Advise

[Mike1955]

No offense intended, but sometimes people learn the hard way ($$$$). Small tractors (and I think a B series Kubota qualifies as small) don't like mowing tall stuff. They're too low to the ground and first knock over most of what they will eventually mow. This puts a lot fluff in the air which gets sucked right into the grill and then to the radiator. Certain times of the year are worse than others, but it all has it's effects. I don't know what you were mowing, but if it was tall enough to need mowing, it was tall enough to potentially create problems. Under those conditions, the engine temperature gauge becomes critical. Once the airflow through the radiator is reduced, temps rise quickly, and serious internal damage is not far behind. It can most certainly happen in an hour and a half.

I don't know where your dealer stands on this, or who they may or may not be looking out for. A seriously overheated engine due to a plugged radiator is not a warranty issue. That said, they stand to make more profit from a customer invoice than from a warranty claim.

Hello. I resently purchased a 26hp kubota tractor. Month and a half ago. Decided to brush hog About an hour or so into the project. White smoke blew from the hood. Overheated. Took to dealership and they stayed engine was blown and needed replaced. They also said warranty would not cover I was doing nothing that the tractor wasn’t designed to do. This was first time I brush hogged this area so was paying really close attention to the area. Glanced at gauges few times. Any suggestions.

Hello Filter. I hope you enjoy this Forum. Lots of respect goes to these posters from me. It sounds like you been learning some things about tractors and mowing. I hope you are a young man and can use your own advise on many more purchases and trades. In my thinking hay mowers are for the waist high stuff, and they are to the side so it will not be mashed down before cutting. But I’m retireded with some time on my hands, so I keep mine cut before it reaches that height

 

[ismilelots]

Hello. I resently purchased a 26hp kubota tractor. Month and a half ago. Decided to brush hog About an hour or so into the project. White smoke blew from the hood. Overheated. Took to dealership and they stayed engine was blown and needed replaced. They also said warranty would not cover I was doing nothing that the tractor wasn’t designed to do. This was first time I brush hogged this area so was paying really close attention to the area. Glanced at gauges few times. Any suggestions.

I'm not very familiar with Kubota tractors, but most new tractors have safety features built in that won't let you blow up the engine. In my opinion, you have a horrible dealer if they won't go to bat for you on this. I would ask them for a report on exactly what is wrong with your engine and what they feel the cause is. Then talk to another dealer or directly to Kubota's customer support.
I drove over a log pile with my tractor and ripped off the hydraulic return line (4hrs on the meter). The dealer got it covered under warranty.

 

[Tinhack]

If it started right up after cooling down, it probably did NOT blow the head gasket. Perhaps it just blew a radiator hose off. I'd be fixing whatever caused the "white smoke" (coolant related), fill it with coolant, check the oil and put the tractor back to work.

I'd be looking for another dealer. That one is begging to crack open your wallet in a shocking and outrageous manner.

 

[nike]

Bush hogs normally have a Shear pin or slip clutch that protects the gearbox on the bushhog.
If the tractor was overloaded by the bush hog one would think the shear pin would protect it.

I would be contacting Kubota, or a Different dealer to confirm warranty.

 

[kneedeep]

There is more to this story………….

 

[Rockbadchild]

It should be under warranty espicially with 65h as long as there was oil in the engine, even if it over heated there should be safe guards in place, unless you ignore these safe guard (warning lights and/or alarms) and keep operating it. Over heating happen you don't blow a engine as soon as over heating occurs. I would contact someone higher up from Kubota corporation office.

 

[prejudiced0ne]

Did you open the hood to check where the smoke is coming from? If there was no fire then it could only have been a disconnected cooling hose. As other have written - this does not mean the engine overheated (it will do that at operating temperatures). More-so if it drove afterwards.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Did you open the hood to check where the smoke is coming from? If there was no fire then it could only have been a disconnected cooling hose. As other have written - this does not mean the engine overheated (it will do that at operating temperatures). More-so if it drove afterwards.

When a engine overheat the coolant pressure overwhelm the thermostat causing it to bypass it thought the overflow/bypass hoses flushing the coolant out spraying it on the hot engine causing the white smoke. I would strongly suspect that's what happen here which would indicate that the engine has been overheating (in the red zone) for some time but some equipment doesn't have a visual thermostat and the alarm and flushing can happen very close to each other.

 

[Rockbadchild]

So from what I understand is the engine was/is still working ? how did they determine it was blown ? how far was it from where you where working to the house ? because over heating dose not cause eminent engine damage but operating it with low coolant level will, do you have a visual temperture gauge ? if yes did you keep a eye on it while going home? was it in red the whole time while you where going back? I would like to suspect that the engine is not blown, I would consider getting a second opinion.

 

[JBacon52]

One person has mentioned KTAC, with no response from the OP.
There must be more information, not yet given, that we need to hear...

I would think that this dealer needs to explain this ",,, engine was blown and needed replaced." in writing and dated..