The key to keeping your engine and tractor running for thousands of hours is to run the engine wide open at full throttle. This is what the engines are designed for and more importantly the speed the hydro pumps require to operate properly. I see so many tractor owners lugging their engines and hydraulics. Lugging causes excess heat and premature wear. Throttling down hurts the engine yet seems to be a very common practice. Also, there is a myth an engine should be "warmed-up" before use and "cooled down" after use. This is incorrect as well and leads to excess wear. If you are using the proper weight and type of oil once started slowly advance to full throttle and go to work. When done slowly Bruno engine to idle and suht off immeditalty. I have multiple Kubota diesels, two of which just turned over 3,000 hours. No problems, just the bare minimum routine maintenance per the book. I also owned a large power equipment dealership for 12 years. Good luck and enjoy your Kubota. Run it like you stole it!!!
I see it a different way. We've had lots of tractors & grew up with them. We always did our own mechanical work and service...& still do.
I owned a repair shop in the 60s and 70s,.....and later did a second career as a mechanical engineer. (grad.1992).
I respectfully disagree with the full throttle philosophy. In my experience it simply doesn't make a difference. Besides, normal wear is rarely the culprit in a failed engine.
I've opened up a lot of engines, and seen a variety of wear. I've never seen any evidence or reason to believe that an engine run at high throttle has any advantage in wear or preventing failure. Now it's true that a high rpm engine is almost always a a cleaner engine, and often it will show a peculiar wavy wear pattern on the metal surfaces - probably due to so many hours running with the same internal vibration of the components. That is also good. But has it lasted longer for that? Not in my experience. Most failures are just that, they are FAILURES. Not due to wear, but to accumulated fatigue and stress - usually with a precursor due to some sort of manufacturing irregularity...often in the metal surface or assembly. There simply isn't any way to predict component failure.
What you can do is have lots of gauges and check them often so that one failure doesn't lead to another.
I advise people to run their modern diesel machine in any way and at whatever RPM makes them feel comfortable. Don't ever lug it, and don't be afraid to run at full throttle if you need to, but don't be shy to back off if it makes you feel better. The engine just won't care within any reasonable lifespan. Oh, and watch those gauges.
Here's a real tip: I've seen more engines killed by not paying attention to coolant than for any other reason.
Historically, there was a time when engines were designed to be run at one speed, but those days are long gone even if the philosophy remains. Not that the philosophy is invalid today...just not necessary. These modern (in the last 30 years or so) diesels are "variable speed diesel engines" and are specifically designed to work at a variety of speeds. Certainly don't lug any engine, but max engine rpm is for putting out maximum power. Why should you use max rpm if you don't have a use for the power? We've come a long ways. My own preference is to use moderate or even lowish engine speed. I also don't like to leave them idling for a long time...that's another thing that had good reason to be applicable to diesels at one time but no longer.
Just keep it running happy. Use clean the fuel & lube. Check the radiator and coolant more often than not. Do the other routine maintenance on a schedule, and don't be surprised if your diesel engine never needs any maintenance or shows much wear at all. I know of several that are going on 40 years with nothing other than routine maintenance. In fact, I own several. One I took apart at several thousand hours to measure wear just for curiosity - nothing significant. I did a valve job and reassembled it. A neighbor is bringing his diesel tractor over for service today. It's a similar age.
rScotty
