Oil & Fuel Can't Believe This Happened

[Rockin' G Ranch]

I was bush hogging some tall grass today when all of a sudden my L4740 just shut down. I could not re start it. The engine would not turn over. Looked behind the tractor and saw a trail of dark fluid. Looked under the tractor and found one of the oil drain plugs was missing.
The other plug was still in place. I have never touched this plug since buying it a year ago. I have put only about 50 hours on it since buying it.
I found the plug after MUCH searching and it screwed easily back into the oil pan. I guess it just backed out over time.
The problem is the engine will not turn over. I guess it is locked up. What can I do to fix the engine problem? BTW, I do have the Kubota insurance advertised on this site. Would this be covered by the insurance?

 

[Gator6x4]

I was bush hogging some tall grass today when all of a sudden my L4740 just shut down. I could not re start it. The engine would not turn over. Looked behind the tractor and saw a trail of dark fluid. Looked under the tractor and found one of the oil drain plugs was missing.
The other plug was still in place. I have never touched this plug since buying it a year ago. I have put only about 50 hours on it since buying it.
I found the plug after MUCH searching and it screwed easily back into the oil pan. I guess it just backed out over time.
The problem is the engine will not turn over. I guess it is locked up. What can I do to fix the engine problem? BTW, I do have the Kubota insurance advertised on this site. Would this be covered by the insurance?

Office hours are 08:30 am 5:30 pm Monday through Friday. Telephone number Phone:

1-800-348-5802

Time to make the call and find out if covered.

 

[sea2summit]

Time to make the call and find out if covered.

Then let us know

 

[RobertBrown]

oh boy......that is a heartbreaker.
I would like to know how this works out. Seems like you should call the dealer too.
I'm going to check my drain plugs...just because.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune, and I hope Kubota does the right thing.
Any chance it happened at your place, some type of sabbotage :confused3:?

 

[WayneJessie]

Sounds very much like vandalism to me. The cost to replace the engine is going to be more than many men could bear...

 

[257NH]

Ahhhh man I hope it fires up after a cool down and some fresh oil.I'm always torn between not tightening the drain plugs enough on my motor and over tightening them and stripping it out.I hope you catch some luck on this one.
Brian

 

[Cpjlube]

Ahhhh man I hope it fires up after a cool down and some fresh oil.I'm always torn between not tightening the drain plugs enough on my motor and over tightening them and stripping it out.I hope you catch some luck on this one.
Brian

I hope it works out. This situation can hurt without the insurance. I have a torque wrench and use it liberally. Helps me sleep at night knowing stuff is tight, but not too tight. I think I'll go out and torque the bolts on my tractor (including the drain plug).

Chuck

 

[PHILIP8N]

Just an after thought, but I would not have installed the drain plug back into the pan. If there were no wrench marks or scratch marks on the hex of the plug, it would have meant it fell out from the factory installation. If there are wrench or scratch marks on it now, that evidence is lost. Did you re-install with a wrench, or just screw in with your fingers? Philip.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

I made it up hand tight after finding it but it does have wrench marks on it. This is a 2008 tractor that I bought used. I have not changed any fluids nor touched any drain plugs since I have put so few hours on it. However I do check fluid levels before each use. All fluid levels were OK when I started this morning.
I have been under the tractor when I had a stick disconnect the RPM wire connection a few months ago. I remember seeing the 2 oil drain plugs (due to oddity of having 2 drain plugs) and recall that both were completely made up.
I was bush hogging some tall, thick grass/bushes at the time and had been working for 3-4 hours before this happened. I sure hope KATC insurance covers this accident.

 

[rmk700]

I wonder if it has a safety shutdown when oil gets so low?

 

[Scooby074]

Lesson learned. Always check your fluids before starting out for the day.

Standard practice for any competent equipment operator.

Hope you can get out of it without costing you too much.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

Lesson learned. Always check your fluids before starting out for the day.

Standard practice for any competent equipment operator.

Hope you can get out of it without costing you too much.

That lesson was learned a long time ago.
I check all fluid levels before each use. But that doesn't protect you if the drain plug backs out.
I suppose I should check all drain plugs before each use.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

I wonder if it has a safety shutdown when oil gets so low?

Mine doesn't.

 

[Scooby074]

That lesson was learned a long time ago.
I check all fluid levels before each use. But that doesn't protect you if the drain plug backs out.
I suppose I should check all drain plugs before each use.

New (to you) machine. First thing that should have been done would be an oil change (at minimum). A check of the other drain plugs is good advice too. Then you would know where you were starting from.

On my BX, it was still tagged with the mechanics tag from its PDI at the dealer, I still went underneath and gave a quick torque on the engine and axle plugs. You never know.

Considering all the things that could have happened to a used machine in its life, a complete service and inspection at arrival is cheap insurance.

 

[94BULLITT]

Hopefully it will be covered by the insurance but under exclusions it says mechanical breakdown. http://www.ktacinsuranceagency.com/default.aspx Did both of the plugs have wrench marks on them?

 

[Monster5601]

Ahhhh man I hope it fires up after a cool down and some fresh oil.I'm always torn between not tightening the drain plugs enough on my motor and over tightening them and stripping it out.I hope you catch some luck on this one.
Brian

That is why they publish a torque specification.

 

[Deano]

That is why they publish a torque specification.

That is what I do!!

 

[257NH]

That is why they publish a torque specification.

Never seen anyone put a torque wrench on a drain plug in my lifetime.
Brian

 

[PHILIP8N]

Never seen anyone put a torque wrench on a drain plug in my lifetime.
Brian

I never have either, and in 28 years of doing my own service countless number of times, never had one come loose. Philip.

 

[sixdogs]

I never have either, and in 28 years of doing my own service countless number of times, never had one come loose. Philip.

That's because you have done it enough times to know what the torque approximates and are good at what you do.
I'm 63 and have done it twice. Once a number of years back on a very expensive car with an aluminum oil pan and an aluminum pan nut with, as I recall, an O-ring seal. Also did it on my current 2011 Toyota Tundra that has a cartridge oil filter--not a cannister--and has a torque # for the cap that has an O-ring and a torque # for the drain cap--that has an O- ring and sits inside the cap. I think the EPA geniuses thought up this cartridge oil filter thing.
I can't recall ever torquing any other oil pan but for some guys that don't have enough experience or confidence and have plenty of free time, a torque wrench give a measure of self-assurance so they won't need it the next time.