Oil & Fuel bx23 fuel consumption

[escavader]

At 12 hours on the hour meter,topped off the tank.took about 4 gallons,used about a gallon per 3 hours plowing and pushing back snow banks,at half throttle or so.dealer is having me use a 50percent kerosene mix to keep it from gelling,i have never heard of this.[its my first diesel]runs great and doesnt bother,in this cold Maine weather.guess they must know all the tricks.been in business 75 years this year.

 

[techman]

That's a pretty high kero mix for a diesel engine. I would be careful as Kubota does not approve of kero mix for the engine, and it may affect your warranty. Usually for a gelling issue about 10% kero is the most I have seen recommended. Kubota recommends using # 1 diesel for very cold climates. I have never had a gelling issue with #2 even at 5 degrees.

Too much kero will reduce power and can cause premature wear in the injection pump and injectors.

paul

 

[rtvman]

Your diesel fuel should be formulated for winter use in your area. I believe that's a federal law. I wouldn't think you need to do any mixing on your end. I certainly agree that you may void your warrantee if your mix ratio with the kerosine is not right.

 

[btolle]

I seriously doubt it would affect his warranty since the dealer is the one who decides whether a problem is covered under warranty or not. Since he is following the dealers instructions I don't see any warranty issues.

Bill Tolle

 

[jim_wilson]

I haven't had any problems (that I know of) with the diesel gelling in my BX23. It is stored outside in one of those canvas temporary garages and has started up and run just fine. I am sure down here in Mass. it doesn't get quite as cold as it is up there in Maine but I think as long as you get your diesel from a station that does a decent amount of business (so you get fresh fuel flowing thru their storage tanks) you shouldn't have any problems. I get my fuel from a station that is right off the highway and just got built in the last few years so I know their fuel stock rotates and their tanks are good. Also make sure to get one of those funnels with the water separator built into it. Can't remember who makes them - I think the one I got at my tractor dealer had a Parker label on it - but the filter is made by another company.

 

[rfogle]

Talk to the people who deliver the bulk fuel to the dealer you buy your diesel from. They will tell you if they use a winter blend or not. I think the advice from your dealer is absolutely wrong and I think it is because they have been in business for 75 years - old school. I live in Northern Michigan (just a smidge below the U.P.) and winter blending has been the norm for several years. Coming from a trucking back ground, thinning the fuel used to be a common practice due to the wax in the fuel gelling. Due to reformulation and winter blending, gelling is rare anymore. Although you were advised by your dealer to thin the fuel, if you have a major failure, it will be up to the Kubota factory rep to decide if the failure was warrantable. If your dealer insists on it being okay to thin the fuel have him put it in writing. At least that way, if you have a failure your attorney will have something to hold over the dealers head when it winds up in court.

If you still can't get past not thinning your fuel, buy one of the commercial diesel additives and use it per the instructions listed on the label.

 

[bugstruck]

It does sound a little old school to add that much Kero these days. Bio says western mountains of Maine though so cold there is cold and I'm betting the winter blends touted here aren't always up to snuff at the extremes. A little Kero is probably reasonable advice. All said I wouldn't worry about the warranty either. No factory Rep in his right mind is going to halt warranty service on a product that has failed on the advice of his dealer. At least not halt it and expect that decision to survive. My dealer has my 3130 configured in a way the manual states is incorrect. He recommended it, I like it, and that's the end of it. My dealers reputations is excellent and they move allot of Kubota and NH equipment for allot of commercial applications. They have their own set of methods to bringing their equipment into service and I know that their tire ballasting with backhoe, rear tire pressure, and teflon tape usage are all out of sync with Kubota's recommendation. They do what works best for users in each application.

Warranty, it's just not an issue.

 

[Ken_CT]

I add Power Service fuel additive to the fuel. Because I don't use a lot of fuel I get mine from a local gas station which I hope is selling the winter mix now. You can get the Power Service additive almost anywhere, even walmart. It is suposed to stop gelling, and raises the cetane of the fuel. I don't think using that much kero is a good idea.

 

[Ken_CT]

Escavader,
Here's a link to the Power Service Diesel Additive web page:
web page

 

[escavader]

I went to the dealers today and talked about this issue to them. They confirmed that i did not miss under stand them,they have been doing this"forever'.I also found out this has been an old time trick,of the large company i work for,to keep the off road equipment running.The dealer even filled my tractor with the mix when i accepted delivery,as with all their equipment,no matter the brand.They claimthey do it,because the tractors sit long periods without being run,and the mix stays mixed better,then using the additive.they claimthey have never had motor issues. they said"you havent had any problems have you?"as for legality of this, iam not aware of any law regarding offroad use fuels in my state,the moreold timers and farmers i talk to claim this has always been common practice for them ,because of our frigid climate.I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE AT THIS POINT.
ESCAVADER /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif