Kubota L6060 Engine failure

[AKForest]

The engine was running fine then one morning it stopped running. Initial inspection on my part indicated an injector pump problem. The dealership said that the injector pump should not have failed. It could be anything. bring it in and we will put it on the computer and Identify the problem. They put it on the computer and agreed that the injector pump had failed. After replacing the injector pump, the tractor still wouldn't start. With consultation from Kubota, it was decided that the ECU had failed. it was replaced. Parts and labor by this time was in excess of $6,000. The tractor still would not start. At this point, they are looking at the injectors as also failing. Replacing those would bring the cost for parts and labor to around $10,000. The tractor is just a little over 6 years old with 2,400 hours on it. I have performed all the suggested maintenance as detailed in the Operators Manual. The people I have spoken to with much more experience with diesels than I, have said that they have never heard or seen three major components fail simultaneously like I encountered. I am reaching out to other Kubota owners/operators to see if they have had similar simultaneous/chain reaction failures with the L6060 tractor or other Kubota equipment with this engine.

 

[senecak19]

Is it possible the dealership your using is simply replacing parts without "really" knowing what's wrong, only to have you pay for the parts and guess work along the way?

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Your the first I've heard of for having major issues with your Kubota and I hope this dealer and or Kubota throws you a bone and accepts some level of responsibility.

 

[s219]

I doubt those were all related failures -- I think they are throwing spitballs trying to figure out what's wrong. And so far it's not working.

 

[buck12]

Yep sounds the dealership has a parts replacer not a technician capable of diagnosing the problem. I would ask for all parts that have taken off.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

The engine was running fine then one morning it stopped running. Initial inspection on my part indicated an injector pump problem. The dealership said that the injector pump should not have failed. It could be anything. bring it in and we will put it on the computer and Identify the problem. They put it on the computer and agreed that the injector pump had failed. After replacing the injector pump, the tractor still wouldn't start. With consultation from Kubota, it was decided that the ECU had failed. it was replaced. Parts and labor by this time was in excess of $6,000. The tractor still would not start. At this point, they are looking at the injectors as also failing. Replacing those would bring the cost for parts and labor to around $10,000. The tractor is just a little over 6 years old with 2,400 hours on it. I have performed all the suggested maintenance as detailed in the Operators Manual. The people I have spoken to with much more experience with diesels than I, have said that they have never heard or seen three major components fail simultaneously like I encountered. I am reaching out to other Kubota owners/operators to see if they have had similar simultaneous/chain reaction failures with the L6060 tractor or other Kubota equipment with this engine.

How much were the parts versus the labor?

 

[RickB]

I doubt those were all related failures -- I think they are throwing spitballs trying to figure out what's wrong. And so far it's not working.

It has that odor.

 

[goeduck]

I agree, they are guessing.

 

[ruffdog]

Without it running the service dept put it on the computer and found the injector pump is bad? Hmmm. Odd.

 

[TnAndy]

I'd take the old pump and the injectors to a shop that specializes in pumps and injectors and get a 2nd opinion. Sounds like the dealer is a part changer, at your expense.

 

[jeff9366]

I had a similar problem. It took my dealer and Kubota's super-tech a month to determine it was a bad wire within the main wiring harness, and which wire.

A new main wiring harness is $2,500 for the factory part. The experienced dealer mechanic routed a single new wire outside of the factory wiring harness to bypass the bad wire and good to go.

The tractor is just a little over 6 years old with 2,400 hours on it.

Your L6060 may still be under engine warranty. Mine was. Delve into your warranty booklet.

 

[Rustyiron]

I agree with everyone above, and to ruffdog's comment especially. Afaik the injector pump is still mechanical and not connected with any wires to be able to diagnose squat. It would be sad if it was as simple as the fuel solenoid.
Save your parts and paperwork.
Hope this has a happy ending for you.

 

[groundcover]

The computer can't always figure it out, still need a common sense tech to find the bad ground that is giving that computer fits !

 

[RickB]

I agree with everyone above, and to ruffdog's comment especially. Afaik the injector pump is still mechanical and not connected with any wires to be able to diagnose squat. It would be sad if it was as simple as the fuel solenoid.
Save your parts and paperwork.
Hope this has a happy ending for you.

It is a HPCR system. Vastly different than what you are envisioning with plenty of wires connected to multiple sensors and the injectors.

 

[TnAndy]

It is a HPCR system. Vastly different than what you are envisioning with plenty of wires connected to multiple sensors and the injectors.

Otto von Diesel just rolled over in his grave...."how you people can take a simple machine and complicate the heck out it.."

 

[Agvg]

Do you have the old parts? What was the fault? Dosent work are not an answer after a failure analysis. Was the injectors bad because of a failure of the high pressure pump filling them with debris, thus as an example of a not uncommon failure on common rail engines, what error messages did they get on the ecu?

 

[ruffdog]

If the tractor WAS under warranty, would corp Kubota pay for all those parts and labor? I think not. When I was service mngr, the regional service rep would visit and check the replaced parts and review the RO. Who knows what is going on with the OP's situation.:confused2:

 

[ruffdog]

It is a HPCR system. Vastly different than what you are envisioning with plenty of wires connected to multiple sensors and the injectors.

I understand....but if it is not running, I question how much info about the injection pump can come from the diagnostic port?

 

[Agvg]

I understand....but if it is not running, I question how much info about the injection pump can come from the diagnostic port?

If its a normal system you have stored fault codes in the ecu.

 

[Agvg]

But of course we are talking about a Japanese brand, they might be using totally out dated solutions, often so conservativ and afraid new things that it's ridiculous.

 

[Rustyiron]

It is a HPCR system. Vastly different than what you are envisioning with plenty of wires connected to multiple sensors and the injectors.

You certainly are right Rick, never thought that type of "stuff" would end up on small engines.
What's your 30,000 ft opinion with all that you've seen in the business?