Kubota L4060 glow plug not lighting up

[Woodland Jennifer]

I am typing this as my husband Hermie isn't a computer man. He bought a new Kubota a couple of weeks ago. After putting it into Front Wheel Drive and using the loader the glow plug indicator did not light up anymore, neither does it show up on the IntelliPanel. This was the third time he had run the tractor. He is retired. Could this be a fuse?
He phoned the company from whom he bought it but they haven't phoned back.
Is he damaging something in running it like this.
Some information on what this is, or where we can find the answer would be much appreciated. It is quite worrying having this happen to a brand new tractor.
Thanks. WJ

 

[Tx Jim]

1st thing I'd recommend is have "Hubby" sit down and read the operators manual if he hadn't already done so. The glow plugs on my M7040 are controlled by ambient temperature along with a timer. The temp. must be 30 degrees F or lower for the GP's to come on. The colder it is the longer the GP's stay on. I'm guessing your Kubota has similar GP operation.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Im assuming the glow plugs will only come on when needed. So if its starting without the indicator on the dash, the likely its warm enough to start.

 

[Woodland Jennifer]

Thank you both so very much for your replies. You have no idea how worried we were about this. What you say makes sense.
Hermie has gone through the manual but what threw him off, was the salesman who delivered the tractor, we are 100 miles away from dealer, said the Glow Plug light flashes on and then off, if temps warm enough. It did this when he delivered it and the first two times my husband started tractor but not after he used the front end loader so we thought something had gone wrong then.
To add to worries, the mechanic from this dealership did not understand what we were talking about, although we did say Glow light. Said he would call back but didn't. We know he was busy. We were imagining an issue which we could not deal with here.
WJ

 

[Tx Jim]

You're welcome.

 

[Cal270]

Jennifer
I have the same tractor.
simple solution is to read the owners manual.
There is no manual glow plug, the L4060 does this automatically.
When the key is turned to the second position all the LCD symbols show up, then the screen will change to 2 symbols(after a short period of time), turn the key to the third position and it will start.
your husband may want to stop by the dealers and review the start up procedure and Tier 4 requirements.
good luck.

 

[dtbprc]

search forums and see my video on my Glowplugs test and fix.....

search 'glowplugs'

 

[dtbprc]

link is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3NNHFNAV44

 

[Stubbyie]

Ms. Jennifer:

Did you get this resolved to your satisfaction?

Using the loader should not have any effect on the glow plug indicator lamp.

Watch closely the dashboard as the key is turned. If the air temp is warm enough the [yellow?] glow plug indicator will flash or flicker very quickly from 'on' to 'off'. Then continue turning the key to start the engine. You need to pause a second or two when turning the key.

Hold the key in the first click position while the lamp cycles, then turn to 'start'. In the very coldest weather you may need to run the glowplugs once, then turn the key 'off' and back 'on' to cycle them again before attemping a start.

I urge you to study the Owner's Manual as it should (does for my Kubotas) describe clearly what you should see in the ignition sequence.

If you consistently get zero lamp indication on the dashboard then you need to hound the dealer. It's a new machine under warranty, right?

In your part of the world, I expect a lower radiator hose heater or block heater and a battery maintainer would truly be a help.

Please report back your continuing experiences so we may all learn.

 

[Woodland Jennifer]

Thank you all for your imput. Hermie is outside working right now. I shall print all this info off for him to read.
He has spent days pouring over the Owner's Manual. We have had our old tractor for years so it is like coming from the age of the Dinosaur to a moon rocket.
This morning I phoned the dealer again. He said the Kubota man will probably be in touch with him on Wednesday and he will ask him about it.
Yes it is under warranty. It is a new tractor with cab and was delivered on October 20th of this year, 2014. The Glow Plug indicator came on when we were being show how to operate it, and mentioned.
It was -1C here this morning and H. went out to tractor and turned it on, no Glow Plug indicator lightup, not even a flicker.

I will keep you informed of what goes on and what the solution is.
We had a block heater installed on the tractor before it left the dealership.
Thanks again.
Jennifer

 

[Stubbyie]

We're missing something here.

Ms. Jennifer you say it is -1C as you write. That's about +30F, just a hair under freezing.

And you say you have a block heater.

Does the machine crank where you have it parked at -1C?

How does it behave when being cranked?
How much and what color exhaust smoke?

Is the machine in a closed shed?
Is the shed heated?
Is the block heater in use?

Consider this: is it possible that the machine is warm enough--where you have it parked--that it 'thinks' it may be summer and the glow plug 'heating' lamp never comes into play?

What happens if the machine is 'cold' at -1C, not heated, not block heated, and you try to start it?

Listen for 'clicks' as the key is turned. Go slow and pay attention. If you turn the key to first position, wait, then second position, and hear NO clicks you MAY have a bad glow plug controller. The controller is under the dash. The click under the hood is the fuel solenoid and probably unrelated to the glow plug indicator problem.

Other threads on this Forum have indicated that new glow plug controllers have sometimes been found bad right out of the box.

You paid for a warranty when you bought the machine. The dealer should be working with you to get it right. Don't be bashful.

Please post back your continuing experiences so we may all learn.

