Kubota G1800 cuts out on hills.

[aarivers]

Hey Guys I have a new to me 1994 G1800 mower that i purchased in May of this year. The mower is in great shape and I really haven't had any issues with it besides the gauges not working every once in a while (seams to be a common issue), until recently.

The issue I am having is that every time I get the mower on a slope with the right hand side of the mower lower than the left, the mower will die like it's not getting any fuel, if I turn the mower off the slope fast enough to get the left side higher than the right, it will not die and start picking up RPM's. So I need some help pinpointing what I can look for in terms of fuel starvation, and why it's doing this. I'm pretty mechanically inclined and do all the maintenance myself, but this being my first diesel has got me a little stumped.

Thanks
Aaron

 

[jinman]

I would make sure the two (2) fuel filters are changed and that the fuel pump is working. The fuel pump is on the left side behind the left rear wheel and so is one of the fuel filters. If you disconnect the fuel line from the pump outlet and turn on the key, the pump should pump out fuel. Failed fuel pumps are common on these models. If the fuel tank is full and the fuel filters are clean, you may not have a fuel problem, but when the tank gets low and you are on an incline the engine starts struggling due to fuel starvation.

 

[BruceWard]

I just worked through a similar problem with a JD LX279. I posted about it here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...058-troubleshooting-lx279-runs-well-flat.html .

In the end it was a failing fuel pump causing it to starve for fuel on a hill.

I suggest starting off by checking the fuel filters that are visible, then the fuel pickup which is a likely culprit. In my case I changed everything in the fuel system other than the fuel pickup and carburetor before the fuel pump. I do not regret changing the fuel hoses and filter, they needed changed anyway.

 

[aarivers]

Hmm so fuel pump is the general consensus. I will check the fuel filters and lines first though. I find it hard to believe that the pump wouldn't work right just because the mower was tilted to one side and not the other.. but I guess i have seen stranger things.

 

[jinman]

It's a case of the pump not working at all. With the pump out, the only draw for fuel is the injection pump and gravity flow. That's what makes it a sometimes-work, sometimes-not situation.

 

[themichelob]

I'll just throw out another thought. I once owned a Cub Cadet riding mower that had an automatic low oil shut off. When tilted at a certain angle on a slope, it would think it was out of oil and shut down. If I approached the same slope from a different direction, it ran fine. Never had a problem with that machine, otherwise. Regards, Mike

 

[leonz]

Hey Guys I have a new to me 1994 G1800 mower that i purchased in May of this year. The mower is in great shape and I really haven't had any issues with it besides the gauges not working every once in a while (seams to be a common issue), until recently.

The issue I am having is that every time I get the mower on a slope with the right hand side of the mower lower than the left, the mower will die like it's not getting any fuel, if I turn the mower off the slope fast enough to get the left side higher than the right, it will not die and start picking up RPM's. So I need some help pinpointing what I can look for in terms of fuel starvation, and why it's doing this. I'm pretty mechanically inclined and do all the maintenance myself, but this being my first diesel has got me a little stumped.

Thanks
Aaron

please buy a tilt meter for your mower!


Pull the tank and rinse it out to get the crap out of it first before you do anymore.


If crap screen is on the upward side you may be dealing with the crap settling faster as the fuel is being suctioned and floating much less.



FYI as the seat pressure switch is in the center of the seat you may have to lean a bit to the hill-provided you are not over 15 degrees in tilt otherwise you should mow by backing up the hill and driving down it as the center of gravity will be to very high on the mower and the risk from sliding and rolling over is increased.

 

[aarivers]

Well I finally got my garage cleared out again so I'll pull the tractor in sometime later this week to drain and clean the tank. The slope I am mowing probably goes over 15* as I have to lean off the seat a pretty good bit to keep weight on the uphill tire. The seat switch is disabled, that was the first thing I thought of when the issue first reared it's head, but it was already disabled by the previous owner.

If the problem doesn't go away after I clean the tank then I will move on to the pump.
Thanks again

 

[J.Walker]

Make sure your weight isn't getting shifted off the seat and the seat switch activating.

Try to put a shop rag over the seat switch lever, then put down the seat and give it a go again on the hill.

 

[Bob01]

I had the same problem when my G1800 was new, come to find out I was using a seat cushion and my weight was spread out to where my seat switch wasn't activating correctly when on a slope, after removing the cushion the seat switch worked right..:laughing: