Oil & Fuel Runing Diesel Dry

[ky8t]

I have a Kubota BX-2230, and the fuel gauge does not seem to be very accurate. I have heard that running a diesel fuel tank dry is bad news. How paranoid do I have to be about running low on diesel?

 

[Tig]

I don't think it hurts anything but it's a pain to bleed all the air out of the injector lines. I don't have a fuel gauge and I've become quite proficient myself. Best to avoid at all costs. Have a look in your manual to see what's involved.

 

[mjarrels]

Newer BX tractor should be self bleeding fuel systems. Best fuel gauge I ever had is a wooden yard stick... never gives a false reading!

mark

 

[machmeter62]

("DON'T") Your starter will take the abuse! The JD's do have a self-bleeding system, but I have never wanted to test it! I also have diesel Ford's and Kubotas, with no self bleeding, and ran the Ford dry, "one time only," which wasted a couple of hours for a restart without a manual to help. The gauge should be an easy fix, and reduce your stress? Maybe the fuel sender has been contaminated with water, loose connection, frayed wire, etc,or new gauge?

I haven't stayed current on the new Kubotas features; but I have never seen self-bleeding in their brochures?

 

[GaryCrowell]

It won't hurt anything but it's a hugh PITA. I don't care if it's self bleeding or not, it's a pain. Do it once and you won't do it again.

 

[texasjohn]

Everything I know about the agonies of running dry is in this recent thread Included are some stories from others as well.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/122436-l5030-ran-out-diesel-how.html

Moral: keep at lease 1 gallon in reserve and use it when things get tight!

 

[Bird]

I once got a lot of water in my diesel fuel, so I had to drain the entire fuel system and, in the process, learned how to bleed the injectors on my B7100. Kind of a nuisance, but no big deal. Later when I was baling hay, the other guy was raking with an old Farmall that broke down. So he continued the raking with my B7100 and ran out of fuel. I'm sure it took me less than 10 minutes to bleed everything and get it running again because of the prior experience.

 

[JoeL4330]

My hard-learned advice is that the instant it dies and you suspect fuel, don't try and restart it until you refuel and fuel is running freely into the filter bowl. Then the bleeding is relatively painless ...open the bleed screw (on my Kub L4330) and crank.

If you ignore the signs and keep crankin' and it keeps dyin' then you will have drained every ounce in every line and cracking the injector lines and cranking and cranking (w. low duty cycle to save the starter) is the order of the day.

 

[Rara Avis]

Getting air out of fuel system on older Yanmar powered JDs
1.Loosen Bleed screws on filter
2.Turn key to first position
3.Tighten screws when fuel flows free of bubbles
4.Loosen Bleed screw on injection pump
5.Tighten screw when fuel flows free of bubbles
Start Engine...
If no start..., then repeat Steps 1-5 and then
6.Loosen all injector nuts...(drop 17mm wrench in dirt... )
7.Use starter to turn engine over
8.When fuel appears at injectors, tighten injector nuts (using 17mm wrench which must be retrieved from ground...)
9.Start Engine...
If no start... , then repeat Steps 1-9 and practice special language skills...

If you repeat steps 1-9 enough...get out battery charger and watch rest of NASCAR Race...

 

[CDsdad]

......If no start... , then repeat Steps 1-9 and practice special language skills... ....

Very correct. If all else fails, curse at whatever you have that won't work. It may not run, but it makes me feel better.