Kubota L1500 won't crank

[watgad]

I will have to perform this test tomorrow. My tractor is at my barn(thirty miles from here). I will let you know and thanks for the advice.

 

[DieselPower]

That's true, but defeats the purpose of trying to fix it yourself to save money. Not only that but one tends to learn more about their equipment when they do their own repairs. I bet he will know his fuel and glow plug system backwards and forwards before he is done.

 

[DmansPadge]

That's true, but defeats the purpose of trying to fix it yourself to save money. Not only that but one tends to learn more about their equipment when they do their own repairs. I bet he will know his fuel and glow plug system backwards and forwards before he is done.

I understand and you are correct. But if you follow the original post and timeline I think it would be best to let somebody who is famaliar with the problem go ahead and take a look at it. He seems pretty sharp about what he's doing... but some of these engines have a fairly lengthy bleeding procedure and unless you have a manual or experience with that particular engine it can be tough. I hate to see watgad running down batteries and wearing out starters!

 

[alchemysa]

You said in the other thread..."My glow plug inidicator on the dash is in the appearnce of a lightning bolt"

On my B1550 the lightning bolt does NOT indicate the glow plugs. It indicates you have power or you have an electrical charging 'problem'. (Such as the power is on but the engine is not running). The glow plug symbol looks like a curly wire (like a wire spring sitting horizontaly). Your instrument panel and switches are different but I don't think Kubuto would have totally changed their symbols. So its possible you have power but you are not pre-heating the plugs. On my tractor the preheat position is 'spring loaded'. It's 'half way' to the motor cranking position. Its easy for an inexperienced user to turn the key staright past the pre-heat position and go straight to the cranking position.

I assume plug pre-heat positions are always spring loaded (otherwise the plugs would soon burn out). So if the key position you mentioned is not spring loaded I doubt its the pre-heat position.

 

[watgad]

I know this situation and my explanations feel like we are trying to unlock a car door with a coat hanger. You just want to reach in and pull the knob up and drive away. I have tried the key in all positions. My key switch is on the left side of dash and my pre-heat(turn left until light glows) start(turn right until engine starts) is on the right. You would think that there is a quick fix for my situation and there probably is. All of you being knowledgable and experienced could troubleshoot this and have her running in no time. I have tried all I know to try. Following all of the advise the "shade tree" side of me says that I have bled the air from the fuel lines. The inexperienced side of me is not so sure. I would have never thought that a little maintenance would have led to this. None the less here I am and I will deal with it. I know a good mechanic that has done work for me in the past. He's a good guy and won't take advantage of the situation. I'll lick my wounds and chaulk this up to experience.

 

[alchemysa]

I would have never thought that a little maintenance would have led to this.

Oh yeah, theres some wisdom in the old line that says 'If it aint broke don't fix it'. Another old saying, that unfortunately is often true, is "No good deed goes unpunished". I've finally learned the hard way to never tackle even the simplest maintenance without considering the consequences and options if everything goes disasterously wrong. One example that still makes my stomach churn ... Me and the family were camping in the outback in my old reliable 4x4 and in a moment of boredom I decided to check the spark plugs and give them a clean. What could possibly go wrong with that?... Everything!

But back to your problem.. so you are saying that the pre-heat position (turning the knob to the left) is spring loaded. Is that correct?

 

[watgad]

yes, it is spring loaded.

 

[alchemysa]

yes, it is spring loaded.

Sounds like the right one then, but I'd still like to know if they are actually heating up. A couple of suggestions have been made. Have you had a chance to check?

 

[watgad]

I will check tomorrow. I am curious about this myself.

 

[watgad]

Hooked up multimeter to glow plugs. Reading zero. Tried with key in all positions. Tried test light. Bulb did not illuminate. Thanks for all the suggestions.