Allmand TLB 425 w/ kubota engine - overheating

[kinsersretired]

Greetings,
My first question on the forum...
I bought a used Allmand 425 with about 470 hours. It stalls out after about 15-20 minutes of use. It restarts okay but runs just a few minutes more before stalling again. It came with almost all the hydraulic hoses replaced as well as most of the connectors. I replaced the console gauge and ignition switch since neither of these worked properly. Now the temp gauge is lighting up after a few minutes of use. I've changed the oil and the oil filters; the manifold, the gas filter, and the hydraulic filters. The radiator is full and the overflow has a steady 3/4 inch of liquid in it whenever I check it.
I'm only digging into a hillside with the backhoe and hauling the dirt about 100 feet.

Thoughts on things to check next? I'm thinking I should do a radiator flush and fill.
Thanks in advance
William

 

[nyone]

Have you tryed to see through the rad? Many people work in dusty dirty environments and forget to clean the fins on the radiator.

 

[kinsersretired]

Thanks for the quick response. The fins didn't have anything caked on or anything like that but I did hose them out with a garden hose. Some dirt and debris fell out which is good. BTW there are two sets of fins; one for the radiator and one for the hydraulics.
I don't know which the temp gauge is for (radiator or hydraulics). However, after letting everything dry out for a half a day at 80+ degrees, I started up the TLB and let it idle for a few minutes. No lights came on. As soon as I lifted the bucket (empty), the temp light came on. After I lowered the bucket into a resting position on the ground, the light flickered on and off as I let it continue to idle. I let it idle for about 5 minutes but it never went completely out.
FYI, I am new to the TLB ownership world and especially diesel engines and hydraulics.

Thoughts?

William

 

[mini14]

there is a small electric fuel pump under the floor plate, for $10.00 on ebay you can buy a replacement to give it a try, stalling sounds like its running out of fuel. the hour meter sounds low for having had all that work done to it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

There is a couple of things that might be a cause of overheating. A sticking thermostat in the closed or almost closed position would be my first thought. I would start by replacing that. Then after replacing the thermostat if it still shows to be overheating, replace your temperature sensing element as it might be defective. Both are fairly cheap replacement items.

Lastly a very remote possibility is that the water pump fins may be worn out(rusted away because owner didn't use anti-freeze, just plain water). I have seen this happen but not a very likely case with only 470 hours on the engine.

As for the engine stalling out, could be a stopped up fuel filter, algae in the tank or lines, bad fuel pump, bad injectors, bad fuel cutoff solenoid, many other items.

 

[mini14]

is there a temp guage. there is a hydraulic temp idiot light for that machine, is that what is lighting up or is it the coolant temp idiot light.ive had sending units go bad on trucks ive owned. if tere isn't a coolant temp guage, go buy one. if the coolant is really overheating try pulling out the thermostat

 

[kinsersretired]

There is a couple of things that might be a cause of overheating. A sticking thermostat in the closed or almost closed position would be my first thought. I would start by replacing that. Then after replacing the thermostat if it still shows to be overheating, replace your temperature sensing element as it might be defective. Both are fairly cheap replacement items.

Lastly a very remote possibility is that the water pump fins may be worn out(rusted away because owner didn't use anti-freeze, just plain water). I have seen this happen but not a very likely case with only 470 hours on the engine.

As for the engine stalling out, could be a stopped up fuel filter, algae in the tank or lines, bad fuel pump, bad injectors, bad fuel cutoff solenoid, many other items.

Thanks. I replaced the fuel filter already and haven't had it stall out since but that may because I have been turning the machine off after my temp light comes on (I replaced the console gauge with the temp light at the same time as the fuel filter).
I'll start with the thermostat and sensing element and see where that leads me.

