dragoneggs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2013
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- Seabeck, Washington
- Tractor
- Kubota BX-25D, Kubota Z122RKW-42
Cool... glad I read this thread. JF thanks for sharing and good luck!
BX2360 Issues in Cold Weather
- Thread starter jfhall
- Start date
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- kubota bx2360
So I did finally get the filters replaced (both) and the one under the tractor was very dirty. We had snow last week but it was in the mid 30s. The tractor ran great! Ran so much smoother than it had for a while. We had more snow this week, last few days have been single digits. Went out with it, it started with no issue at all. Ran the unit for 45 minutes then I started to lose RPMs and it quit on me! Tried restarting it a few times. RPMs wouldn't come up and it would quit after 5 secs. Of course this happens 500 feet away from my house so I walk back and grab my wife and truck so I can pull it back to the house. By the time I get back to the tractor it's 15 minutes later. I put in in neutral and towed it half way and as my wife is towing it (I'm steering the tractor) I tried to start if and it fired right up and ran fine.
It certainly still seems like a fuel issue of some sort but I'm at a loss now. Symptoms (at lest to me) seem very odd. Why did it run for 45 minutes, quit, then 15 minutes later be fine again? I'm calling the dealer today as well. The filters definitely needed a changing and they certainly helped (I would have ran at all without them which was what was happening before - tractor would quit after 2 -3 minutes previously) but it seems like something else is still going on.
It certainly still seems like a fuel issue of some sort but I'm at a loss now. Symptoms (at lest to me) seem very odd. Why did it run for 45 minutes, quit, then 15 minutes later be fine again? I'm calling the dealer today as well. The filters definitely needed a changing and they certainly helped (I would have ran at all without them which was what was happening before - tractor would quit after 2 -3 minutes previously) but it seems like something else is still going on.
CLeman
Member
I've not had that type of problem, are you also adding a cold-weather additive to your diesel?
My shop put in a whole bottle of additive when they changed the filters, which was 4x too much but they said you can't over-treat.
My shop put in a whole bottle of additive when they changed the filters, which was 4x too much but they said you can't over-treat.
I am but just the 'recommended' amount. I just got off the phone with the dealer and the guy I spoke with also owned a BX2360 and he was also having the same problems. He did say that he was pretty sure it was just a gelling issue, possibly due to some untreated fuel still being in the tank.
Like I said, in case others are reading this, I definitely had to change my filters so for $7 a piece, don't hesitate to do it! I think going forward it will just add a little more power service to the diesel fuel and hope that helps.
Like I said, in case others are reading this, I definitely had to change my filters so for $7 a piece, don't hesitate to do it! I think going forward it will just add a little more power service to the diesel fuel and hope that helps.
Chilly807
Elite Member
If I had to guess I'd say the fuel flow is being restricted by ice in the tank, lines, or new filter. The most likely guess is the new filter has some water in it (again) and as it gets below freezing it begins to restrict the fuel movement.
If there's water in the tank, about the only way to get it completely out is to remove the tank and flush it, which I suspect is a pig of a job. The thing is, I doubt the filter will allow water to pass through, instead it "holds" some of it due to the porosity of the filter. Fuel will go through no problem, but the larger water molecules hang up in the fibres of the filter and restrict the fuel.
It'd be worse when it was below freezing, once the water freezes, it forms an impassable barrier for the fuel. That's why the heater worked the first time, it thawed the filter.
You can try some diesel or heating oil anti-freeze.. it's the same idea as gas line antifreeze, but has some additives to prevent damage to fuel pumps. The active ingredient in gas line anti-freeze is alcohol, which has zero lubricating qualities and is pure poison to a fuel injection system or even a furnace burner oil pump. A lot of diesel cold-weather additives have ingredients to prevent gelling and a cetane booster, but may not have an anti-freeze component. Either way, you'll have to get it going again if you use the anti-freeze option to get it through the system.
A short term fix may be to remove the line going to the first filter and drain the tank, then add fresh treated diesel (and another new filter!) with an antifreeze component in the additive. The trouble with that is, if there IS water in the tank it'll go to the lowest point in the tank, fuel being lighter than water and sit there, usually just below the level of the fuel pickup or drain point. When the tractor moves around, it sloshes around a bit and some water goes into the fuel line, hangs up in the filter and freezes and you're stuck. Again.
That's my 2 cents, not good news for a freezing day in January though.
Sean
If there's water in the tank, about the only way to get it completely out is to remove the tank and flush it, which I suspect is a pig of a job. The thing is, I doubt the filter will allow water to pass through, instead it "holds" some of it due to the porosity of the filter. Fuel will go through no problem, but the larger water molecules hang up in the fibres of the filter and restrict the fuel.
It'd be worse when it was below freezing, once the water freezes, it forms an impassable barrier for the fuel. That's why the heater worked the first time, it thawed the filter.
You can try some diesel or heating oil anti-freeze.. it's the same idea as gas line antifreeze, but has some additives to prevent damage to fuel pumps. The active ingredient in gas line anti-freeze is alcohol, which has zero lubricating qualities and is pure poison to a fuel injection system or even a furnace burner oil pump. A lot of diesel cold-weather additives have ingredients to prevent gelling and a cetane booster, but may not have an anti-freeze component. Either way, you'll have to get it going again if you use the anti-freeze option to get it through the system.
A short term fix may be to remove the line going to the first filter and drain the tank, then add fresh treated diesel (and another new filter!) with an antifreeze component in the additive. The trouble with that is, if there IS water in the tank it'll go to the lowest point in the tank, fuel being lighter than water and sit there, usually just below the level of the fuel pickup or drain point. When the tractor moves around, it sloshes around a bit and some water goes into the fuel line, hangs up in the filter and freezes and you're stuck. Again.
That's my 2 cents, not good news for a freezing day in January though.
Sean
Chilly807
Elite Member
I keep editing that post... every time I think I have it "right" I think of something else!
Sean
Sean
HeLa
Gold Member
in your most recent situation you let the tractor sit (presumably in the cold outside) for a while and it started without being warmed up by the block heater, right?
have you tried removing the fuel cap when the machine won't start? or leaving it loose to while running the machine? if the vent in the cap is clogged (frozen shut with water?) you might not get sufficient fuel after some runtime as a vacuum develops in the tank. in this situation, once the machine sits for a while the pressure difference eventually evens out and the machine once again starts fine ... until it draws a vacuum in the tank again.
have you tried removing the fuel cap when the machine won't start? or leaving it loose to while running the machine? if the vent in the cap is clogged (frozen shut with water?) you might not get sufficient fuel after some runtime as a vacuum develops in the tank. in this situation, once the machine sits for a while the pressure difference eventually evens out and the machine once again starts fine ... until it draws a vacuum in the tank again.
Chilly807
Elite Member
Now that's something I hadn't thought of... another possibility and easy to check.
Same old thing, if enough people think about a problem, somebody is going to solve it.
Sean
DaryleD
Silver Member
Hey folks,
I'm no engineer, but am thinking that there is a design element that comes into play with the BX2660. Mine acts up ALOT. Used to have a New Holland tc30, never a single problem. Currently have the BX2660 and an RTV 900. No problems with the RTV ever. BX, has constant issues even when left in the garage out of the wind. Equipment usually shares same fuel from same can even. I wish I had an answer.
I'm no engineer, but am thinking that there is a design element that comes into play with the BX2660. Mine acts up ALOT. Used to have a New Holland tc30, never a single problem. Currently have the BX2660 and an RTV 900. No problems with the RTV ever. BX, has constant issues even when left in the garage out of the wind. Equipment usually shares same fuel from same can even. I wish I had an answer.
