Gumby542
Bronze Member
They made the 320 as a FI and as a carb. I know mine is a carb model. Otherwise, I wouldn't be messing with it
Jd 320 fuel starvation?
- Thread starter Frankman
- Start date
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uglyboywith11fingers
Gold Member
I have an 18HP liquid cooled Kawasaki in my Kubota TG1860G. A few years ago I had a somewhat similar problem, which turned out to be the carburator float getting stuck up on some burrs on the inside of the carb casting. I had to drop the float, and use a small file to deburr the inside of the casting, no more problems. Of course, that doesn't necessarily explain your air bubbles in the fuel line.
Pete
Pete
Gumby542
Bronze Member
I'm not getting air bubbles anymore. At least not from the filter
Well finally made some progress I think.. I blew the line from the fuel filter back to the tank with the compressor. Then tried to start it. Wouldn't get fuel back to the filter... Pulled the filter... Was melted shut.. I'm guessing the ethanol in the gas really did this one in.... Changed out the filter, and it started up and I mowed for a few hours.. Weird thing is, the filter barely has any gas in it at all... But it is running so I'm not complaining...will have to see how long it lasts.. When I fixed it last time it only worked for 2 mowings...
olysoccerguy
New member
Frankman, I have a 1996 Kubota T1760 with a kawasaki twin cylinder liquid cooled engine as well. I think mine is only a 17hp but may be an 18. For almost 5 years now, I have been dealing with fuel starvation problems. Engine just dies while I'm mowing.Will only run sometimes in choke. Four years ago, I took the carb off and cleaned it and noticed rust colored sludge in the bottom of the float bowl. Cleaned that out and the tractor ran fine for about a year. Next spring, engine stopped when mowing. Only would run in choke position. Over the next two years, it would run OK for 2 hours and then would ide. I'd wait until the next day to start and things would be ok.
This spring 2012, it stopped while mowing and after talking to my local useless, tight lipped Kubota dealer, decided to remove carb and clean with carb cleaner and compressed air. I took the governor arm off and has proved to be very touchy to get the right position back. Once I got it going again the mower slowed down under a load, moderate mowing. Took the carb off again an let my dealer hot ultrasonically clean it. 45.00!! His suggestion. Brought it home and it ran pretty good for about 1/2 hour when engine died. I drained the carb bowl and found black specks and scale in the gasoline. Figured the fuel hose downstream from the filter were deteriorating. (Read article on the internet about ethanol ruining fuel lines.) Decided to replace fuel line to fuel pump and from pump to carb. I checked the fuel coming out of the filter thru new hose. Clean. Hooked it up to the fuel pump and turned the engine over to check the output of the fuel pump before connecting FP to carb. My container filled with gasoline, but also many black particles and scale. I did this four times and the last time banged on the fuel pump with the handle end of a scewdriver. Larger particles pumped out, most as big as the head of a pin. Let them dry and discovered they were rust particles. The only culprit could be the fuel pump housing which is made of steel. I'm about to order a new one, but I'm quite sure it is the root of my problem all these years. Long story but hope this helps. P.S. this fuel pumped is over 16 years old.
This spring 2012, it stopped while mowing and after talking to my local useless, tight lipped Kubota dealer, decided to remove carb and clean with carb cleaner and compressed air. I took the governor arm off and has proved to be very touchy to get the right position back. Once I got it going again the mower slowed down under a load, moderate mowing. Took the carb off again an let my dealer hot ultrasonically clean it. 45.00!! His suggestion. Brought it home and it ran pretty good for about 1/2 hour when engine died. I drained the carb bowl and found black specks and scale in the gasoline. Figured the fuel hose downstream from the filter were deteriorating. (Read article on the internet about ethanol ruining fuel lines.) Decided to replace fuel line to fuel pump and from pump to carb. I checked the fuel coming out of the filter thru new hose. Clean. Hooked it up to the fuel pump and turned the engine over to check the output of the fuel pump before connecting FP to carb. My container filled with gasoline, but also many black particles and scale. I did this four times and the last time banged on the fuel pump with the handle end of a scewdriver. Larger particles pumped out, most as big as the head of a pin. Let them dry and discovered they were rust particles. The only culprit could be the fuel pump housing which is made of steel. I'm about to order a new one, but I'm quite sure it is the root of my problem all these years. Long story but hope this helps. P.S. this fuel pumped is over 16 years old.
olysoccerguy
New member
So am i to assume that your fuel pump housing is non-corrouding. Anyway, about the filter appearing that it has almost no gas in it? Mines the same way. The level of fuel in the filter looks as though it is below the input and output nipples on the filter. I asked a kubota mechanic about this and he said he's always been baffled by it as well!!