 

[kinsersretired]

I'm guessing that it sat in the sun unused for a long period of time. The hydraulic fluid glass was glazed over and had to be scrubbed before I could see the lines. I've been replacing the easy and obvious stuff trying to get caught up on the maintenance list. I'll look into replacing the fuel pump as well, after I do the thermostats and sensors.
Thanks

 

[mini14]

Good luck I have a tlb535 that I've been working on also. Same machine except for the engine

 

[Fallon]

I'm guessing that it sat in the sun unused for a long period of time. The hydraulic fluid glass was glazed over and had to be scrubbed before I could see the lines. I've been replacing the easy and obvious stuff trying to get caught up on the maintenance list. I'll look into replacing the fuel pump as well, after I do the thermostats and sensors.
Thanks

I wrenched on a friends I borrowed recently. Pretty simple little machine. As long as the fluid level is in the sight glass at all you'll be fine. The level will change a decent bit as you extend & retract cylinders.

 

[mini14]

mine was stalling out occasionally. I changed the fuel pump, now it stays running

 

[aczlan]

Stalling out, I would suspect either the fuel pump or the fuel filter.
Overheating light coming on right after the machine has started tells me that the pressure sensor is bad. I would replace the sensor so that your gauge and light work properly and so you can see what the current temperature is. I would probably also use a cheap infrared thermometer to verify approximate temperatures.

Aaron Z

 

[kinsersretired]

I searched for the parts in the Allmand 425 parts catalog I found online and in the 2 manuals I found for the 425 but see no mention of any sensors attached to the engine. I went to the local Kubota dealer since it is a Kubota engine, they said they didn't know anything about the engine or sensors. Apparently Kubota only made that engine just for Allmand and no longer supports it.
So, anyone know where I can get new parts. Here are pictures of the sensors I want to replace:

 

[ptsg]

Looking at the specs for the Allmand. It shows that they use the Kubota D1105 engine. That engine is fairly common and used on various types of equipment. Tractors, excavators and so on.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I go on E-Bay. Find the temperature value, normally open or closed, whether two pin or grounding and the NPT size. It isn't hard and beats a dealers price.

Keeping the Rad clean on My loader makes a HUGE difference. Blowing it out helps a bit, but washing it out makes a big difference.

Getting that heat from the hydrostat through the cooler, in front of the radiator makes it hard to keep the engine cool.

I do go to a Kubota dealer to get engine parts and filters for various other machines with Kubota engines, because those dealers just invent their OWN part numbers and charge even more than Kubota. Like what STEINER wants for (Kubota) oil filters. Unfreaking believable! But that's their right to charge as they please.

 

[kinsersretired]

Thanks. That is the model engine I have but the plate on the engine says D1105-ES. The Kubota parts guys here locally said the two items I had pictured above were added by Allmand and not something they carried. I argued a bit with them based on the fact that these two things are attached to THEIR engine and THEY should at least know the purpose and ideally have something that does the same thing. They wouldn't budge and I walked out frustrated and empty handed.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a really good dealer (Deboers) and the guys will try and help, BUT it really helps to do as much of the legwork as possible. Like, I would find out, what equipment of theirs has the engine for the parts I want. You want a coolant temperature switch, not sender, I am guessing.

 

[mini14]

Those look like the oil pressure sending unit and the coolant temp sending unit. What industrial toys said is the correct thing to do imo.

 

[Industrial Toys]

You also have to be the one to take the final risk. You can't get a parts dept. to find you odd stuff and then you try and return it if it's the wrong one. I wouldn't blame them for giving someone the cold shoulder if you tried that.

 

[kinsersretired]

I would agree Mr Toys. The parts department is in business. I purchased the wrong hydraulic filters recently online (bought them based on the manual instead of looking at the filters already on the unit). I got credit for the one I didn't open, which seems fair to me.
According to the manual, these are supposed to be sending units like mini14 mentioned above. I can't figure out the part details to order another one. I plan to take some pictures and check with my local auto parts store. I'm also looking for the pump replacement as suggested by others.
I'll update the thread when I make some progress.
Thanks to all for your help and advice.