Allmand TLB 425 w/ kubota engine - overheating

[kinsersretired]

Greetings,
My first question on the forum...
I bought a used Allmand 425 with about 470 hours. It stalls out after about 15-20 minutes of use. It restarts okay but runs just a few minutes more before stalling again. It came with almost all the hydraulic hoses replaced as well as most of the connectors. I replaced the console gauge and ignition switch since neither of these worked properly. Now the temp gauge is lighting up after a few minutes of use. I've changed the oil and the oil filters; the manifold, the gas filter, and the hydraulic filters. The radiator is full and the overflow has a steady 3/4 inch of liquid in it whenever I check it.
I'm only digging into a hillside with the backhoe and hauling the dirt about 100 feet.

Thoughts on things to check next? I'm thinking I should do a radiator flush and fill.
Thanks in advance
William

 

[nyone]

Have you tryed to see through the rad? Many people work in dusty dirty environments and forget to clean the fins on the radiator.

 

[kinsersretired]

Thanks for the quick response. The fins didn't have anything caked on or anything like that but I did hose them out with a garden hose. Some dirt and debris fell out which is good. BTW there are two sets of fins; one for the radiator and one for the hydraulics.
I don't know which the temp gauge is for (radiator or hydraulics). However, after letting everything dry out for a half a day at 80+ degrees, I started up the TLB and let it idle for a few minutes. No lights came on. As soon as I lifted the bucket (empty), the temp light came on. After I lowered the bucket into a resting position on the ground, the light flickered on and off as I let it continue to idle. I let it idle for about 5 minutes but it never went completely out.
FYI, I am new to the TLB ownership world and especially diesel engines and hydraulics.

Thoughts?

William

 

[mini14]

there is a small electric fuel pump under the floor plate, for $10.00 on ebay you can buy a replacement to give it a try, stalling sounds like its running out of fuel. the hour meter sounds low for having had all that work done to it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

There is a couple of things that might be a cause of overheating. A sticking thermostat in the closed or almost closed position would be my first thought. I would start by replacing that. Then after replacing the thermostat if it still shows to be overheating, replace your temperature sensing element as it might be defective. Both are fairly cheap replacement items.

Lastly a very remote possibility is that the water pump fins may be worn out(rusted away because owner didn't use anti-freeze, just plain water). I have seen this happen but not a very likely case with only 470 hours on the engine.

As for the engine stalling out, could be a stopped up fuel filter, algae in the tank or lines, bad fuel pump, bad injectors, bad fuel cutoff solenoid, many other items.

 

[mini14]

is there a temp guage. there is a hydraulic temp idiot light for that machine, is that what is lighting up or is it the coolant temp idiot light.ive had sending units go bad on trucks ive owned. if tere isn't a coolant temp guage, go buy one. if the coolant is really overheating try pulling out the thermostat

 

[kinsersretired]

There is a couple of things that might be a cause of overheating. A sticking thermostat in the closed or almost closed position would be my first thought. I would start by replacing that. Then after replacing the thermostat if it still shows to be overheating, replace your temperature sensing element as it might be defective. Both are fairly cheap replacement items.

Lastly a very remote possibility is that the water pump fins may be worn out(rusted away because owner didn't use anti-freeze, just plain water). I have seen this happen but not a very likely case with only 470 hours on the engine.

As for the engine stalling out, could be a stopped up fuel filter, algae in the tank or lines, bad fuel pump, bad injectors, bad fuel cutoff solenoid, many other items.

Thanks. I replaced the fuel filter already and haven't had it stall out since but that may because I have been turning the machine off after my temp light comes on (I replaced the console gauge with the temp light at the same time as the fuel filter).
I'll start with the thermostat and sensing element and see where that leads me.

 

[kinsersretired]

I'm guessing that it sat in the sun unused for a long period of time. The hydraulic fluid glass was glazed over and had to be scrubbed before I could see the lines. I've been replacing the easy and obvious stuff trying to get caught up on the maintenance list. I'll look into replacing the fuel pump as well, after I do the thermostats and sensors.
Thanks

 

[mini14]

Good luck I have a tlb535 that I've been working on also. Same machine except for the engine

 

[Fallon]

I'm guessing that it sat in the sun unused for a long period of time. The hydraulic fluid glass was glazed over and had to be scrubbed before I could see the lines. I've been replacing the easy and obvious stuff trying to get caught up on the maintenance list. I'll look into replacing the fuel pump as well, after I do the thermostats and sensors.
Thanks

I wrenched on a friends I borrowed recently. Pretty simple little machine. As long as the fluid level is in the sight glass at all you'll be fine. The level will change a decent bit as you extend & retract cylinders.