Taking home a L4150 for test drive

[phlegm]

This weekend I am loading this onto a trailer and plan on trying it out with implements at home. (the link has pics). You can't make it out in the pictures very well but the loader is a BF900.

Kubota L4150 Tractors | Fargo Tractor West Fargo, ND #ELS855922

Probably the 2 things that make me slightly concerned are the total hours (3660) and the price (but I need to get over that).

From a personal inspection this tractor has had a 'useful' life and at one point the bracket that holds the drawbar to the tractor has had it's holes repaired/fixed (looks like a good repair). The grapple is nice to have but I don't know that I agree with it's "engineering". The hydraulic hoses run all the way to the rear of the tractor and you have to plug them into the only external hydraulic port (is it hard to add another port back there?)

I've read a number of posts on here regarding things to check out
hydraulic shuttle operation
engine smoke and idle quality
Pull the dipsticks and examine oil quality (color/level)
bottom of tractor for oil leaks or shininess or other damage

Serial Number
L4150DT-52006

While I have it home this weekend I'll be getting more pictures of it working with implements.
rear finish and rotary mowers
rototiller
Snowblower (this is why I need that rear hydraulic port)
hole auger
loader mounted bale spear (I have 1100-1200lb round bales that I have to move)

I might hook it up to a back blade and see how well that works as well. I don't own all these implements but luckily I have some good neighbors to borrow from.

The rear tires iare 13.6x28" which I read somewhere are not 'stock' is this of concern? The front tires have some cracking around the lugs, I can't see cords or anything.

Is $11,500 a reasonable price for a machine with this many hours. Assuming that there hasn't been any major repairs (like engine replacement). The missing ROPs, is that something that I should try to 'negotiate' to have added or discount the price? I've never purchased from a dealership before, so is it out of line to ask them to 'service' it (change all fluids) prior to taking ownership?

Thanks,
-ron

 

[art]

You wouldn't need to run the grapple to move snow so the valve could be used for hydraulic rotation on the snow blower.

The tractor looks clean and it may have had some repairs to get it to the 3600 hours but it only shows of use, not miss use!

To look at what a new fifty horsepower tractor sells for it's fits very well. To give an actual life it is hard to do but to see Kubotas still working after double the hours on that one is not unusual without any major work done to them!

 

[brain55]

L4150's are good machines. 3660 hours would not concern me that much, especially if there is no smoke, I have always liked that 5 cylinder engine and it is not unheard of to get 10,000 hours out of them. I would want to see the front differential oil, front end repairs can be a little costly. Adding another factory remote is not that hard of a job, but I have no idea about the parts availability, I would have the dealer check. Even adding another fender mounted remote isn't that big of a deal. I would think that 1200 lb bales would not be problem that loader is rated for nearly 2000 lbs. The ROPS would depend on what kind of terrain you will be operatiing in. That tractor is missing all 3 pieces, there are 2 supports that go under the rear fenders and then the main hoop that bolts through the fenders to the supports. Kubota used to have a ROPS program so the dealers could sell them to customers without them for cost. $11,500 doesn't seem unreasonable to me if everything checks out.

Brian

 

[TripleR]

Might get some good info on this old thread.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/60874-kubota-4150-a.html

 

[phlegm]

I got it loaded up, just idling on the trailer for about 1/2hr there was a little blowby that dripped onto the trailer (about the size of 4 quarters in a row), no smoke from the exhaust. There is some diesel sitting up top of the motor by the injectors, I asked if it was from a recent repair, they did not confirm that.. so I might have a leak to check out. On the bright side the tractor started right up and ran smooth, unfortunately he admitted that he had started it earlier in the day.

Downside of buying it from a dealership is that they service them, the claimed they 'went through the frontend' after they got it, I didn't see any obvious marks left from any repairs. They changed all of the fluids (oil/trans/hydraulic) so I have no history from that. The bottom of the tractor has some scrape marks and some places where you can see oil residue but no obvious leaks. Loader lifts slower then expected, not sure if that is normal or not.

TripleR, thanks for the thread link, I searched the forum yesterday for 4150 threads and had read that one and a couple others (like the one on repairing the Front axle seals).

-ron

 

[_RaT_]

Having an L4850 shuttle shift, I don't have anywhere near that many hours on our 1992 model. The thing about this tractor is that it has probably hours you see on the meter. I suspect yours would have the same Hobbs type meter as mine, that is, it bases the hours on engine RPM rather than actual running hours. This tractor (our L4850)rarely see's PTO RPM's and as a result, an hour of running time is not a 1 to 1 ratio. I have not figured out what it is. Just some food for thought. Does the L4150 use the Everclutch, a clutch bathed in oil?

