Kubota cold start B-series... general operation & educate a dummy

[aczlan]

Also watch this here at 2-00 minutes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwblJEvmZeQ&feature=youtube_gdata_playe
You need one minute of preheating on a Kubota is a different machine than others.

Those are all older (80s?) Kubotas which probbaly had "Slow Glow" plugs vs modern "Fast Glow" plugs. Here is a BX2660 and L3830 starting in 17F:

Note that the glowplugs on the L3830 automatically turned off after ~7 seconds.

Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

Older kubotas were not automaticly engauged. Simple way to get this straightened out. If your machines glow plugs are engauged automatically on a timer than YES by all means go with the timer.
If manually engaging them its depending on the temperature and how long the owner thinks. The first initial glow plug preheat should be longest, followed by a shorter time after cranking and the tractor does not start

The B2100 was made in the mid to late 1990s and is very similar to the B7500 (which we have). It probbaly has fast glow plugs (as would most anything made after the mid 1980s). As such, 30-60 second glow plug times are just going to burn out the glow plugs faster. Here is a B2100 cold(ish) start:

Note the 8 second glow plug time from then the plugs go on until the engine starts cranking.

Aaron Z

 

[diesel lover]

The B2100 was made in the mid to late 1990s and is very similar to the B7500 (which we have). It probbaly has fast glow plugs (as would most anything made after the mid 1980s). As such, 30-60 second glow plug times are just going to burn out the glow plugs faster. Here is a B2100 cold(ish) start:

Note the 8 second glow plug time from then the plugs go on until the engine starts cranking.

Aaron Z

I appreciate you sharing. So why did the older kubotas with manual engaugment glow plugs have a sticker with such high times? Is it possible that the older machines with stickers had slow glow plugs?

Just as well what year is the posters machine do we know? Thanks again.

 

[aczlan]

I appreciate you sharing. So why did the older kubotas with manual engaugment glow plugs have a sticker with such high times? Is it possible that the older machines with stickers had slow glow plugs?

Yes and it was correct for those machines as well as other machines from that era (like my parents G1900), but not for more modern machines such as the B2100 with fast glow plugs.

Just as well what year is the posters machine do we know? Thanks again.

The B2100 was made between 1995 and 1999 per TractorData.com Kubota B2100 tractor information, well after the introduction of fast glow plugs.

Aaron Z

 

[SPYDERLK]

The B2100 was made in the mid to late 1990s and is very similar to the B7500 (which we have). It probbaly has fast glow plugs (as would most anything made after the mid 1980s). .

Aaron Z

J have a 1989 B9200. It has the slo glo plugs -- turn the key left to energize. ... 30 or 40 sec is about right for 15 F.

My 2003 BX1500 has the fast ones -- turn 2/3 right to energize. They dont turn off as long as you hold key position. Instead, they cycle ON/OFF at about a 5 sec rate. You can hear soft clicks as they cycle. Hittling start immediately after the 3rd or 4th click works well in cold weather. Hitting it in the 5 sec interval between clicks works poorly.
larry

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think my B26 Kubota AND my RTV 900 both stay on as long as you hold the key. Both are 2009 models. I have never held it more than 30 seconds though just to see if it would kick off and it didn't. About 10 seconds on the glow is long enough for them to start in 15F weather which is about the coldest it has been here. I have found that on my brother in law NH 2310 that the GP's go off after about 5-10 seconds and it will crank but it barely runs and wont rev up past about 1100 RPM. Turning the key to energize the GPs again helps it to quit smoking and rev up to 1500 RPM which is what I want it to be running at.

 

[buickanddeere]

A proper coolant heater and synthetic oil.

Don't listen to the jackleg mechanics with tarps, torpedo theaters,hair driers and ether.
As previously stated. Push the clutch down before starting.
If the three point hitch has settled while the tractor sits. Lower the control lever enough so the three point isn't raising while the engine cranks.
Glow plugs that are energized too long will burn out. Once they are red hot, they are hot enough to ignite the fuel. Is holding the glow plug on longer going to make them extra red hot? There comes a point where the electrical heating element melts, fails and the glowplug quits working.

 

[cnice37]

An update... I checked and the voltage is present at the glow plugs when key turned to that position.

I pulled the 3 plugs to bench test. Bench test setup was a battery charger set to the "start" mode which can supposedly provide 55A in short burst. I didn't know if the 10A setting was enough as my quick math suggested 12V across 3 1ohm resistors in parallel should require more than that.

Each plug glowed within 5 seconds, full glow by 10 seconds.

After the test, I noticed prominent swelling in the 3rd glowplug. I am thinking my bench test caused this. Are these not typically self regulating plugs? In any case, I am in the market for 3 new plugs I'd say. However, this swelling wasn't evident when I first pulled the plugs, so pretty sure my cold start problem will persist and I just bought myself a learning experience.

Thanks for the help.

Plug #1 followed by plug #3

 

[CobyRupert]

An update... I checked and the voltage is present at the glow plugs when key turned to that position.

I pulled the 3 plugs to bench test. Bench test setup was a battery charger set to the "start" mode which can supposedly provide 55A in short burst. I didn't know if the 10A setting was enough as my quick math suggested 12V across 3 1ohm resistors in parallel should require more than that.

I think (3)-1 Ohm resistors in parallel would have an equivalent resistance of 1/3 ohms, so 12 volts across them would be 36amps draw.

 

[Jstock]

I have a B2100, can anyone explain the location on block where the block heater is installed? Can you provide a link to illustration or a pic pleas? Thanks