. You only ran it a few feet before shutdown, so no seizure. Diesel fuel is oily to provide engine lubrication as well. Just top off the oil and it will run fine. These forums are full of people with catastrophic thinking

85Hokie · Sep 5, 2017

Cathy Liebchen said:
As the dealer will point out, the engine is fine. You only lost one oil plug, so there is still oil in the engine. The low oil light is designed to shut it down before any damage. You only ran it a few feet before shutdown, so no seizure. Diesel fuel is oily to provide engine lubrication as well. Just top off the oil and it will run fine. These forums are full of people with catastrophic thinking

Cathy,

not trying to be ugly, but with this statement "engine starts knocking and bogs down"

I would not want ANY part of ownership with this situation - NOW - if I WAS the one that made the oil change mistake, then I would have to accept it. BUT this was a factory/dealer situation - and it should not be considered a fixable solution via adding oil and rolling on

D2Cat · Sep 5, 2017

Cathy Liebchen said:
As the dealer will point out, the engine is fine. You only lost one oil plug, so there is still oil in the engine. The low oil light is designed to shut it down before any damage. You only ran it a few feet before shutdown, so no seizure. Diesel fuel is oily to provide engine lubrication as well. Just top off the oil and it will run fine. These forums are full of people with catastrophic thinking

You may be the guru of all things mechanical, but I'm not following your advise!

You sound just like the answer the dealer may very well regurgitate, simply so they can get the owner out the door with no problems.

Do you work for a third world tractor dealer? Make it work 'cause we don't have any parts or replacement engines.

My question for the original poster is how did you keep it dry, being located in Houston? Must have land North and West of there!

L35 · Sep 5, 2017

And diesel fuel is not for piston lubrication, this is not a 2-stroke weekwacker. It's a tractor. If you had so much diesel going into your engine it lubed the pistons, it would wash down past the rings into the crankcase and thin out the oil.

Daren Todd · Sep 5, 2017

Cathy Liebchen said:
As the dealer will point out, the engine is fine. You only lost one oil plug, so there is still oil in the engine. The low oil light is designed to shut it down before any damage. You only ran it a few feet before shutdown, so no seizure. Diesel fuel is oily to provide engine lubrication as well. Just top off the oil and it will run fine. These forums are full of people with catastrophic thinking

That sounds like dealer speak. I understand your point of view. But I've been there done that with a car. Speedi lube place did an oil change, got 3 miles down the road. Oil light came on and engine started knocking. Vehicle had 40k miles. Lost the oil filter. Was nice about it, and let it go. They came out, installed a new oil filter, and topped the oil up. Started having engine issues in another 20k miles.

That's a brand spanking new tractor and a huge investment. As far as I'm concerned, that's a new engine or new tractor. Not, run it and hope for the best

BAP · Sep 5, 2017

Also, don't forget that the bearings went dry too!

KennedyFarmer · Sep 5, 2017

Have to agree with everyone saying get that engine replaced. I would always worry about the engine and every sound would be a freak out.

North Idaho Wolfman · Sep 5, 2017

Cathy Liebchen said:
As the dealer will point out, the engine is fine. You only lost one oil plug, so there is still oil in the engine. The low oil light is designed to shut it down before any damage. You only ran it a few feet before shutdown, so no seizure. Diesel fuel is oily to provide engine lubrication as well. Just top off the oil and it will run fine. These forums are full of people with catastrophic thinking

Any dealer that would blindly say that would be incredibly incompetent!

The oil pick up is only on one side of the pan not both, and yep he lost it on the side that has the pick up on it.

The oil light is NOT designed to shut down the engine... It designed to inform the operator of a problem, then the operator is supposed to act accordingly.

The "engine starts knocking and bogs down" would be indicative to internal engine damage.
If diesel fuel was the lubricant then why would it need oil?
The fuel that it burns is not the lubrication for the bearings, and that is what fails in a no oil / lubrication event!

Brand new L4701 lost oil plug and run dry

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