I have inherited a Kubota L235 that sat in a barn for a year and had poor maintenance before that. After dealing with some electrical problems and thanks to help here, being introduced to fusible links, I got it started. Ran it long enough to get it on a trailer and shut it down. I changed the oil, drained the fuel tank and replaced the fuel filter. I bled the fuel system first with the valve on the injector pump and then opened the injector nuts and unseated the lines. It took longer than I thought it would for fuel to begin bubbling out around the injector lines, at least a minute of cranking maybe more. I re seated the lines and tightened the nuts and tried to start it several times but no go. I loosened the nuts again to bleed the lines in case I had not gotten all the air out before and this time after more than a minute no fuel. I took the nuts completely off and removed the lines and cranked it again and no fuel. When I open the bleed valve on the side of the injector pump a steady stream of fuel comes out. This is my first time to do any maintenance on a diesel engine so I would appreciate any suggestions on what to try next.
Now for the next problem... fuel system
- Thread starter PHK59
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North Idaho Wolfman
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The injector pumps on older models are a bit finicky and sometimes need to be bled more than once.
On the side of the pump when the line comes from the lift pump, there is a bolt to bleed air out of the line from the lift pump and filter, I crack it and crank the motor till it pushes a good flow out with no air, it helps if you have a helper to crank and close the bolt when it's cranking.
Do the same on the injectors but only crack the nut so to make it quick to close them when a good pulse of fuel come out when cranking.
Make sure to preheat the glow plugs after you bleed the lines, they might be soaked with raw fuel and a little extra time on preheat will get it going much faster.
Also if it was stored for a long time make sure the air cleaner is clean and clear of junk.
On the side of the pump when the line comes from the lift pump, there is a bolt to bleed air out of the line from the lift pump and filter, I crack it and crank the motor till it pushes a good flow out with no air, it helps if you have a helper to crank and close the bolt when it's cranking.
Do the same on the injectors but only crack the nut so to make it quick to close them when a good pulse of fuel come out when cranking.
Make sure to preheat the glow plugs after you bleed the lines, they might be soaked with raw fuel and a little extra time on preheat will get it going much faster.
Also if it was stored for a long time make sure the air cleaner is clean and clear of junk.