2025R Mystery

[CobyRupert]

Don’t take this wrong, but many people don’t know that when extra torque is needed to pull a load or climb a hill, you lift up on the hydrostatic pedal. That’s the equivalent of shifting to a lower gear. Yes, like a lower gear, pressing less results in more torque, less speed. Lifting up on the pedal is a bit counterintuitive, it’s is not like a gas pedal in a vehicle that you mash down when more power is needed.

If not that, then it sounds like you’re not getting enough fuel, or possible air. If not enough air, I think you’d notice black smoke. Not enough fuel could be a list of things. Starting at the tank, make sure there’s no objects that obstruct the lift pump’s intake and go downstream from there.

 

[jdwebster]

Don’t take this wrong, but many people don’t know that when extra torque is needed to pull a load or climb a hill, you lift up on the hydrostatic pedal. That’s the equivalent of shifting to a lower gear. Yes, like a lower gear, pressing less results in more torque, less speed. Lifting up on the pedal is a bit counterintuitive, it’s is not like a gas pedal in a vehicle that you mash down when more power is needed.

If not that, then it sounds like you’re not getting enough fuel, or possible air. If not enough air, I think you’d notice black smoke. Not enough fuel could be a list of things. Starting at the tank, make sure there’s no objects that obstruct the lift pump’s intake and go downstream from there.

No offense taken. Yeah, the problem is that to spray effectively, I need a constant speed and when I let up on the drive pedal, I lose speed. I’ve tried this, but then I’m just going way too slow and overspraying. Before I try accommodating for a slower speed (which means I need to go that same speed downhill), I’d like to try and figure out what changed with the tractor. Ultimately, I could just circle around and go down each row, but again I’d rather try and figure things out. Looks like I need to figure out how to look in the tank and at whatever screen is in there.

 

[dodge man]

I’ll throw another idea out, maybe it’s normal. How steep is athe hill and how much power does your sprayer take? I have a fairly steep hill I mow. When going up the hill I can’t put the hst pedal down all the way or it will stall out. With the mower off it won’t bog down on the same hill.

 

[jdwebster]

I’ll throw another idea out, maybe it’s normal. How steep is athe hill and how much power does your sprayer take? I have a fairly steep hill I mow. When going up the hill I can’t put the hst pedal down all the way or it will stall out. With the mower off it won’t bog down on the same hill.

It’s between 20 and 25 degrees. But the issue is that the thing worked fine for the past three years…. and now it struggles. There’s no doubt it’s operating at the top of it’s range, but I had to do that because my rows are 6 feet wide- and the vines take about another 6 inches on either side when they’re grown out so a 3 series is just too wide.

 

[beenthere]

What I gather from this problem is that this model tractor with HST is not what you need to spray. Either a higher horsepower tractor with HST and/or a gear tractor to maintain ground speed.
Sounds like the 2025R is not the answer to your need, sorry to say.

 

[jdwebster]

But it worked for three years...

 

[dodge man]

If it used to pull the hill and no it won’t something is wrong. I still think it’s a fuel issue but lots of things it could be.

 

[jeepcoma]

I agree - it did the same job previously, and now it doesn't - something is broken. Before I read your post about it working fine for three years, I was going to suggest adding a turbo, but since it did the job without it that's not the right solution.

Not saying you shouldn't add one after the problem is solved, but at this point it would be a bandaid

It still sounds to me like a fueling issue, and not air or hydraulics. I think your next step needs to be to recreate the problem, let it stall out, and jump off the tractor and start taking pictures in the position it stalled, then compare to a flat level surface. Could be something shifting slightly and pinching a line, could be a float not floating correctly or a pickup not picking-up.

Another test to try:

1. When it stalls, try to start it right away. Does it restart at idle?
2. If it doesn't restart, let it sit a minute, then try to restart. Does it restart?
3. If not, try cycling the ignition a couple times (without starting), then try to start. Does it start?
4. If not, roll back down to flat land, wait a minute, then try to start.

 

[outdoorsman123]

Im not sure if I misread something. But you noted it had water in the fuel but all that was fixed. Is there a chance that it's a problem with the HST and not the engine. How does it run? Idles ok. Revs up ok? Does the engine bog down, chig, or smoke? Or does it lack 'power' because it won't move due to transmission issue?

 

[CobyRupert]

The basic problem is your tractor isn’t making enough power for the task (sprayer and climbing hill at the desired speed). …but it used to. So what changed?

It appears the load is the same. But are we sure? A low probability, but check that the brakes aren’t dragging (check for heat), that tractor easily rolls, that sprayer isn’t binding, etc..

