PHILIP8N
Veteran Member
Just wanted to share an experience I had to help others who may have similar symptoms.
I have mowed the same property with the same tractor and mower since 2009, GL3940HST and Woods RD7200. In 9 years and 300 hours of doing the same work, I know what to expect with this job.
Already did a couple early spring mowing's, everything was as it should be.
On one mowing, I was losing PTO RPM, big time, from 540 down to 340, mainly as I was getting in higher grass, uphill, or when turning, I thought maybe I had governor binding issues, checked that, governor is internal. Then the worst popped into my mind, do I have a problem with the HST loading up internally! I checked coolant, engine oil, transmission oil, mower gearbox oil, and spindle temperatures, all were at normal ranges. Fuel was at acceptable level, and filter and fuel looked clean. Air restriction indicator was not in red. Everything on tractor looked okay, as I keep tractor well maintained.
That weekend I had to help my brother move 2 large built in showers with FEL and pallet forks. No issues running and working at all, but there was never any real engine load applied.
I thought I would try a few things, I purchased and installed new Kubota OEM primary air filter, secondary air filter, and fuel filter. I also purchased new mower blades, as my sharpening skills are not the best.
Mowed again, same results, PTO RPM would start at 540 and drop to 340 as I got into higher grass, uphill, or when turning. Now I am freaking out.
I called the local dealer (big dealer in Indianapolis), they wanted to hook it up to computer. I told them it was a mechanical engine, there is no ECM to hook computer up to??? I asked if they had dyno to put load on PTO, they said no, but to bring it in with implement and they will check load. I told them load is mower, are you going to run alongside of it? They said bring it in and they will check fuel pressures. I figured that would cost me several hundred dollars plus lots of é¼*etç—´ try this work and é¼*ets change all the fluids I did not need, so I continued my own.
I ordered a Kubota OEM fuel pump and fuel tank cap. When I removed the fuel line from the pump, I checked natural flow from tank. I filled a medium sized bottle in 30 seconds, no restriction from tank, valve, filter, or hoses. I installed new fuel pump and tractor ran just like it used to! The natural flow from the tank thru the broken fuel pump was enough to run tractor at high idle, perform light FEL work, and even turn mower blades, but not enough when a load was applied. A $108 fuel pump and $3 gasket (17121-52030 & 1G751-52140) put me right back to work!
I hope this helps someone out, Philip.
I have mowed the same property with the same tractor and mower since 2009, GL3940HST and Woods RD7200. In 9 years and 300 hours of doing the same work, I know what to expect with this job.
Already did a couple early spring mowing's, everything was as it should be.
On one mowing, I was losing PTO RPM, big time, from 540 down to 340, mainly as I was getting in higher grass, uphill, or when turning, I thought maybe I had governor binding issues, checked that, governor is internal. Then the worst popped into my mind, do I have a problem with the HST loading up internally! I checked coolant, engine oil, transmission oil, mower gearbox oil, and spindle temperatures, all were at normal ranges. Fuel was at acceptable level, and filter and fuel looked clean. Air restriction indicator was not in red. Everything on tractor looked okay, as I keep tractor well maintained.
That weekend I had to help my brother move 2 large built in showers with FEL and pallet forks. No issues running and working at all, but there was never any real engine load applied.
I thought I would try a few things, I purchased and installed new Kubota OEM primary air filter, secondary air filter, and fuel filter. I also purchased new mower blades, as my sharpening skills are not the best.
Mowed again, same results, PTO RPM would start at 540 and drop to 340 as I got into higher grass, uphill, or when turning. Now I am freaking out.
I called the local dealer (big dealer in Indianapolis), they wanted to hook it up to computer. I told them it was a mechanical engine, there is no ECM to hook computer up to??? I asked if they had dyno to put load on PTO, they said no, but to bring it in with implement and they will check load. I told them load is mower, are you going to run alongside of it? They said bring it in and they will check fuel pressures. I figured that would cost me several hundred dollars plus lots of é¼*etç—´ try this work and é¼*ets change all the fluids I did not need, so I continued my own.
I ordered a Kubota OEM fuel pump and fuel tank cap. When I removed the fuel line from the pump, I checked natural flow from tank. I filled a medium sized bottle in 30 seconds, no restriction from tank, valve, filter, or hoses. I installed new fuel pump and tractor ran just like it used to! The natural flow from the tank thru the broken fuel pump was enough to run tractor at high idle, perform light FEL work, and even turn mower blades, but not enough when a load was applied. A $108 fuel pump and $3 gasket (17121-52030 & 1G751-52140) put me right back to work!
I hope this helps someone out, Philip.
