Brand new L4701 lost oil plug and run dry

motorhead

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By the time the oil light comes on, at usually 2 to 5 psi, especially if you are running at PTO engine RPM, you're past, "in trouble". The fact that the engine knocked AND slowed means it was seizing! Only equipment that has low oil pressure shut down is a stationary engine or stationary generator.
The Dealer is gong to have a hard time denying this claim.
 

mpham

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Knocking and engine slowing is a sign of the crankshaft running without oil. I would expect the engine bearings to be burnt and the crank to be possibly scored. I would want a new engine.
 

HermTDI

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I know this is after the fact. and does you no good at the moment.
When I change oil I suction it out of the dipstick tube. I never touch the drain plug. It just dumbfounds me that this sort of thing happens in this day & age.
 

hodge

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I know this is after the fact. and does you no good at the moment.
When I change oil I suction it out of the dipstick tube. I never touch the drain plug. It just dumbfounds me that this sort of thing happens in this day & age.
Why? The drain plug is the lowest point on the pan. Draining it from that point gets the most of the contaminated oil out, plus washes debris out with the oil.
 

motorhead

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Why? The drain plug is the lowest point on the pan. Draining it from that point gets the most of the contaminated oil out, plus washes debris out with the oil.
I agree. Only time to use a suction tube is in a boat where you can't get to the drain plug. That drain plug should have been checked at the dealer. Critical bolts,nuts and oil plugs usually have a paint mark on them to show that someone checked it for proper tightness.
 

twomany

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I agree. Only time to use a suction tube is in a boat where you can't get to the drain plug. That drain plug should have been checked at the dealer. Critical bolts,nuts and oil plugs usually have a paint mark on them to show that someone checked it for proper tightness.
WHOA! Painted torque stripes ?? On a tractor??? I've NEVER seen the like!

Next it will be said that "real dealers safety wire all critical components". They don't, and they don't paint mark the drain plugs either.


It is too bad that a $5 part (the plug) and a non- moving feature (the drain hole) would bring such a bad air about the entire machine.
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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they don't paint mark the drain plugs either.
I disagree, you might want to go take a better look at your tractor, unless it's been repainted it will either have yellow or red paint on several key adjustment ,drain plug and torque points on the tractor, why my 45 year old B7100 still has the factory / dealer paint on them! ;)
 

twomany

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I just went out with a flash light to have a look. No marks on the 7200 drain plug. Original looking blue paint though. Of course the oil has been changed a time or two, I suspect.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Yep very possible that the paint has worn off.
A tractor with just 12 hours on it should have the paint on it, but sadly if it was only on the head of the plug we may never know if it had any or not. ;)
 

100 td

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So the key question for me, (maybe I missed it) are these tractors shipped from Japan with engines/transmissions empty of oil?
 

twomany

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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. :confused::eek::(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.
Just on a note of optimism:

Isn't the oil pan on that model a two lobed style with a center tunnel and TWO drain plugs? If so, It would be hard to run it "completely dry". But if the oil pump quits picking up, that's dry enough to spoil one's entire day.
 

twomany

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Yep very possible that the paint has worn off.
A tractor with just 12 hours on it should have the paint on it, but sadly if it was only on the head of the plug we may never know if it had any or not. ;)
In the OP's photo, "The other drain plug" right across from the missing one doesn't show any markings from this camera angle. There is no paint markings visible on the pan at the open drain location either. I would say, No markings were (or are) part of the oil plug scheme.

In fact, I've been under a lot of equipment, and I've NEVER seen an oil drain marked from the factory. jess say'in.
 

100 td

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Isn't the oil pan on that model a two lobed style with a center tunnel and TWO drain plugs? If so, It would be hard to run it "completely dry". But if the oil pump quits picking up, that's dry enough to spoil one's entire day.
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.
............
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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So the key question for me, (maybe I missed it) are these tractors shipped from Japan with engines/transmissions empty of oil?
Nope, they are made in the US, Georgia, then shipped all over US, Canada, and other parts.
And yes they leave the factory full of all fluids.

Now for you in OZ, I'm not sure if they have a plant there or if they are shipped in from Japan for you???
 
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100 td

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Nope, they are made in the US, Georgia, then shipped all over US, Canada, and other parts.
So full of oil? The reason I ask is because someone recently on OTT said they bought a new? tractor and said the dealer used something other than UDT in it, so I thought they may ship dry?
 

Shelbygt660

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I work at a kubota dealer and they ship all units to us in crate or not with all the fluids. It's up to us to double check them at Pdi. And if we add any attachments. Loaders. Remote valves, etc

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North Idaho Wolfman

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It's possible they ship dry, but that's not what I've heard ??? :confused:
They were dry when they were shipped crated.