I got it loaded up, just idling on the trailer for about 1/2hr there was a little blowby that dripped onto the trailer (about the size of 4 quarters in a row), no smoke from the exhaust. There is some diesel sitting up top of the motor by the injectors, I asked if it was from a recent repair, they did not confirm that.. so I might have a leak to check out. On the bright side the tractor started right up and ran smooth, unfortunately he admitted that he had started it earlier in the day.

Downside of buying it from a dealership is that they service them, the claimed they 'went through the frontend' after they got it, I didn't see any obvious marks left from any repairs. They changed all of the fluids (oil/trans/hydraulic) so I have no history from that. The bottom of the tractor has some scrape marks and some places where you can see oil residue but no obvious leaks. Loader lifts slower then expected, not sure if that is normal or not.

TripleR, thanks for the thread link, I searched the forum yesterday for 4150 threads and had read that one and a couple others (like the one on repairing the Front axle seals).

-ron

 

[RFB]

RaT,

How does RPM vs actual hours relate regarding engine wear (Hobbs vs straight hours).

Is there (theoretical) less wear when not operate at PTO speed?

(Interested since I am hardly ever at PTO speed.)

 

[_RaT_]

I suspect it does a very good job of giving a truer picture of engine wear, after all, its how airplane engines hours are determined, not by hours of the engine being on, but the engine time on with a variable for the engine speed. I would think you are at about a 1 to 1 ratio at PTO speed but I don't know this for sure. On the other hand, the tires, drive train, the loader etc may have more hours on them then is actually indicated on a Hobbs type hour meter.

RaT,

How does RPM vs actual hours relate regarding engine wear (Hobbs vs straight hours).

Is there (theoretical) less wear when not operate at PTO speed?

(Interested since I am hardly ever at PTO speed.)

 

[phlegm]

Regarding this while engine running vs engine with a load, I'd prefer that if the engine is rotating that the hour meter is running. Idling is still putting wear on a motor, some would contend more wear due to reduced oil pressure.

Now, on to the story of the test drive.

I had it home all weekend long. I hooked up the snowblower (8ft McKee) and blew some leaves with it (no snow yet..). I went to the haypile and grabbed a round bale from the top of the stack (height = good, lift capacity = good). Put the bale back and unhooked the snowblower and headed to the neighbors house where I borrowed his rototiller (8ft Buhler, a tad too large for this tractor for continuous operation) it worked fantastic, however the tractor ran hot the whole time. Temp needle barely below the line between 'normal' and 'hot'. No indicator lights ever came on, it was around 82f that day and I rototilled about 1.5miles of shelter belt and the riding arena.

In the riding arena I hit a soft spot while turning and rototilling, started spinning a tire. Used the interlocker.. spun both tires.. shifted into 4wd and pulled right out of that hole.. then I lifted the rototiller, I just wanted to have a reason to engage all the goodies.

4hrs later, done with rototilling I took it back to the neighbors house.. and this is the slightly concerning part.

The engine speed stayed the same (7th gear just above idle) but the tractor came to a stop. I checked the shifter, the high/low range selecter, the hydraulic shuttle and it wasn't any of those, it just lost all hydraulic pressure. No loader, no hydraulic shuttle, no 3pt. It didn't matter which engine RPM I ran it would not move. I went back to the house and did some quick 'googling' and it sounds like it could be one of 3 things.
1. air pocket
2. foreign material blocking the oil intake for the hydraulic system
3. bad pump

After about an hour and a half I went back over with a pair of vice grips and a drain pan, spun the hydraulic filter until it was lose, lots of fluid came out so I spun it back on. I fired it up and guess what! It still didn't move or raise the loader.. so I slowly idled up the motor to 1500RPM and still no hydraulic movement.. so I opened it all they way up (I was in gear with the shuttle set to move forward) and she took off all the sudden!! max speed in 1st gear (a whopping 1.1mph at full boogie according to web information)

I unhooked the rototiller and headed home. I hooked up the hole auger and went back to work putting in a fence, worked great, temps stayed down, mosquitos ate the heck out of me.

I took it back to the dealership this morning, the salesman and I need to start figuring out his 'best price' and Wednesday he's coming out to look at my 856 and make a trade in value price.

-ron

 

[_RaT_]

A Hobbs meter still records idling time, just not as much time as you would say at PTO RPM. My oil pressure changes little from idle to full RPM. If yours is, you either have considerable wear on bearings or the oil pump itself. The Hobbs is how airplane motors are figured, I'm comfortable with that. On the other hand, all new tractors that I am aware of use time for time meters. Not a deal breaker in any way for me. If I were buying a used newer tractor, I would prefer one that was used at say 1700 RPM on average as opposed to one used at 2500 RPM, even if the one with 2500 RPM developed slightly higher oil pressure. My L4850 has never had the issues your experiencing. My guess is that the L4150 your looking at has way more than the 3XXX hours on it in terms of actual on time.