Kubota L3400HST 3-Point Lift Issues

[BLane3400]

Good Morning,

I have a L3400HST, 170 hrs, that is giving me some trouble...the FEL is working great, but the 3-Point lift only raises under high RMP's. If I bump the FEL control at low RPM the 3-point lift will come up a little each time. I have changed the filter, and fluid (8 gallons). I'm not sure when this problem started because I've only had the tractor running for a couple days...I purchased the tractor, and had to rebuild the engine, and thats a whole other story!

Has anyone had this problem before? Any ideas are welcome! Thank you,

 

[teg]

Might be a crack in the hydraulic return hose (down by your right foot), common problem, lets air into the system. But... Need to hear about the engine rebuild... user error or what happen?

 

[BLane3400]

I traded a 2007 Yamaha 350 2X4 for a 2008 L3400HST 4X4 & FEL...the engine was completly apart due to operator error; they now know that tractors aren't mad to play in mud & water! I make the trade, and start ordering parts...I wish Kubota parts prices came with better service! I ordered the upper & lower seal kit $300.00, crank shaft $1,500.00, piston rings etc. Please note that the seal kits have everything, but the head gasket...nobody at kubota thought I should know this until after I started putting the engine back together! So I get all the parts in and get everything together...try to start the motor, and the exhaust is blowing out of the intake & I get worried. I call the local service department that I spent $4,000.00 at a few days ago, and was informed that the timing was off. I took everything off & found 2 bent pushrods. I get the timing set again and after the rods arrived got everything back together; turned the engine over and same thing happened...along with 2 bent rods. I call Kubota, and they didn't have an answer...I called a local tractor guy and explained the issue, and he told me that Kubota engine valves should be adjusted different than others tractor engines...after the 2nd set of rods came in & valves were adjusted properly it ran like a top!

If I had to do this over again I would purchase the new engine for $5,200.00!

 

[BLane3400]

Thanks teg, but I didn't find a crack in any of the 3 hoses...the crack would leak wouldn't it? Any other ideas?

 

[teg]

It didn't leak on mine (no pressure... if anything it's sucking air in). Since power steering is fine (?), and FEL is fine. There's a valve under and in front of the seat that controls the drop rate... might open that to see if it helps. Something easy at least to check...

 

[HydroTek]

Check your three loader valve lines for proper placement, sounds like you have the inlet and power beyond lines swapped.
.
Inlet hooks to the pump, power beyond to the tractor lift, return ..well, to the return
.

 

[BLane3400]

I change the lines around yesterday...the FEL still worked, but the 3-point wouldn't do anything at all. I'm going to replace the return line in the morning, and see what happens.
Thank you for all of your help...hopefully this will work!

 

[teg]

Let us know what you find out... have you check the pressure of the system? try cycling the system a few times... can the 3ph raise up with weight on it?

 

[BLane3400]

I'm clueless about pressure testing the system...I may leave that up to the pro's!

The lift will raise about half way with a load on it at high rpm's, or by bumping the FEL control several times.

 

[teg]

I'm very surprised that other owners of L2800/L3400 have not "picked up" on this thread. Wonder if it should have been in the kubota section

So the machine was abused... in mud and water... The thing that is weird is that the 3ph uses the same hydraulic fluid after it goes though your FEL. Will the 3ph stay up with a load?