B6000 air filter

[cappys tractor]

Can anyone give me some insight on how my oil bath air filter is clogging the tractor so it wont run?

if i remove the filter at least it will run, but as soon as i reassemble it, it dies.

tried to clean it and put new oil in it, no dice.

any thoughts?

 

[GaryE]

Are you sure you are not over filling the air cleaner with oil? It has been a while since I had my B6000 but from what I can remember it only took an ounce or so of oil.

Gary

 

[cappys tractor]

i don't believe I am overfilling it, since it had trouble starting before i ever took the air filter off. the oil bath filter has a full mark line, and a arrow. confirmed by owners manual.

it appears that the level may have been low to start with, but i have made sure it is not above the full line.

i am trying to figure out how to effectively clean the steel canister part which is bolted to the engine. does it normally need cleaning? the inside looks pretty crappy. is it normal to have to remove the whole housing to clean it? do you recall having to remove the whole assembly to clean it, since you owned one?

The manual is vague about this. any past experience can help.

 

[GaryE]

i don't believe I am overfilling it, since it had trouble starting before i ever took the air filter off. the oil bath filter has a full mark line, and a arrow. confirmed by owners manual.

it appears that the level may have been low to start with, but i have made sure it is not above the full line.

i am trying to figure out how to effectively clean the steel canister part which is bolted to the engine. does it normally need cleaning? the inside looks pretty crappy. is it normal to have to remove the whole housing to clean it? do you recall having to remove the whole assembly to clean it, since you owned one?

The manual is vague about this. any past experience can help.

Cappys,

Two things come to mind.

First, where are you located??? The reason I ask is the B6000 does NOT like the cold. And any help in breathing may help it to start.

Second, I do remember fully disassembling the air cleaner to clean it. I seem to remember two clamps that held the bottom bowl in place? If this is not the case, let me know. The person I sold the B6000 lives just up the road. I can take a look to see what is involved in cleaning the filter.

It should not be a big deal to clean the filter....


Gary

 

[cappys tractor]

the bottom of the filter has two spring clamps. after un clipping them, the bottom of the bowl falls down. but the upper half of the housing (which is bolted to the engine) is really crudded up. did you have to normally clean that as well as part of oil bath cleaning?

although i am not averse to taking it apart, i am wondering what is standard maintenance. this is a 31 yr old tractor so i understand that it may need 'extra' work to clean up. probably this vintage is not too user friendly, but i just am looking for any other prior experience.

while looking over other 'new' bota air filters, it seems they have changed to a re usable, cleanable, easily maintainable filter. sorta makes me jealous..... but i have to figure out old bessy first!

any thoughts you have are appreciated.

oh, forgot, Mass. and it was working, and starting fine in the recent cold weather. then yesterday when i need it to pull a couple dead trees out of the woods it called in sick! probably a little hint to me to take the day off, but did i listen?? NOPE!

 

[GaryE]

I did remove the assembly shortly after I got the tractor. I seem to remember two bolts and the whole assembly comes right off. I think the screen comes off with one bolt (or possible a nut).

I used a couple of cans of Brake Parts cleaner on it and it cleaned right up.

Hope this is of some help.

Gary

 

[cappys tractor]

thanks garyE

 

[BotaBigot]

If the filter was used for any length of time with the oil level too low, then the dirt that was supposed to be trapped in the oil wound up in the filter element...and is most likely restricting air flow. I would soak/swish it around in a bucket of solvent (not gasoline) until clean, and dry thoroughly before reinstalling.

 

[cappys tractor]

multitude of problems. BUT SUCCESS!

thanks for your thoughts. yes, a complete disassemble and cleaning if the housing was needed. and the fuel filter was shot. while i was under the bonnet i cleaned up the battery terminals and generally tightened up things.

how/ what does the 'glow plug' indicator mean? i don't see any light or 'glow' from it on the console of the tractor. how can i test the glow plugs to see if they are working? a simple voltmeter on the top of them while turning the switch on? any idea of the correct voltage i should see?

on a related note, Carquest carries a complete line of Kubota matching fuel and oil filters and gaskets. I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this fact. Now I don't have to drive hours to the kubota dealer for consumables!

the carquest guys said, they had to stock Kubota parts because there is such a huge amount of them out there, and they are so long lasting they always are around. THAT made me feel better about buying a 30 yr old tractor! now if my wife would understand!

on a totally unrelated note: how much should a proper counterweight in the back weigh for this size machine?

 

[BotaBigot]

Search the site for things like "glow plug indicator" and "glow plug test"...lots of good info.

As for rear weight to counterbalance a FEL, I used to use a 300-400# rear mower...but you could need more in a 3PT weight box, depending on what you're moving...

 

[KubotainNH]

My B6100 glow plug indicator no longer works either. You should see close to battery voltage on the end of the glow plug nut. I had trouble starting mine awhile back, put the volt meter on the glow plugs and had nothing. I found the connector going to the engine needed cleaning/reseating. Good tip on the air filter, I need to look at mine.

 

[KubotaSam]

My B6100 glow plug indicator no longer works either.

The glow plug indicator on these tractors is actually a small coil of resistor wire. When you turn the key to the preheat position the electrical current goes through the coil and then to the glow plugs. The resistance in the wire drops the battery voltage down to a voltage that is safe for the glow plugs. I forget exactly what voltage the plugs are safe with, I think it is 9 volts. When you turn the key to the start position the electricity bypasses the resistor coil and goes directly to the glow plugs, The voltage drop that come from cranking the starter motor drops the voltage again to a level safe for the glow plugs. If the glow plug indicator on your tractor was not working the glow plugs would not get any current when the switch was in the preheat position. They do not glow very bright at all it is more like a dim reddish glow after a little while. Try turning the key to the preheat position in the dark. You will see the indicator glow, if it is not burned out. If it burns out you will not have any heating of the glow plugs.

 

[KubotainNH]

KubotaSam, mine no longer glows even when it's dark out but it still lets current through. I measured the resistance at one point and know it was within spec. Maybe after decades of use the metal changes to the point of not glowing?

 

[KubotaSam]

I guess I stand corrected. Perhaps with a layer of scale or rust over the resistance coil it will still work and will not glow red hot.

 

[Egon]

KubotaSam, mine no longer glows even when it's dark out but it still lets current through. I measured the resistance at one point and know it was within spec. Maybe after decades of use the metal changes to the point of not glowing?

That is the way the indicator on my B7100 went. Seeing as the tractor started after applying the glow plug heat and not before I was confident that it was working.

For rear weight maybe 200 pounds or so should do it as the lift capacity of the three point is around 500/600 pounds ??? .