L3400 stalling problem 15 minutes after start

[Rick Cabell]

I have a new L3400 4wd with 43 hours on it. Starting yesterday, It looses power after 15 minutes, and then stalls out compltely. It will start back up, but if you attempt to give it ANY throttle, it will stall immediatly. This will go on and on. If you let it sit for a hour and a half, It will run for 15 minutes again, and then the stalling starts again. Called my dealer, and he is on vaction for 2 weeks. So then I called another dealer that has been a Kabota dealer for 30 years. He told me to change the fuel filter, and bleed the system. I did, and it makes no differance. I always have plenty of fuel at the filter console at all times. There is NO water in the system. This is a HST model. A major bummer here as this is day one of a weeks vacation to work the tractor every day. It is under warranty, but I can see it sitting for weeks while a dealer tries to figure it out. I also understand the warranty doesn't cover diognostic time. Any thoughts?

 

[bigballer]

sorry to hear that, i would have started with the filter/bowl as well and maybe drain all the fuel and start fresh. i have 175hrs on mine and no issues like that. i'm sure you will get some good advice here, lot's of knowledgeable folks!

 

[Lil_FarmerJim]

Hey Rick, Sorry to hear you are having troubles. What you describe definitly sounds like its starving for fuel. I understand your dilemma, hate to waste valuable seat time.

So have you completely drained all the fuel out, tank and all and then filled with fresh fuel? If that doesn't work after replacing the fuel filter cleaning it all out, then it could be fuel pump or injectors. But before even going that far I would flush the fuel system completely and see if that clears it.

 

[wushaw]

Drain the fuel tank, check for debris. Blow lines out with compressed air.
Fill tank back up, pull fuel line after fuel filter and check fuel flow.

It does sound like you have a blockage in your fuel system.

 

[ccsial]

If there is no dirt or water and your fuel and fiter are OK the next think I'd suspect is the fuel feed pump. The pump is rather suspect when you describe running for 15 minutes.

Also make sure there are no hose leaks anywhere. Even a small drip of fuel could indicate sucking air.

My L3400 is at 240 hours with no trouble yet.

Please let us all know what the problem was when you get it fixed Rick. Thanks.

 

[BeezFun]

It sounds like a problem related to heat given the repeatable timing when you start/stop the engine and let it cool down. Electronic components can change behavior when they get hot, sometimes ECMs on cars will display a problem when they get hot and then be fine when they cool down. But I don't think there's an electronic module on a tractor. Not sure where the fuel pump is on that tractor, hard to imagine it's heat sensitive like that, but maybe the pump is bad and generates it's own heat that causes it to lose pressure.

You commented that warranty work doesn't include diagnostics. That wasn't my experience the one time I needed service from my dealer.

 

[Rockyridge]

I like to eliminate the cheap and easy things first, try loosening the fuel filler cap. I had to have the one on my L3400 replaced because it was not letting air in and it was collapsing the plastic tank. It may not correct the problem but it costs nothing to try it, just loosening it up to see if that helps.

Good luck with that.

 

[jruss]

I had a problem similar to yours on my BX2200, turned out that the fuel I purchased had gasoline mixed with it at the station where I purchased it. The reason it was hard to dianose was that I just topped up the tank with about 1 1/2 gal of new fuel, not a complete refill. I changed fuel filters, fuel pump, checked fuel flow and finally drained the tank and refilled with fresh fuel from my neighbors can, cured the problem.

 

[Rick Cabell]

Thanks for all the good thoughts guys. From my old days as a pilot, I am sensitive about water problems in fuel. The first thing you do is check for water in the tanks with a special cup during your pre flight. When I first took the clear filter housing off. I had a clear glass jar underneath it to catch all the fluid coming out. Held it up to the light, no water. Then I took about a pint sample right off the tank, again, no water.
It does seem to be a heat related issue. But as said above, on a diesel non turbo engine, there is no heat sensitve componants.
How does the main pump draw fuel from the fuel filter console? Is there a pre pump with the main pump that delivers to the injectors?
I asked the dealer who has been around for 30+ years if the injection pump itself could have a issue. He said that he has never ever seen a problem with a pump. But, if it was a pump, it would have to be sent out and the tractor would be down for a while. Not what I want to hear.
I also drove with the gas cap off to be sure there was no vent line problem.
The biggest issue is that the tractor is at my camp out in the middle of no where 100 miles from my house and work. So I can't go experiment if I have a spare hour. I'll drain ALL the fuel out and give it another try. Next will be to get it up on the trailer during one of those 15 minute windows and take it to a dealer who seems to care. The guy I bought it from doesn't seem to.

 

[ccsial]

Thanks for all the good thoughts guys. From my old days as a pilot, I am sensitive about water problems in fuel. The first thing you do is check for water in the tanks with a special cup during your pre flight. When I first took the clear filter housing off. I had a clear glass jar underneath it to catch all the fluid coming out. Held it up to the light, no water. Then I took about a pint sample right off the tank, again, no water.
It does seem to be a heat related issue. But as said above, on a diesel non turbo engine, there is no heat sensitve componants.
How does the main pump draw fuel from the fuel filter console? Is there a pre pump with the main pump that delivers to the injectors?
I asked the dealer who has been around for 30+ years if the injection pump itself could have a issue. He said that he has never ever seen a problem with a pump. But, if it was a pump, it would have to be sent out and the tractor would be down for a while. Not what I want to hear.
I also drove with the gas cap off to be sure there was no vent line problem.
The biggest issue is that the tractor is at my camp out in the middle of no where 100 miles from my house and work. So I can't go experiment if I have a spare hour. I'll drain ALL the fuel out and give it another try. Next will be to get it up on the trailer during one of those 15 minute windows and take it to a dealer who seems to care. The guy I bought it from doesn't seem to.

I'm also a pilot and I understand your concern about contaminated fuel, although I'd much rather have my tractor engine quit.

I would not suspect the injection pump but I would be more suspect of the diaphram pump that feeds it that the service manual calls a "fuel feed pump" It is a small round thing with two fuel lines attached located just to the left of the fuel filter. I once had a fuel pump on one of my houseboat engines that worked for about a half hour when cold and then got weak. It would idle but could not get any power. That is why I though of the fuel feed pump. It may not be the problem but is something to check. A fuel pressure meter could be inserted to check it. It does not look expensive so maybe the dealer could just swap it out if he can't find another problem.

I don't understand your dealer being on vacation. They don't have a service guy working? Is that a one man outfit or did they do a "business shutdown" for two weeks? A service department should never be down for two weeks.