kubota Lx3310

[Laser Man]

During recent hot weather 94 deg My engine started to lose power anyone else have this happen?

 

[sea2summit]

Hmmmm. Any codes flash? What were the oil/water temps looking like and what kind of work were you doing?

 

[JWR]

Please elaborate: "...started to lose power..." Did it totally quit? Slow down some, just noticeable? Seem like it was loaded down abnormally? Was it still usable or too alarming to continue?
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I have had multiple older Kubotas (probably similar generation to your B7500 or even a little younger?) run hot especially when the OAT is in the 90's. With a 60" mid-mount mower in fairly heavy grass 2 of the BX2200s I use or maintain run over almost to the red mark on the temp gauge. I had similar issues with 1 of my B2150's also. This has been a long-term issue with me. Over the years I have come to believe the water pumps are too small. However a VERY experienced retired regional service rep (who spent a decade or more with Deere and another decade or more with Kubota) is of the opinion that the radiators are undersized. I'm not so sure. When everything is optimum (cleanest radiator fins, well-flushed cooling system, mower deck not laboring with clogged grass, etc.) then they do not make it to the red mark BUT in my opinion it is far too easy to overheat them. Chronic. That said, it does vary a good bit among the 5 Kubotas I am "close to" (3 B2150s and 2 BX2200's.) Twenty years or more in to this I do not claim to understand why.

 

[JWR]

Hmmmm. Any codes flash? What were the oil/water temps looking like and what kind of work were you doing?

Tractors of this age do not have "codes" do they? There is no digital info system on them.

 

[mdhughes]

Tractors of this age do not have "codes" do they? There is no digital info system on them.

They just started manufacturing them in 2020. They are computer controlled engines.

 

[SDT]

Tractors of this age do not have "codes" do they? There is no digital info system on them.

The LX3310 is current model and most certainly does have ECM, etc.

 

[JWR]

They just started manufacturing them in 2020. They are computer controlled engines.

And SDT too...


My bad -- I was thrown off by the OP's info block which shows him having a B7500 made 20 years or more ago. Failed to read the title saying LX3310.

 

[Laser Man]

First sorry, my profile has my first tractor a B7500 listed, how do you change profile info, My New tractor is a Kubota Lx3310 no codes flashing Tractor is 2 years old with 140 hours was brush cutting tall grass 3 to 4 feet high my engine temp gauge rose to 4 bars on flat ground at 2200 rpms motor dropped to 1700 rpms I immediately stopped cutting also noticed the ac was not cooling very much either went back to barn let engine cool off to 3 bars (which is normal operating range summer or winter) before shutting down got out the leaf blower and air compressor to clean off loose grass a lot loose grass but when I used compressor on engine filters there really wasn't a lot of dust in the cooling fins either, the dealer suspects water strainer (no dash lights come on) or fuel filter could be the problem
Thank you in advance

 

[RjCorazza]

The water separator is easy enough to check if you haven't already. There should be a red float ring that rises when water is present. I would also check the coolant reservoir AND radiator levels, as well as belt tension.

 

[beckmurph]

Did you check the screen in front of the radiator?

 

[Jerry/MT]

First sorry, my profile has my first tractor a B7500 listed, how do you change profile info, My New tractor is a Kubota Lx3310 no codes flashing Tractor is 2 years old with 140 hours was brush cutting tall grass 3 to 4 feet high my engine temp gauge rose to 4 bars on flat ground at 2200 rpms motor dropped to 1700 rpms I immediately stopped cutting also noticed the ac was not cooling very much either went back to barn let engine cool off to 3 bars (which is normal operating range summer or winter) before shutting down got out the leaf blower and air compressor to clean off loose grass a lot loose grass but when I used compressor on engine filters there really wasn't a lot of dust in the cooling fins either, the dealer suspects water strainer (no dash lights come on) or fuel filter could be the problem
Thank you in advance

Make sure the air side of the radiator and the A/C condenser are free of dust and chaff. It's common occurrence when you are brush cutting (or using a rotary cutter ) to clog up the airside passages. You indicted the coolant temperature increased when this happened. Let the engine cool off and then use a garden hose to reverse flow water through the air side passages of both the radiator and the A/C condenser.

 

[Laser Man]

Did you check the screen in front of the radiator?

Did you check the screen in front of the radiator?

yes it was cleaned before starting to mow

 

[Laser Man]

The water separator is easy enough to check if you haven't already. There should be a red float ring that rises when water is present. I would also check the coolant reservoir AND radiator levels, as well as belt tension.

belt tension is good water separator was changed at 100 hrs. still on bottom

 

[Laser Man]

the coolant reservoir and radiator levels are good

 

[Laser Man]

Make sure the air side of the radiator and the A/C condenser are free of dust and chaff. It's common occurrence when you are brush cutting (or using a rotary cutter ) to clog up the airside passages. You indicted the coolant temperature increased when this happened. Let the engine cool off and then use a garden hose to reverse flow water through the air side passages of both the radiator and the A/C condenser.

both were cleaned before starting to mow

 

[Jerry/MT]

both were cleaned before starting to mow

They also need to be cleaned throughout the mowing process!

 

[OhioJoe]

Please elaborate: "...started to lose power..." Did it totally quit? Slow down some, just noticeable? Seem like it was loaded down abnormally? Was it still usable or too alarming to continue?
------
I have had multiple older Kubotas (probably similar generation to your B7500 or even a little younger?) run hot especially when the OAT is in the 90's. With a 60" mid-mount mower in fairly heavy grass 2 of the BX2200s I use or maintain run over almost to the red mark on the temp gauge. I had similar issues with 1 of my B2150's also. This has been a long-term issue with me. Over the years I have come to believe the water pumps are too small. However a VERY experienced retired regional service rep (who spent a decade or more with Deere and another decade or more with Kubota) is of the opinion that the radiators are undersized. I'm not so sure. When everything is optimum (cleanest radiator fins, well-flushed cooling system, mower deck not laboring with clogged grass, etc.) then they do not make it to the red mark BUT in my opinion it is far too easy to overheat them. Chronic. That said, it does vary a good bit among the 5 Kubotas I am "close to" (3 B2150s and 2 BX2200's.) Twenty years or more in to this I do not claim to understand why.

Many years ago, I complained about my B2150 over heating way to easy on a hot day. I finally got the dealer to look into it. Turns out the water jacket holes in the head gasket were undersized. New head gasket and the problem went away.

 

[sea2summit]

Sounds to me like the engine put itself into a safe mode. Pure guess since it didn't give a code or flash any other alerts.

 

[OLLIEDOG#1]

Although yours is a newer model both of my Kubotas B7500 tlb and L3010 bog down a little if strained and air filter needs cleaned.

 

[Bentrim]

I know you said the radiator is clean--BUT-- have you looked thru the core?? Take a light and place behind (fan side) of the radiator, now go in front of the radiator and see f you can see thru the fins.
I worked as a farm machinery tech years ago and would have farmers tell me their combine was overheating. They wanted to me to bring, water pumps, belts, thermostats, hose, and a new radiator. Me "is the radiator clean"? Farmer "Yep, just brushed it off". So off I go to service the combine and when I arrived would find I could not even see thru the fins. Me "Do you have a pressure washer? Farmer Yeah, I'll go get it". 4 hours later I can now see thru 95% of the radiator. I put the combine back together and when I left told the farmer to call me if it still was overheating. They called the next year to repeat the above process.