Water in fuel causes $10,000 damage to my Kubota Grand L6060

[Complete Turf Care]

Like the title says, water in fuel caused me a $10,000 repair bill to my 2017 Grand L6060 with about 1200 hours on it. The water caused rust in the fuel rail which caused damage to the injectors. I have had fuel problems with this tractor since its new.

I have a 100 gal. nurse tank that I use to fuel my tractors. I assume that condensation is happening in this tank. I do add a fuel 'cleaner' to each 100 gallons I put in the nurse tank. I guess this is mostly my fault, because I don't monitor the water separator on the tractor closely enough. I will check it more often now after this.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Ouch, just ouch.

 

[Willman]

Ouch, just ouch.

That really sucks….you need to install a water catching filter on your tank to help in the future

 

[Will S]

Wow. Sorry this happened; that's an expensive lesson.
When storing fuel in your own 100gal (or whatever size) tank, I would install a fuel/water filter/separator right at the tank. Everything being pumped out of that tank would be filtered, and with the sight glass on the tank filter, you will see at a glance, the condition of the fuel you are pumping.

Racor would be my first choice, but there others that would be fine. Also, a routine of regular inspection and replacement of tractor fuel filters always best.

 

[Snobdds]

People roll the dice using slip tanks for their common rail diesels. High pressure fuel pumps hate water.

I agree in putting in a racor water separator on the tractor and a filter with a water separator on the tank.

Bad fuel has taken out a lot of trucks and tractors.

 

[ptsg]

Well that really sucks.

I would've imagined that such an expensive tractor with such a sensitive fuel system would at least have a Water in fuel sensor that would send a warning on the dash.

 

[RalphVa]

Like the title says, water in fuel caused me a $10,000 repair bill to my 2017 Grand L6060 with about 1200 hours on it. The water caused rust in the fuel rail which caused damage to the injectors. I have had fuel problems with this tractor since its new.

I have a 100 gal. nurse tank that I use to fuel my tractors. I assume that condensation is happening in this tank. I do add a fuel 'cleaner' to each 100 gallons I put in the nurse tank. I guess this is mostly my fault, because I don't monitor the water separator on the tractor closely enough. I will check it more often now after this.

In 37 years of driving diesel cars and 18 years diesel tractors, I've never ever had water in diesel, in gasoline yes.

 

[sea2summit]

There’s a reason there’s usually dual filters on those tanks. Then a separator and filter, or two, on the tractor.

How long was the tractor sitting like that to rust? I can’t imagine it ran with enough water to rust the rail.

 

[5030]

In 37 years of driving diesel cars and 18 years diesel tractors, I've never ever had water in diesel, in gasoline yes.

You must be blessed. I have and more than once.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Your problem is 24,000 psi injector system. I worked at Kubota when that was coming out. We had a cab tractor in with just 16 hours on it. They were saying bad fuel. I was saying not enough filter to clean the fuel. Just Kubota and me talking. I didn't know the owner.