Eric Barney
Silver Member
The 'half full filter' is normal. It is an air pocket trapped in the filter. To eliminate the air, the filter would need to be mounted vertically. The trapped air has no effect on the fuel flow.
i had the same problem on a 1995 345. did all the things you have mentioned so far. removed carb and cleaned and it ran great, for a while and then it started all over again. would sometimes run on full choke.
during the last cleaning of the carb (did it 3 times), noticed a very small speck of rubber shaving in the intake.
the diaphragm in the fuel pump was disintegrating. i replaced the pump with the new design (has an overflow tube to route to the ground which the original did not have and COULD dripped fuel on the muffler) and solved the problem.
that is my story, YMMV
b
during the last cleaning of the carb (did it 3 times), noticed a very small speck of rubber shaving in the intake.
the diaphragm in the fuel pump was disintegrating. i replaced the pump with the new design (has an overflow tube to route to the ground which the original did not have and COULD dripped fuel on the muffler) and solved the problem.
that is my story, YMMV
b
Gumby542
Bronze Member
So I spent some time on the tractor today. I cleaned the carb, new fuel filter, checked fuel around all components. Had wonderful fuel before pump. Good fuel after pump to carb.. Thought I had it. 3 minutes of running, stalled out again. Got it back inside, not much fuel coming from pump anymore. Also got black junk in gas as I drained the fuel pump. Took pump off. Once I got it off and ran it by hand, I was shocked at how hard it was to actuate the pump.
How hard should it be to push the arm in the pump. Sometimes it takes me all the pressure I can with my thumb to actuate it. The only reason I'm questioning is because it is completely mechanical. The push rod has to put its force into something, and everytime I push the arm, I do get a pulse that would move fuel. I'm sure my issue is between the pump and carb, and think I'm going towards the pump. However, it's a $100 fix so I want to make absolutely sure this is it.
How hard should it be to push the arm in the pump. Sometimes it takes me all the pressure I can with my thumb to actuate it. The only reason I'm questioning is because it is completely mechanical. The push rod has to put its force into something, and everytime I push the arm, I do get a pulse that would move fuel. I'm sure my issue is between the pump and carb, and think I'm going towards the pump. However, it's a $100 fix so I want to make absolutely sure this is it.
JAY AND EBBEN
New member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2011
- Messages
- 15
- Tractor
- Zetor 5245, JD 350-B
Hi all,
I don't know if you resolved your fuel starvation problems but I have been working on my sons tractor (same model #) and I clearly found that the needle would periodically stick in the seat and cause it to starve out. I took some 400 grit sand paper to polish the film of of the entire needle (top and bottom) and it now slides nicely. Spray cleaned the seat after i took a fine dremel tool bit and polished the hole as best I could. Seems to run fine now! Like you... lots of time to figure this out. I can now see the needle drops out on its own every time - this can be seen by just pulling the bowl off. Lift the float a bunch of times and watch... I think you will see yours stick too. Get in there and hone it out. The cost is only time.
Good luck!
J
I don't know if you resolved your fuel starvation problems but I have been working on my sons tractor (same model #) and I clearly found that the needle would periodically stick in the seat and cause it to starve out. I took some 400 grit sand paper to polish the film of of the entire needle (top and bottom) and it now slides nicely. Spray cleaned the seat after i took a fine dremel tool bit and polished the hole as best I could. Seems to run fine now! Like you... lots of time to figure this out. I can now see the needle drops out on its own every time - this can be seen by just pulling the bowl off. Lift the float a bunch of times and watch... I think you will see yours stick too. Get in there and hone it out. The cost is only time.
Good luck!
J
Gumby542
Bronze Member
I had played with the fuel pump long enough to firmly believe it was not the issue. I had turned toward the carb as well. I will give this a shot tomorrow. Thanks!
JAY AND EBBEN
New member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2011
- Messages
- 15
- Tractor
- Zetor 5245, JD 350-B
This thread has been helpful for me... I am glad to have come across it. I mowed my lawn today (son is away) and the details I posted above seem spot on. The machine ran for a long time without a sputter. After reading about the rust issues from the pump being in line after the fuel filter, I am going to buy one of those very small filters and place it just before the carb to catch the rust particles as they will likely continue to sluff off. FYI - I had cleaned this carb twice before and it ran for a while and then the issues would be back, stalling, not starting, wait a while and it would run for a short period - the time span of running out one full bowl of fuel. Hope this is helpful for you. Good luck. Great forum here - helpful from dozers to tractors... large and small!
Jay
Jay
Gumby542
Bronze Member
Nailed it! I've been mowing for about an hour. Longest I've mowed with it since this started. This machine is running beautiful!
Thank you fr the info, It saved me a bunch more head scratching and swearing.
Thank you fr the info, It saved me a bunch more head scratching and swearing.
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