If the load is the same, then the tractor isn’t producing the same amount of power. Which likely means it isn’t getting the same amount of fuel (or air). I still think you have a fuel “cant get there from here” problem. Has the lift pump been tested? There’s a primary and secondary fuel filter, yes?

 

[dodge man]

Just reiterate the little filter under the floor board is known for plugging easily. You say you aren’t in a humid environment so you don’t think you have algae. How did you get water in your fuel? If you had water in your fuel you could have algae pop up later. I’m just throwing out ideas.

 

[RjCorazza]

...
Completely agree that it seems starved for fuel. Performs exactly the same as when I had water in the fuel

Easy to say, but if you've had fuel issues in the not too distant past, I would expect water and / or microbial issues to still be the cause of your symptoms.
It may be time to "go big" on the fuel system. Drain, flush, clean, and inspect the tank. Drain and blow out all fuel lines, replace fuel filters (again). After all that, fill with fresh fuel and confirm flow at each break in the system (tank outlet, before and after each filter, and at injectors).
Not familiar with your machine, but if it has a water separator / filter with a shutoff valve, they have been known to either clog up at the valve or some have an inlet screen that is susceptible to the same.
Hope you get this sorted out.

 

[dodge man]

Yes it does have a filter/separator with a valve.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Only running 25 hours a year, is a lot of time for fuel to just be sitting in the tank ... If not full, easy for condensation to form inside of tank, since you didn't say that you used a biocide... And there was water in the tank, there is a good possibility that the is microbes growing/living in the tiny line where the diesel is floating on top of the water, they actually "eat" the diesel, and there "poop" is what creates the black slime that fills up and plugs the filter(s).

I'd replace the little filter under the floor board again, it looks like this ... Cut off at the purple lines, as it will make it shorter and easier to install, take a picture of your old filter and post here ...

It's also possible that a fuel line/hose is kinked/pinched, restricting the fuel flow.

 

[jdwebster]

Just reiterate the little filter under the floor board is known for plugging easily. You say you aren’t in a humid environment so you don’t think you have algae. How did you get water in your fuel? If you had water in your fuel you could have algae pop up later. I’m just throwing out ideas.

The water likely came from the biodiesel I bought from a local station. A container of it that I had was off-color, and I just didn’t notice it because of the opaqueness of the container.

 

[jdwebster]

Easy to say, but if you've had fuel issues in the not too distant past, I would expect water and / or microbial issues to still be the cause of your symptoms.
It may be time to "go big" on the fuel system. Drain, flush, clean, and inspect the tank. Drain and blow out all fuel lines, replace fuel filters (again). After all that, fill with fresh fuel and confirm flow at each break in the system (tank outlet, before and after each filter, and at injectors).
Not familiar with your machine, but if it has a water separator / filter with a shutoff valve, they have been known to either clog up at the valve or some have an inlet screen that is susceptible to the same.
Hope you get this sorted out.

I think that’s what I’ll do this winter. Everything points to fuel.

 

[jeepcoma]

Biodiesel - yikes! These are not designed to work with biodiesel, I think B5 is the max on the stock setup. I believe this is a conversion to allow up to B20 but it’s an add-on. What strength was the stuff you used? It will dissolve rubber and seals, could easily be the source of your problem.

 

[jdwebster]

I think I’m going to start looking into the fuel system. Any recommendation on a pre-filter other than the JD filter under the floor board. Any reason to try and get something with more surface area or go with a cheaper non-JD filter?

Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

[RjCorazza]

I think I’m going to start looking into the fuel system. Any recommendation on a pre-filter other than the JD filter under the floor board. Any reason to try and get something with more surface area or go with a cheaper non-JD filter?

Any recommendations are appreciated.

Not quite what you are suggesting, but I took the brute force route on my Kubota L4060 and replaced the oem water separator / filter with a Racor water separator / filter (2 micron).
Much larger capacity, plus my oem initial separator was basically a strainer (steel mesh cartridge).

 

[beenthere]

I think I’m going to start looking into the fuel system. Any recommendation on a pre-filter other than the JD filter under the floor board. Any reason to try and get something with more surface area or go with a cheaper non-JD filter?

Any recommendations are appreciated.

?? Looking for a cheaper filter when already having problems ?? Not sure I understand, but good luck.

Maybe cheaper is how you ended up with fuel that has water in it ??

Suggest getting rid of the bad fuel, put in new fuel filter(s) and hope the problem clears up. Hoping for the best for you.