Jacobson HR5111 bogging down

[laurencen]

morning all, have a Jacobson HR 5111 mower, has the 2 wings and cuts a 11 foot swath, this has ben a workhorse for 8 years, this year it was low on hydraulic oil, got it to my workshop and topped it up only had 2 pails, its still low and picking up more oil today, problem is it runs for a half hour, then just sitting at cutting speed it will stall out, makes no difference if you are moving, turn on or off the blades, it will start right back up and continue to run but eventually stalls out.

its powered by a Kubota diesel, the motor seems OK its more hydraulic like the motor is under heavy load, any ideas? I doubt the low oil is the issue but maybe overheating.

Im using AW32 oil and assume this is OK for this machine

thanks in advance

 

[jeff9366]

problem is it runs for a half hour, then just sitting at cutting speed it will stall out, makes no difference if you are moving, turn on or off the blades, it will start right back up and continue to run but eventually stalls out.

I have no idea what a Jacobson mower is but it sounds like you have a quite dirty engine fuel filter(s), restricting fuel flow. How long has it been since you changed the engine fuel filter(s)? Is your diesel reasonably fresh? Are your fuel transportation containers internally corrosion and sediment free?

Overheating is another possibility. Do not push it or the engine may seize.
Do you have a functional temperature gauge on the machine?

 

[Snobdds]

I think it's a fuel issue too. Something is restricting flow. Start with fuel filters, then go from there.

 

[laurencen]

its defiantly time for motor oil change with filters, the motor temperature is in normal range I was more referring to the hydraulic system as manual calls for 17 gallon to normal level and all I had around late saturday was 8 to 9 gallon.

either way Im thinking the issue is more hydraulic as when cutting it bogs down and stalls, sounds like its working hard, stopping and turning off blades has no effect, it will fire right back up, no lights on the dash I could see

 

[jeff9366]

its defiantly time for motor oil change with filters, the motor temperature is in normal range I was more referring to the hydraulic system as manual calls for 17 gallon to normal level and all I had around late saturday was 8 to 9 gallon.

either way Im thinking the issue is more hydraulic as when cutting it bogs down and stalls, sounds like its working hard, stopping and turning off blades has no effect, it will fire right back up, no lights on the dash I could see

It is certainly true that if you are down 50% on hydraulic oil, the remaining oil will be very hot.

Clarify: Is the engine stalling or the mower functions stalling, while the engine continues to run?

 

[laurencen]

typically when mowing as the grass gets thicker you hear the motor working harder, if I stalled a blade it has the same effect, in this case the unit is cutting fine, it defiantly sounds like the motor is working harder and will stall out, Im thinking hydraulic issue not motor, motor will fire right back up, the same motor in in my bobcat 743 and the sound is similar to trying to digging into a pile of gravel and it also will stall

either way got a fuel filter, oil filter and new oil for the motor, its been several years so I will order up a hydraulic oil filter as well

 

[laurencen]

to me the motor is under heavy load as if the hydraulics are under high pressure, this will happen with everything off, no drive movement or mower motors, it just decides to stall the motor out

 

[laurencen]

quick update, changed filters motor and oil, hydraulic filters topped up tank, fuel filter and cleaned tank best we could, tried to remove air by loosening screw on filter housing, the lift pump was a no go, have power just no action, looking more like the issue was lack of fuel, will get a new pump in the next couple days and hopefully back in business

never figured lack of fuel would make the motor load up like it was but its the only thing not working found to date

 

[Snobdds]

quick update, changed filters motor and oil, hydraulic filters topped up tank, fuel filter and cleaned tank best we could, tried to remove air by loosening screw on filter housing, the lift pump was a no go, have power just no action, looking more like the issue was lack of fuel, will get a new pump in the next couple days and hopefully back in business

never figured lack of fuel would make the motor load up like it was but its the only thing not working found to date

The give away for me was the quick ability to start right back up. On the hose going from the tank to the filter, blow some air through the line to make sure there are no restrictions.

 

[laurencen]

pump arrived so had a bit of time installing as its a cylinder the original was square buiried between the frame and hydraulic oil tank, figured I would mount this one to the frame for access, had to replace all hoses but it runs fine now and seems to be better in the dense grass, not working so hard, guess it was wanting more fuel which it was not getting.

thanks to all for the advice, back to cutting tonight