B1500 not starting

[Bunky]

Only had this "vintage" B1500 a couple of days. It was running fine, my nephew stalled it and it wouldn't start again.

The battery was dead, so I've now replaced that. Filled up the fuel (it was low but not empty). But it just turns over now without firing.

I'm very new to the world of tractors so I'm hoping the answer to this is either "you need to flick this little switch..." or "nope, that's a job for a mechanic"

video of me trying to start it below. Any help greatly appreciate. TIA

B1500 not starting

....

youtube.com

 

[85Hokie]

Are you glowing the plugs BEFORE starting?

I am not sure - but turn that key to the left and hold for 15 seconds and see if that makes any difference

 

[Russell King]

Define stalled better…
If it was running fine and died from some overload like letting the clutch out too fast in too high of a gear that is one track to follow.

If it was running fine and moving and slowly died then that would indicate a problem with the fuel supply. You can start with seeing how much fuel is getting to the fuel filter or fuel injection pump or you can start bleeding air out of the system. I would suggest starting with investigating the fuel flow first and then bleeding it out if you have good fuel flow.

 

[Bunky]

Are you glowing the plugs BEFORE starting?

I am not sure - but turn that key to the left and hold for 15 seconds and see if that makes any difference

Thanks. Yes, that was my third of fourth attempt. I'd glowed for a good while just before that video.

 

[Bunky]

Define stalled better…
If it was running fine and died from some overload like letting the clutch out too fast in too high of a gear that is one track to follow.

If it was running fine and moving and slowly died then that would indicate a problem with the fuel supply. You can start with seeing how much fuel is getting to the fuel filter or fuel injection pump or you can start bleeding air out of the system. I would suggest starting with investigating the fuel flow first and then bleeding it out if you have good fuel flow.

So we did some more assessment on the weekend. Bled it first. There was fuel getting through, but very little. However the bypass return was getting plenty back to the tank.

So we took off the fuel rack. The 1st line out of the pump/injector (?) had some pressure coming. But the 2nd and 3rd lines had no pressure coming through.

Checked the fuel was clean and no sediment or blockages, which was all good. So with my limited understanding, it looks like the issue is in that box i've circled, and that the fuel's not actually making it to the cylinders.

Any ideas what's next? I'm hesitant to start dismantling it myself beyond what i've done so far as I have no idea where/how to get parts if it starts falling apart. I went to my local Kubota dealership to get a new battery and as it's a grey import, it's all quite alien to them it seems.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I don't own one but ....

I'd be taking the fuel lines off at the injectors, using properly sized Metric wrenches and then turning over the engine to see if fuels does squirt out in sequence. If it does, then not the injector pump.

Should remove the wires from the glow plugs and check that each is about 1 ohm. Any that show 'open' or 'infinite' are bad and need to be replaced.

The 'typical' starting proceedure is to power the glowplugs for 5-10 'steamboats' then immediately crank engine to start. That 'silver light' to the left of the ign switch should light up dull when powering the glow plugs.

Hopefully others who have your exact tractor can replay with better help.

 

[Bunky]

I don't own one but ....

I'd be taking the fuel lines off at the injectors, using properly sized Metric wrenches and then turning over the engine to see if fuels does squirt out in sequence. If it does, then not the injector pump.

Should remove the wires from the glow plugs and check that each is about 1 ohm. Any that show 'open' or 'infinite' are bad and need to be replaced.

The 'typical' starting proceedure is to power the glowplugs for 5-10 'steamboats' then immediately crank engine to start. That 'silver light' to the left of the ign switch should light up dull when powering the glow plugs.

Hopefully others who have your exact tractor can replay with better help.

Hi, thanks for the comment. We took the lines off at the injectors. Only one of them is actually pumping, and even then it's quite limited. So it does seem like it's something to do with the injector pump.

Didn't know about the glow plugs, so maybe that's worth a look too. Thanks.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

wow you must have cleaned up the engine real good after fuel spritzed out !!
The fuel comes out in a sequence so it'll take a few seconds to see the 'pattern', but it should be obvious.

Did you change the fuel filters just after you bought it or topped up tank? It could be 'junk' in the tank, if it'd sat any length of time. You need to by Kubota filter for it, they are much 'finer' than 'gas line' filters.
If the tractor hadn't been used in say a month ot two, I'd drain the tank, buy filters(s),fill with new fuel.
On my BX23s there's two filters, one between tank and lift pump, 2nd between lift pump and injector pump.

 

[Russell King]

What you circled in red is the injection pump.

What do you mean when you say “fuel rack”? The fuel rack is something inside the pump (as I understand it). if you mean that you removed the fuel lines between the pump and the injectors, tell us more specifically where you disconnected the lines since you are supposed to hold the larger nut at the injector pump when turning the nut on the injector line (at the pump end). If the larger nut moves it effects the operation of the pump.

To me it was not an injection pump issue since it has been running fine unless something mechanical failed inside the pump and then stalled the tractor.

And if you had the throttle at idle there will not be much fuel pumped out of the individual injector fuel line.