Oil & Fuel Kubota L4600 ran it out of diesel, emptied fuel filter bowl... won't start...

[glenintenn]

Hopefully I'm missing something stupid.

Ran a 2013 L4600 hydrostatic out of diesel. Figured since the tank had completely bottomed out, I should inspect the fuel bowl and clean it out.

I turned off the fuel cock and took the bowl off.
There was a little bit of filth in the bottom so I cleared that but the filter looked pretty good. I didn't take the filter off... left it on the mount that it sits on.
I put the bowl back on and tightened it up.

Put 5 gal of fuel in the tank, turned the fuel cock back to the on position. Fuel rushed in and filled up the bowl.

Then tried to start.

No dice.

Finally got the owner's manual out and found the bleeder valve ("air vent cock" in the manual). Opened it, turned key to first position (not sure if my unit has an electric fuel pump or not), then tried cranking it. Cranked and cranked. Nothing. It will sputter a time or two after about 20 seconds of cranking but never catches and starts up -- with or without the bleeder valve open.

The tractor is sitting on an incline with the nose down... can't see how that would change anything.
The PTO was engaged (bush hog) when the tractor cut out. I turned the PTO engage switch to off before I got off the tractor when it cut out.

Are there any additional steps to get air out of the line?

What should be checked next?

 

[sea2summit]

99% sure you have air in the system. Manual doesn’t give instructions for bleeding the air after a filter change? You probably need to have that valve open until it pumps solid fuel. If there is air past the valve you may need to bleed it at the injectors.

Not scary or unheard of but it is a chore. And a good chore to know how to do.

 

[glenintenn]

Pretty much what I suspected but have no experience with Kubota diesels to fall back on as I'm a newb on this tractor.

Manual indicates this:

1. Fill fuel tank
2. Open bleeder valve
3. Start and run for 30 seconds

That's it.

Some have indicated that on "newer" (is 2013 new"er"? not-new-any-longer?) models that loosening the injectors may cause damage. Mine has the hex mounts on the injectors-- not sure that indicates anything...

The bleeder valve (#080) seems to seat right at the base of the injectors... see 4600H diagram below...

 

[sea2summit]

Yeah, 80 should get the job done. You got a solid stream of fuel out of it before you tried to crank and you’re sure the filter is full of fuel?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

The manual says don't run it out of fuel too. So if you don't run it out of fuel you wont have to bleed injectors. That's why it isn't in the book. We have several machines around here. One or two have fuel gauges on them. Never have run out of fuel in them without gauges. See, on that Kubota if you turn the lines at the injector pump you can get it out of time. Then haul to your dealer. They take pump off and send it somewhere. When it eventually comes back they'll get around to trying to get it back together. Best to keep fuel in it.

 

[CobyRupert]

What do you mean if you turn the lines, it gets out of time? How?

 

[glenintenn]

Yeah, 80 should get the job done. You got a solid stream of fuel out of it before you tried to crank and you’re sure the filter is full of fuel?

No... no stream of fuel ... it only mentions that it's an air vent in the manual, not a fuel valve... ?

Probably should replace the o-ring ( 130) just to be sure there's not further air getting into the system

 

[thepumpguysc]

Just LOOSEN the lines AT THE INJECTORS a couple of turns.. and crank the engine until fuel squirts out and tighten.. start engine..

 

[glenintenn]

Just LOOSEN the lines AT THE INJECTORS a couple of turns.. and crank the engine until fuel squirts out and tighten.. start engine..

when you say "at the injectors" you mean the top hex nut (red arrow) which screws onto the injector below it, not the nut down below (I put a red X on the one *not* to loosen, correct)?

do you just to one at a time or all of them at once?

 

[seville009]

https://reliancepowerparts.com/catalog/documents/tech-tips/parts-and-service-bulletins/kubota/fuel-systems/REL-KU2.10-2.pdf