Jd 320 fuel starvation?

[Gumby542]

They made the 320 as a FI and as a carb. I know mine is a carb model. Otherwise, I wouldn't be messing with it

[uglyboywith11fingers]

I have an 18HP liquid cooled Kawasaki in my Kubota TG1860G. A few years ago I had a somewhat similar problem, which turned out to be the carburator float getting stuck up on some burrs on the inside of the carb casting. I had to drop the float, and use a small file to deburr the inside of the casting, no more problems. Of course, that doesn't necessarily explain your air bubbles in the fuel line.

Pete

[Gumby542]

I'm not getting air bubbles anymore. At least not from the filter

[Frankman]

Well finally made some progress I think.. I blew the line from the fuel filter back to the tank with the compressor. Then tried to start it. Wouldn't get fuel back to the filter... Pulled the filter... Was melted shut.. I'm guessing the ethanol in the gas really did this one in.... Changed out the filter, and it started up and I mowed for a few hours.. Weird thing is, the filter barely has any gas in it at all... But it is running so I'm not complaining...will have to see how long it lasts.. When I fixed it last time it only worked for 2 mowings...

[olysoccerguy]

Frankman, I have a 1996 Kubota T1760 with a kawasaki twin cylinder liquid cooled engine as well. I think mine is only a 17hp but may be an 18. For almost 5 years now, I have been dealing with fuel starvation problems. Engine just dies while I'm mowing.Will only run sometimes in choke. Four years ago, I took the carb off and cleaned it and noticed rust colored sludge in the bottom of the float bowl. Cleaned that out and the tractor ran fine for about a year. Next spring, engine stopped when mowing. Only would run in choke position. Over the next two years, it would run OK for 2 hours and then would ide. I'd wait until the next day to start and things would be ok.
This spring 2012, it stopped while mowing and after talking to my local useless, tight lipped Kubota dealer, decided to remove carb and clean with carb cleaner and compressed air. I took the governor arm off and has proved to be very touchy to get the right position back. Once I got it going again the mower slowed down under a load, moderate mowing. Took the carb off again an let my dealer hot ultrasonically clean it. 45.00!! His suggestion. Brought it home and it ran pretty good for about 1/2 hour when engine died. I drained the carb bowl and found black specks and scale in the gasoline. Figured the fuel hose downstream from the filter were deteriorating. (Read article on the internet about ethanol ruining fuel lines.) Decided to replace fuel line to fuel pump and from pump to carb. I checked the fuel coming out of the filter thru new hose. Clean. Hooked it up to the fuel pump and turned the engine over to check the output of the fuel pump before connecting FP to carb. My container filled with gasoline, but also many black particles and scale. I did this four times and the last time banged on the fuel pump with the handle end of a scewdriver. Larger particles pumped out, most as big as the head of a pin. Let them dry and discovered they were rust particles. The only culprit could be the fuel pump housing which is made of steel. I'm about to order a new one, but I'm quite sure it is the root of my problem all these years. Long story but hope this helps. P.S. this fuel pumped is over 16 years old.

[Frankman]

I had a section of fuel line that was steel. Was super corroded, so it was replaced.. I have checked all the other areas, and it all looks good... That's what leaves us scratching our heads about this.....

[olysoccerguy]

So am i to assume that your fuel pump housing is non-corrouding. Anyway, about the filter appearing that it has almost no gas in it? Mines the same way. The level of fuel in the filter looks as though it is below the input and output nipples on the filter. I asked a Kubota mechanic about this and he said he's always been baffled by it as well!!

[Eric Barney]

So am i to assume that your fuel pump housing is non-corrouding. Anyway, about the filter appearing that it has almost no gas in it? Mines the same way. The level of fuel in the filter looks as though it is below the input and output nipples on the filter. I asked a Kubota mechanic about this and he said he's always been baffled by it as well!!

The 'half full filter' is normal. It is an air pocket trapped in the filter. To eliminate the air, the filter would need to be mounted vertically. The trapped air has no effect on the fuel flow.

[Frankman]

My filter is almost in a vertical position. It has no visible fuel in it when the tractor is running.... When I shut it off it will show a little bit in it.

[glgeek]

i had the same problem on a 1995 345. did all the things you have mentioned so far. removed carb and cleaned and it ran great, for a while and then it started all over again. would sometimes run on full choke.

during the last cleaning of the carb (did it 3 times), noticed a very small speck of rubber shaving in the intake.

the diaphragm in the fuel pump was disintegrating. i replaced the pump with the new design (has an overflow tube to route to the ground which the original did not have and COULD dripped fuel on the muffler) and solved the problem.

that is my story, YMMV
b