 

[sheepfarmer]

I had the same question. I have a brand new L3560 HST and so far have never seen the glow plug indicator appear in the display. My manual says "cold weather starting" is below 23o F, and leave key in the on position until the indicator symbol goes off. It has been pretty cold here, but maybe closer to 30 when I have been starting it. I am guessing the glow plugs go on and off while the other images "welcome to kubota" etc are on the screen. In any case so far it starts. If so the glow plugs are a lot faster than my truck at the same temperature. Temps next week are continuing to drop so I should know after that. This is such a jump in technology from my Ford 8 N. No delicately nursing the choke and the throttle until it is warmed up.

 

[Woodland Jennifer]

Thank you both for your replies. I am working on a reply and trying to not make it too long-winded.
I shall post it tomorrow, Monday.
Jennifer

 

[Woodland Jennifer]

Hello Stubbyie, thank you for your response.
Yes, the machine cranks up well.
It is kept under a roof, not in a shed.
Block heater not in use yet, as it starts up right away.
The past two days we started the tractor at -6C, about 22F I think. The Glow Plug Indicator momentarily flashed on, on the IntelliPanel and then, off.
The salesman phoned at the end of last week and again today so we feel happy about that, and not abandoned as we had before.
I ordered a copy of the Shop Manual. Since that takes a while to order he is printing one up for us and sending it.
Last week he told us to check the fuse and if not 'broken' means it is OK. If not that, it could be a wire.
Today he said when someone comes out this way they will stop and look at it. We are 100 miles from them, over a high mountain range. I told him the indicator showed the past two days.
When we bought it, in October, it arrived on the 20th, the Glow Plug Indicator lit up when the key was turned. The temperature then was warmish, shirt weather. The next three or four start-ups, it also flashed on, enough to be noticed. Since then, until a couple of days ago, no-show.
My husband wondered if he had pressed something by mistake in getting in to the tractor, ie the control panel and this caused the problem.
He has poured through the Owners Manual, looks at it every day, but can't find anything which addresses the Glow Plug indicator.
He also can't find how to reset the IntelliPanel to Default. This I imagine will be known to us when the Shop Manual arrives.
I have printed out all the information you and others gave us on here, a copy each for which we are very grateful.
I shall come back here when I have any new information from the manual in case someone else needs to know.

Sheep Farmer, the flash of the Glow Plug Indication is like greased lightening, blink and you miss it, so far that is, at -6C, 22F.
We would be interested to know how you make out with yours in colder weather.
We started with the same Ford 8N as you, then to a Massey Ferguson 230 so we too, are making an enormous jump in technology.

Thanks again. You were like a raft when we felt we were drowning.
Jennifer

 

[sheepfarmer]

Hi Jennifer, today it was between 12 and 22 degrees F and so I hopped on and turned the key. Sure enough the glow plug symbol appeared, though not for long. So thanks to your question and the helpful posts I am also reassured that it is functioning normally. Now on to the problem that my 130 lbs does not activate the seat switch reliably. Still searching the forum for the answer to how to adjust it. Thanks everyone.

 

[Woodland Jennifer]

Hi Sheep Farmer, a friend of ours has a Kubota L3560 but theirs does not have the Intellipanel. They are in Cuba on holiday at the moment but I will talk to them about the seat when they return. Maybe theirs is the same set-up as yours. She drives the tractor and weighs about 130 lbs. My husband said he will see if his manual says anything about it.
I am glad your Glow Plug Indicator came on for you. I am pleased that I found this forum and all the help we have had. The dealer phoned today and said they are shipping out the Shop Manual this week. Right now we can't get rid of a couple of icons which appear on the IntelliPanel, the Stall something. That isn't a worry like the Glow Plug and we shall figure it out.
Jennifer

 

[sheepfarmer]

Thanks Jennifer!

 

[Cal270]

Jennifer
Start my tractor this weekend.
Temp was 25F, when I turned the key to the ON position the battery and oil pressure symbols came up on the dash. The glow plug symbol did NOT stay on.
I turned the key to start and the engined started. I let it idle at 1,300 rpm for 15 minutes and then ran it
Now at 25F, I would think the glow plugs symbol would be on for some period of time. Apparently not needed to start the tractor at this temp.
I think the computer is determining when the glow plugs are needed.
I plan on using a block heater as winter progresses.
Now if the tractor didn't start properly then I would be concerned.
Hope this helps.
Put on the rear blade and front snow plow & can't wait for a heavy snow fall!

 

[Tooljunkie]

im betting the glow plug controller determines the glow plugs aren't needed.
Im sure you will find as time goes on and as (if) it gets colder the glow plugs will remain on longer. I say if it starts without difficulty dont worry.

 

[Woodland Jennifer]

Hello, today the temperature was -12C, about 17F to the best of my knowledge, the Glow Plug indicator flashed on just a tad longer today. This is a huge relief. We still haven't figured out why, in October when it was warm, this lit up the first three times when it was delivered and then no more until quite cold. One of life's mysteries and was a great worry.

Cal, thanks for information. We had five inches of snow here a few days ago, all melted as it was too warm. Cold now. Our old tractor did not start this morning but the new Kubota did with no need for the block heater. We really like our Kubota. My husband is going to put snow blade on front and the old snow plough, like a grader blade, on the back. The bucket is on front at the moment. Our old tractor still runs and we have chains on it.

Tooljunkie, thanks for your imput. People on here have been so helpful.

Sheep Farmer, our friends with the same tractor as you are still in Cuba. Lucky them.
Jennifer