L-4150-DT New (to me)

[sawmkw]

Yesterday I bought a L4150 with a BF-900 loader and 4340 backhoe and had it delivered. The tractor seems to run well and looks pretty decent with some surface rust but no dents and all the lights are still attached and unbroken. The hour meter says 681 which sounds kind of low. I bought it from a broker who got it from a woman who knew little about it. Sounds as though her husband passed and the tractor had been sitting since then. I intend to use it for some landscaping and digging a foundation for a small barn. I'm in central NJ where we have pretty rocky soil below 6".

I have been trying to find a shop manual and there seems to be more than one available with prices all over the place. Is there a place to go for reprints that is reputable? Also, what is the first thing to do with this tractor besides change check the fluids and change the oil and filter? Any help is appreciated.

 

[rbargeron]

Hi - welcome to TBN. Congratulations on buying a L4150, one of the L3 family of Kubota models, very well-made machines that have stood the test of time. The original Kubota WSM (workshop manual) is by far the best reference. But you can also tell a lot from the .pdf parts list, which is available free online. There are exploded views of every system showing what connects to what - and how many bits and pieces there are everywhere. The WSM explains how it all works and covers detailed internal features, but my L3's have been so trouble-free I rarely look at the WSM. I use it more often as a check for when I'm posting an answer to someone else's question on TBN !

Your loader and backhoe are more apt to need attention - they have separate manuals. (separate .pdf parts lists too)

Oil & filter changes for engine and trans are a good idea - inspect the oil draining out for contamination (water, anti-freeze, dirt) fix the source if you need to.

Good idea to check the inner and outer air filters too. The outer one can be washed - best to just renew the inner one.

Coolant could be original - good to replace it.

Is the hour meter working? If it is and the tires are all Bridgestone, they might be original too.

 

[sawmkw]

Is the hour meter working?

Apparently it is as it has now moved and added an hour or so from my testing it out yesterday. It still doesn't make sense to me that it has less than 700 hours on it but has clearly been left outside.

Thanks for the response and you are correct in that I need a manual for the backhoe and have a piston that is leaking. I called the local Kubota dealer and they were extremely helpful already. I'm looking forward to getting it checked out and beginning to use it in earnest although I have already started with digging some holes to check it out.

 

[rbargeron]

............. It still doesn't make sense to me that it has less than 700 hours on it...................

I agree 700 is unlikely. If the early Kubotas have a weak spot it is the flex cable that drives the hour meter. It runs from the top of the diesel injection pump and it breaks off at the tight curve there. They don't get replaced right away and the tractor can rack up several years use without it showing up on the meter. If the backhoe has a leaking cylinder, it's likely there are more than 700 hours on the machine. Even in the hands of a homeowner who only used it 75 hours a year, the typical L4150 would have over 2000 hours on it by now. The tires are sometimes a good clue. The originals were Bridgestones but replacements are often a different brand. Depending on whether there's pavement in the tractor's life, R1 rubber lasts maybe 1200-1500 hours. Are the tires weather-checked?