Kubota L3200 stalled after running kerosine

[newbury]

Here is a good article why it doesn't make sense to blend kero in todays diesels.
E-ZOIL | Kerosene Blended Diesel Fuel Basics<snip>

That reads like an ad for "don't use XXX BUY our stuff"

Most of their complaint is that it is more expensive than diesel, by 3 cents per gallon.

Kerosene wholesale price is about $2.25/gallon per U.S. Kerosene Wholesale/Resale Price by Refiners (Dollars per Gallon)
IF you can find it in bulk it's probably priced like gas, so maybe $4/gallon.
Up in New York it runs about $3.50 to $3.90 per gallon Average Kerosene Prices - NYSERDA.

Down in Mississippi I can probably get it at TSC for $8/gallon in a 5 gallon container. Or $10/gallon from Home Depot.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I just hope the tips aren't burnt.. they actually don't "get burnt".. they get blue because of the heat & swell.. either open or closed..
WHERE in the world do you get a "try it- before you buy it" set of injectors?? Lol
It THEY don't work out for ya.. I can normally rebuild them for 1/2 the cost of new..
Like I said, you can remove them & turn'm up side down & watch the spray.. just DONT get near it..

 

[lockmedic]

Haha well I didn't say I could return them after installing them. . . only if they're new in box and 100% resellable. I only plan to take them OUT of the box if examination reveals there's an issue with one or more of the existing ones.

Local Kubota dealer believe it or not. I bought the tractor and buy my maintenance parts there so that probably helps. In a former life I was a parts guy at a Subaru dealership so I sorta learned the value of having a relationship with the parts people.

I have some time tonight so the plan is to buy a NEW diesel container, fill it up, completely drain the tank, filter, and purge lines to lift pump and see where that gets me. I rolled the tractor down the hill and as close as I could get it to the workshop. At least got it within extension cord range so I plugged in a charger. Battery was not happy with my shenanigans.

This machine has the little air bleed valve for the injector pump but I'm not sure where it dumps. Back in the tank? If so I may try opening that up and diverting whatever contaminated fuel is left in the injection pump to someplace that isn't the tank.

 

[LouNY]

This doesn't address the OP problem;
but it may add fuel to the flames :laughing:

copied from my owners manual for a 2015 model;
to everyone worried about blending or cutting #2 fuel
Winter fuel being #1 diesel which is kerosene

View attachment fuel pic.jpg

 

[ruffdog]

Most around here do not cut their fuel or do blends. Instead, they use a anti gelling additive at different ratios depending how cold it gets.

Mobile Refueling - Winter Fuel - Quick Fuel Fleet Services

 

[JWR]

This doesn't address the OP problem;
but it may add fuel to the flames :laughing:

copied from my owners manual for a 2015 model;
to everyone worried about blending or cutting #2 fuel
Winter fuel being #1 diesel which is kerosene

View attachment 566931

LouNY -- "winter fuel" is not #1 (kerosene.) I am reasonably sure what your manual is saying is go to winterized fuel (which could mean anything, additives in it from the distributor, some % kerosene, who knows). Nothing on the page you uploaded implies kerosene that I can see.

 

[lockmedic]

Well the saga continues. . .

I got it running again last night but it still runs poorly at high power settings. Found water in the tank and filter. Drained both, bought a new diesel can and filled at a high volume pump. Didn't have a new filter so I cleaned the old (3 days old) one best I could. I get what looks to be ample fuel flow through the filter to the lift pump just on gravity. I don't think it's starving for fuel.

It ran OK but not great. I finished the mowing and got the tractor over to the workshop at least so it'll be easier to change the injectors if that's the problem.

Really not sure what's up at this point. Shot a couple of videos.

Rough running l3200 Kubota. - YouTube

Dirty fuel - YouTube

Sequence of events seems to have played out like this:

-Filled with kerosene which may have been contaminated. . . or maybe L3200's just don't like straight kero
-Drained tank in field (tractor was sitting at a slight angle) from hose.
-Grabbed another fuel can that may have had contaminated fuel in it (haven't used it in a while either). I didn't drain it first, it had about 1/2 gallon in it. That's probably where the water came from as it was stored outside and is one of the "Ralph Nader spill proof cans without a cap, just a spring seal. I hate those. Took it to down and added diesel.
-Refilled tractor with once again questionable fuel. It ran as expected.
-Rolled tractor downhill to level ground. Drained tank again, found water in tank and filter.
-Refilled from new, known clean container and fuel.

Tractor now runs but poorly and is down on power and has a random miss at high power settings. Could still have some schmutz in one or more of the injectors, or it's possible I've damaged them running kerosene. I'll know once they come in.

Actually after reading the workshop manual that was linked earlier, it does explicitly say No 1 diesel is allowed. Whether or not we agree No 1 is the same as kerosene is still up for debate. . .

Fuel
34 L
9.0 U.S.gals.
7.4 Imp.gals.
No. 2-D diesel fuel
No. 1-D diesel fuel
if temperature is below −10 °C (14 °F)

 

[thepumpguysc]

You "might" be able to tell if the inj. are bad, once you pull them out..{as I've stated countless times} the tips will be BLUE.. like a bearing that was overheated.. its worse inside.. just take 1 apart, they unscrew.. just don't lose the guts.
Just remember, once you takem out of the package, they're yours..
If you paid 100.00 per injector, you paid about 50.00 to much..

 

[thepumpguysc]

I just watched the videos.. lol.. YUP, "that aint right"..
Only 2 things will happen.. either it'll get better OR it wont.. keep running/working it..
DONT just sit there reving it up.!! put it to work..

 

[lockmedic]

Lol I was working it earlier. . . and it was running about the same. Found it hard to hold the phone and manage the tractor all at once so just demonstrated the poor running/smoke while stationary. She ain't no hydrostat!

I can normally mow in L3 and the only sign the engine is working is a slight difference in tone going uphill. L4 it'll drop some RPM going through heavy stuff.

I was mowing in L2 yesterday and still losing RPM so it's definitely down on power.

Only thing stopping me from pulling the injectors is I don't have the new ones. I'm a take it apart once kinda guy. Think I paid $200 for 3 which wasn't enough for me to fuss over.