5030
Epic Contributor
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- Feb 21, 2003
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- 24,651
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- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Sounds to me like you have a major internal engine issue.
Can I turn over a Kubota diesel engine by hand?
azbinder
Gold Member
If you can not rotate the engine 360 degrees, you will need to remove the cylinder head to see what is on top of a piston. Possibly a broken valve.
5030
Epic Contributor
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- 24,651
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- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
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- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
No need to remove the head to ascertain that. Remove the valve cover and look at the valves and springs and see if any are loose or sticking up farther than the rest of them, if any are, then remove the head and proceed from there. If everything is tight, you have other issues.
5030
Epic Contributor
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Lots of possibilities, some easy and some not so easy. I will say that if I ever had an issue, the last place I'd put it would be on here simply because of all the suggestions and procedures to ascertain the issue. If I have an issue (and I have in the past) simply addressing it with logical deduction usually works if you are mechanically inclined that is. If not, dealer intervention is the way to go.
OP
marrt
Platinum Member
Thanks of the comments. I thought I'd share a picture for those who might be curious. I've covered the injector and glow plug holes with a paper towel to keep them protected.
I suppose the logical step is to start from the top, so I plan to remove the valve cover first. Then, I'll see what's inside before considering whether to proceed to the cylinder head. Surprisingly, the motor turns smoothly, albeit only for a quarter of a turn. It has always been meticulously serviced before each season. This mower is for my personal use and I'm particular about maintenance.
The mower functioned perfectly last season and was fine when I parked it. Although I'd prefer not to dig into an almost new engine (I estimate it has less than 400 hours of use, but I'll need to confirm), it seems I might not have much choice. Given that it's spring, my local Kubota dealer is likely overwhelmed, based on previously experience. I've purchased a lot from them, and they know me on a first-name basis, but I suspect any service would take months.
I suppose the logical step is to start from the top, so I plan to remove the valve cover first. Then, I'll see what's inside before considering whether to proceed to the cylinder head. Surprisingly, the motor turns smoothly, albeit only for a quarter of a turn. It has always been meticulously serviced before each season. This mower is for my personal use and I'm particular about maintenance.
The mower functioned perfectly last season and was fine when I parked it. Although I'd prefer not to dig into an almost new engine (I estimate it has less than 400 hours of use, but I'll need to confirm), it seems I might not have much choice. Given that it's spring, my local Kubota dealer is likely overwhelmed, based on previously experience. I've purchased a lot from them, and they know me on a first-name basis, but I suspect any service would take months.
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OP
marrt
Platinum Member
I think I may have identified the problem.
Next, I need to determine if there was any damage. Given that seeds can compress somewhat, I'm hopeful for a positive outcome. My plan is to use a depth micrometer to measure the clearance between the pistons and the cylinder head deck. If the measurements are consistent across all pistons, I can reasonably assume that the connecting rods are undamaged. That's my rationale anyway.
I haven't removed the cylinder head yet. Due to the weather conditions, I've decided to postpone this task until Monday.
I checked and the varmint did not come in through the air cleaner. It's amazing the thing could get into the muffler and crawl all the way through the nastiness.
Next, I need to determine if there was any damage. Given that seeds can compress somewhat, I'm hopeful for a positive outcome. My plan is to use a depth micrometer to measure the clearance between the pistons and the cylinder head deck. If the measurements are consistent across all pistons, I can reasonably assume that the connecting rods are undamaged. That's my rationale anyway.
I haven't removed the cylinder head yet. Due to the weather conditions, I've decided to postpone this task until Monday.
I checked and the varmint did not come in through the air cleaner. It's amazing the thing could get into the muffler and crawl all the way through the nastiness.
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SteveS42240
Member
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- Aug 31, 2018
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- 28
- Tractor
- Ford 4000
I could never imagine a varmint getting through the muffler. Most mufflers have baffles and different inlet and outlet tubes. Evidently you have one that doesn't, and it makes me thankful my machine's exhaust are covered by a rain flap.
azbinder
Gold Member
Years ago, late 60's, while working at an IH dealership, we had a cotton picker with a locked up engine. Could not turn it over at all. Started pulling it apart and found the remains of a bird in an exhaust port. The best we could tell, the aluminium piston swelled due to chemical reactions from the bird decomposing. The bird came in through the muffler. Nasty mess. The exhaust system on those pickers laid down on their side.
OP
marrt
Platinum Member
Me neither. There's a nearly vertical drop from the side of the engine cover to the muffler opening.
When I began working on the engine this morning, I removed the paper towel shown in the previous picture and shone a light down the hole where the fuel injector goes, to see if I could catch a reflection of coolant. At this point, I could see what looked like seeds in one of the injector holes. I didn't recall noticing this yesterday and was a bit puzzled as to how anything could have gotten in there. I proceeded to remove the header and a bunch of seed spilled out.