Kubota L3540 won't start

[CyberCop]

All started with my daughter helping by filling up the tractor. She put in a Blue container that I can't guarantee was diesel or not contaminated.

By chance, when barely started it wouldn't move much. Now after her trying to get it going, she managed to get it away from my shop now it is dead.

I drained gas, replaced fuel filter and it just turns over. I tried cracking one injector to see if I see bubbles but didn't see much.

I finally found out about the bleed vent valve and opened it. Turned over a bit then start juttering like it wanted to start. After that nothing.

Pulled the fuel filter again just to make sure I was getting gas.

Any ideas? Just keeps turning over. Scared I will burn up the starter.

Before the questionable gas, it ran fine.

 

[chim]

Make sure you've gotten all the air out.

Next post will be someone who tells you he hopes you didn't really use gas

 

[Robin Veerman]

STOP what you're doing and call your dealer to service it! If you can't verify what your daughter put in the tank, was it windshield washer fluid etc.?, and you keep referring to the fuel as gas (should be diesel), you're only going to make it more expensive to remedy...
Put the battery on a maintainer to prep for the next attempt.
Keep us posted and all the best!!

 

[CyberCop]

I DIDN'T USE GASOLINE! Fair enough.

Any suggestions on how to make sure I got all the air out. This tractor is supposed to be auto priming, but I guess that doesnt mean auto bleeding.

 

[CyberCop]

I have drained everything and replaced the fuel filter. Is there anything else I should do to make sure no contamination is in the system.

Funny, taking it into the dealer and waiting 4 weeks is exactly what the dealer said.

 

[Kubota Red]

Open the air bleed (like you have done) and crank the unit for 30 seconds. If it does not start, let the starter cool for 60 seconds and try again. If this does not work after a couple of tries, take it to the dealer. If you try (or have tried) to loosen the the injector lines at the injector, you may inadvertently loosen the "nut" below them. That will allow the delivery valve (located underneath them) to turn. This will require a new pump or a pump shop to repair. If the bleed screw does not work, I doubt that cracking the lines at the injectors will help much. If it does not crank with the bleed line, it is usually more that just needing to get fuel to the injectors.

 

[Tinhack]

Drain the tank and fuel lines and start from scratch. The "blue container" could be anything from DEF fluid, Kerosene or windshield washer fluid to who knows what. Any of the above that isn't Diesel can damage the pump and the injectors. Start with known facts. Stop trying to start it until you know. Drain the tank and flush the lines.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Ok, so you've drained/changed the diesel fuel and changed the filter. Check in your manual for directions to bleed the system. However, make sure that your battery has been topped up too, as you're going to be cranking the engine quite a bit.

 

[CyberCop]

My blue can is typically Kerosene, but when my son was home, they (with sister) filled with diesel and wrote diesel on the container. Didn't smell Gasoline at all so doubt that was it. Also I know it wasn't washer fluid.

 

[CyberCop]

Got the tractor battery hooked to a jump off the truck. Will get on a tinder once I get it back to the shop.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Once I actually put diesel in a gas can because I didn't have my yellow cans handy. When I went to use it the next time I couldn't determine if I was smelling gas or diesel. I will never do that again!!!

 

[CyberCop]

downloaded the manual and all it talks about is opening the air vent cock, which I have tried numerous times. Guess I'm going to get a onsite visit to get me past this screw up

 

[CH4Ohio]

Just curious -- Does the glow plug light on the dash come on when you turn the key to ON? Does it go off after a few seconds indicating that it's ready to start?

Had the tractor been completely run out of fuel till the engine died prior to all of this happening?

If you think the "blue" container might have contained kerosene instead of diesel, I wouldn't worry about that issue anymore. It's not like water or DEF, etc. might have been introduced into the system.

When you changed the fuel filter, did you have good fuel flow from the tank? Did you happen to take the rubber fuel line off at the inlet of the fuel filter housing when you drained the fuel tank? Did you have black gunk in the fuel that drained out of the hose and the tank? I've had mine plug up completely from that gooey algae gunk that collects in the bottom of the tank.

If you have good fuel flow to the fuel filter, and if the tractor has been running normally recently, and if you now have clean fresh diesel only in the tank, . . . open the knurled knob bleed valve and keep cranking it. As mentioned, just let your starter cool off occasionally. When I run my 5740 out of fuel, it takes a lot of cranking to get it started back up.

Good luck with it.

 

[CyberCop]

Thanks CH4Ohio, I did check all you asked. One issue I found was I did not have the spring in the filter cup or the o-ring at the top of the filter. I'm guessing that the new filter did not come with one AND those might have been dropped out during my "helper" trying to help out or they were not there in the first place (not the original owner). I have a new filter/water separator assembly coming in today.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Thanks CH4Ohio, I did check all you asked. One issue I found was I did not have the spring in the filter cup or the o-ring at the top of the filter. I'm guessing that the new filter did not come with one AND those might have been dropped out during my "helper" trying to help out or they were not there in the first place (not the original owner). I have a new filter/water separator assembly coming in today.

You're right. The filter doesn't come with the O-ring or spring. Sounds like that may be keeping you from getting fuel past that point . . . is that what you're thinking too?

If it was running properly before all this happened, it has to be something simple. Sounds like you've found the problem. Good luck with it.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Id think no seal on the filter would be an issue

 

[CyberCop]

Put a complete new filter assembly on. Tried cranking for over a hour. Starts to sputter some and I would get excited. Then back to turning over giving the starter a break.

About to pull the plug and have a service visit.

 

[TMGT]

Do you have a lever on the lift pump to manually pump by hand? If so, open the bleeder and manually pump until you get a good clean flow of fuel out.

Then close the bleeder and crack all the hard line nuts at the injectors.

Crank until you have fuel coming out, then tighten the injector lines.

It should start.

Check the main fuse and the fuel stop solenoid fuse.


Is the fuel bowl full or is there an air pocket at the top?

Also, sometimes if the voltage gets low enough while cranking, the fuel solenoid won't open and it'll just crank.

 

[CyberCop]

No manual pump on filter, thanks for the thought
Fuel bowl is full
Got the tractor on a jump so I know there is enough voltage.

 

[CyberCop]

Does anyone know what the torx screws at the bottom of each injector is for? Bleeding without loosening the injector?