B3030 smoking intermittantly

[Dunbar]

Rank newby shopping tractors here. I see a 2007 B3030 4x4 HST FEL with Cab and 1300 hours for $8500 nearby. Talked to the owner and he came right out with the issues. He is 75 and got it several years ago from friend who got it new. He was under using it and sold it for $12k. New buyer calls next day saying it quit. Uh-hu. Did he add fuel. No, it must be out. Gas or diesel? So buyer was a dumba** and evidently got it fueled and knocked a hole in the radiator hose and overheated it. Seller went and picked it up and gave the dumb*** his money back. Owner had a mechanic put on a new head gasket and water pump. Since that time it smokes sometimes but not other times. Starts right up and runs good. Does not see oil in coolant or vice versa. He thinks it is either rings or injectors, from talking to others apparently. Other issue is the AC leaks down after a couple of weeks. He has tried using dye to find it but can't. He has not gone back to mechanics to diagnose. I can go look at it and drive it. He says it looks fantastic and if he can't sell he will probably take it to shop.

So run away from this unit or consider fixes? I'm not ready to re-ring it myself but could do injectors. Perhaps pay for a repair estimate?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Run and don't look back.
Your looking at anywhere in the 2k to 8K range to fix it properly!

 

[Dunbar]

Thanks Wolfman. I was hoping you would reply. If was in the 2k to 4k range to fix I would consider that but anything over and a different tractor will be better. I might get a new one and finance it with zero percent but keep looking for used bargains. I'll do an introduction thread in the Buying Advise forum to lay out my tractor work parameters.

 

[Tx Jim]

Welcome to OTT
I have a different view than Wolfman. If """engine runs good but emits smoke sometimes"" & with a price substantially lower than any B3030 I saw listed on Tractorhouse I'd take a chance & buy it if I needed a tractor with cab/AC that size.

 

[D2Cat]

With "it smokes sometimes", I'd think the first operation would be injector replacement. And not aftermarket.... just my experience.

But (if you purchase) take the injectors out and take to an diesel injector pump repair shop. They should be able to test the injectors to see if one is not functioning properly.

 

[Dunbar]

Welcome to OTT
I have a different view than Wolfman. If """engine runs good but emits smoke sometimes"" & with a price substantially lower than any B3030 I saw listed on Tractorhouse I'd take a chance & buy it if I needed a tractor with cab/AC that size.

I have had injectors rebuilt before and that would be a first in conjunction with a compression test. After posting I read about tractors that ran out of fuel and would have problems unless properly clearing the fuel lines of bubbles and that injectors even shut down. I'd like to talk to the mechanic that put the head gasket on it. Did he do a compression test before and or after?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

My answer is on the worry that it might have a cracked head from overheating and possibly cracked piston or rings.
I don't like overheated motors they are unpredictable.

The other issue is the cost of fixing the AC, for me it's not too bad I have all the tools and equipment, but if one doesn't it can get rather pricey.

And I did skip right over the price... So rethinking, me personally, yes I would take the risk.

Yes I am totally back tracking on my earlier statement to walk.

 

[BAP]

Depending on how bad it got overheated it could be an issue, but diesels are ruggedly built and can be forgiving. I would start looking simple. Pull the air cleaner and make sure it is clean and not a 2007 original. I have seen old air cleaners that look fairly clean but so old that they have actually started to mold and plug up. Another problem I have seen was the rubber hose that connects the air cleaner canister to the intake manifold becoming soft and collapsing. We had a tractor once that would start up, run fine and so on, but under a heavy load the hose would collapse causing the tractor to smoke and loose power. I also had a JD 444H payloader that ran fine but would intermittently puff black smoke, it turned out to be the injector pump need rebuilding. If that is the actual current picture of the tractor, then I would say it looks great. As far as the AC, a good AC person ought to be able to find the leak with a gas sniffer. It could be a bad O-Ring on one of the connections or one the the rubber gas lines could be weeping threw the rubber. I would run the tractor and get it warmed up and make it work and see if it overheats or starts running poorly. If it has a cracked head or piston then it should show signs after warming up and working. Personally, myself, I would go for it after checking out the things I listed.

 

[Dunbar]

The pics and price are what caught my eye. I wasn't looking for a Cab unit because of the extra cost but got to thinking how nice it would be in the punishing humidity, heat and mosquitoes. Also the extra weight would be helpful. The gentleman sounds like a stand up individual and I can go meet him and drive the tractor on his 10 acres. I talked implements with him and he said skip the backhoe attachment and just rent an excavator as needed. He had a mechanic put on a new $100 head gasket and changed the water pump while he was there. It does not overheat and no mixing of oil and coolant. He thinks it's injectors but holds out that worst case could be rings. I would think the mechanic would have checked the head for cracking and warping. The tractor might run for decades as is but if I would try to get to the bottom of it. Worst case re ring the pistons, probably $4k at a shop? This tractor looks to be $6k to $8k off of market value. I still have to acquire a box blade, brush hog and finish mower which I could piece together used and still be way below a new large B or standard L without a cab. I think I'll go meet the guy and drive the machine.

 

[Tx Jim]

Or you could reveal this tractors location & I'll buy it! LOL

 

[Dunbar]

Or you could reveal this tractors location & I'll buy it! LOL

If I pass I'll pass the info to you.

 

[Dunbar]

Do I pass the test? I looked at it and decided not to buy it. It started and ran good. Did smoke at high RPM, white smoke. The thing had been beat to hell and recently painted. His friend, a preacher, let everyone drive it and they broke 2 glass panels that he replaced. 4 Wheel drive worked. The FEL lifted the front end into the air. Original hoses, silicone goo instead of a windshield rubber, noise from the HST when operating but I don't know what a new one sounds like. I saw overspray on the dipstick on the rear diff. Bucket was beat up. Newer bonnet. Orange paint over dealer plate and model number on the FEL. Guy said he buys parts anywhere but Kubota because of the price. He was going to throw in a 72" MMM that he had forgotten about until I asked if they had used one. The wheels were worn to nubs and the belt covers were missing. All the blades spun together and it looked quite rebuild able but the tractor scarred me. Wolf mans first impression was run and run I did.

I think it would have probably done what I want it to do but then I think that it would constantly be asking for repair.

Speaking of too good to be true, does $15,500 sound too good for a 2011 67hp 7040D with Cab? I'm probably looking at a scam. The pictures are immaculate inside and out. It's supposed local so I asked to go look.

 

[D2Cat]

Sounds like you made a good decision on leaving the tractor there and the money in your pocket.

That price for a clean M7040 identifies it as a scam. Look here. https://www.tractorhouse.com/listin...uipment/manufacturer/kubota/model-group/m7040

 

[Dunbar]

Sounds like you made a good decision on leaving the tractor there and the money in your pocket.

That price for a clean M7040 identifies it as a scam. Look here. https://www.tractorhouse.com/listin...uipment/manufacturer/kubota/model-group/m7040

Your dead right! I googled craigslist tractor scam and got the pointers on how the scam works. http://ebeyfarm.blogspot.com/2016/10/craigslist-tractor-scam-also-other.html Same exact story, brand new looking tractor, woman selling because of divorce.

I think I'll wind up at the mega Kubota dealer's nearby location financing a new machine with their discounted implements.