Tractor lost power, who can help

[Cranbrook Hill]

I have a L4400 with 300 hrs on it which is giving me trouble.

A few weeks ago I ran summer diesel in the tractor at minus 20 celsius. The diesel was gelling and I put diesel treatment for cold weather in it. 3 days later I drained the fuel through the fuel filter bowl and cleaned out some debris from the filter. The diesel looked good and was clear, typical diesel look. When I run the tractor now sometimes she has no power and smokes a lot. I was bleeding the injection pump a couple of times but it didn't change anything.
Is the problem caused by the diesel that I am using or what is wrong with her?

 

[northpolefolks]

Hard to say what the real problem is but when it comes to fuel the best way to start is to drain all the fuel if you can from the tank.

Then drain the fuel from the fuel lines.

Then replace the fuel filter.

Fill the tank with a clean tank of fuel and after priming the new filter and emplty lines give it a try.

Geling does not necessarily mean water is any way the problem, however when your fuel gets cold enough to gel there is alot of condensation after it warms and up and then you can have water problems.

If the air is still in the single or minus digits throw a tarp over the tractor if you can and put a redi heater under there for an hour or so and then see how it runs. A warmed up engine won't help gelled fuel, or frozen/partially frozen fuel lines, but a warmed up tractor will solve alot of cold weather issues.

If water is in any way a suspect you have to flush that tank and lines to get a clean start. Even a brand new tractor can get water in there and cause no problem until it gets cold.

 

[RFB]

Try the gray bottle power service...Diesel 911.

It is for when you already have a gelling issue, just not for continual use.

It should clear up the issue.

 

[dex3361]

Change your fuel filter. After the episode with the fuel gelling you will have waxed your fuel filter and it may not look bad at all. Also the L4400 is self bleeding. When your are ready to bleed the fuel system locate the bleed valve on your injector pump, open it and start your tractor and let it run a few minutes then shut the bleed valve. Your owners manual has a more detailed(and maybe more accurate) description of the self bleeding system on the Kubota.:thumbsup:

 

[MHarryE]

You say you cleaned out your filter bowl, but did you not change the filter? Here is a picture of the filter media from a 2 filter system. The machine had symptoms similar to yours, taken a few years back, Minnesota in January. Examples of probably the worst elements can look like after encoutering gelled diesel (in this case 2% bio per Minnesota law - hey, MN is a farm state and one way to support the farmer is to burn their crops in our engines).

 

[kuboman]

Ditto on the filter change. Once a filter gets plugged by gelled fuel it takes a lot of heat to 'melt' it out.

 

[Egon]

You could also throw a tarp over the tractor and put a heater under it till it's nice and warm and then keep it there for an hour or so.

 

[Cranbrook Hill]

I would have liked to put a new fuel filter in but didn't have one on hand. The local dealer is probably 45 mins one way away. Unfortunately it doesn't give me enough time at lunch and I am not sure if they are open on the weekends right now (no farm machinery demand in the winter time).
Maybe Lordco (a big local parts supplier can get them, I.ll try tomorrow.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[Egon]

You could have the filter mailed to you.:thumbsup:

 

[kuboman]

A hair dryer on the filter for 10 min. will do the trick too.:thumbsup: