Kubota L6060 Engine failure

[RickB]

If its a normal system you have stored fault codes in the ecu.

Fuel pressures at cranking speed, supply pressure, injectors are fired electronically. Are they being told to open? etc. There is more info than you suspect.

 

[Username Taken]

They need to get a qualified tech to check it out. THIS says it's a common rail system.

Good luck

 

[SDT]

Is it possible the dealership your using is simply replacing parts without "really" knowing what's wrong, only to have you pay for the parts and guess work along the way?

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Your the first I've heard of for having major issues with your Kubota and I hope this dealer and or Kubota throws you a bone and accepts some level of responsibility.

Not at all uncommon but I would expect no help from either Kubota or the dealer if it's out of warranty.

SDT

 

[JethroB]

Is there any distinction between a technician and a mechanic at dealerships these days?

 

[AKForest]

This is in response to many of your comments. I did not want to get to wordy when I began this thread, so I did not include all the information. With the engine cranking, there was no output from the injector pump. The rail pressured up with the new injector pump. Then they discovered that the voltage delivered to the injectors by the ECU was insufficient to open the injectors. The mechanic at the dealership called a Kubota Tech who talked to a kubota engineer. They concluded that the ECU was faulty. The ECU was replaced. The new ECU delivered the correct voltage to the injectors. The tractor still did not start. Now they suspect the injectors. Testing these specialized injectors requires sending them out of state and will take a month. I can't afford this. I have appealed to Kubota for relief. I feel that the failure of these three major components simultaneously points to faulty parts, assembly problems and/or poor design. I am just reaching out to see if other owners have had similar problems.

 

[AKForest]

In reply to RickB, no codes showed up on the dash when the problems first occurred. Apparently, no codes appeared when the tech. put the tractor on the computer at the dealership. The tech. at the dealership was quite surprised that the ECU did not contain more information. He said that, on most other equipment they had, the ECUs stored all kinds of data.

 

[RickB]

In reply to RickB, no codes showed up on the dash when the problems first occurred. Apparently, no codes appeared when the tech. put the tractor on the computer at the dealership. The tech. at the dealership was quite surprised that the ECU did not contain more information. He said that, on most other equipment they had, the ECUs stored all kinds of data.

That in itself would head in the direction of a failed ECU. Which MAY have compromised the injectors. But the mechanical failure of the high pressure pump would not necessarily be tied into the electronic issues.

 

[arto98607]

Sad story, I wish it somehow will have a satisfactory ending but have my doubts.

One thing for sure, I will stay with my 1986 all mechanical fuel injection Ford 1310 as long as possible.
I've owned it for 23 years and so far no need to open up the fuse box cover.

Parts availability will eventually become a problem but so far so good.

Cheers

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I can't afford this. I have appealed to Kubota for relief. I feel that the failure of these three major components simultaneously points to faulty parts, assembly problems and/or poor design. I am just reaching out to see if other owners have had similar problems.

All I can say is I wish you the best. Let me know how that works out for you :laughing:

 

[AKForest]

In reply to Rustyiron, the injector pump solenoid is complicated. The ECU adjusts the pressure produced by the pump by adjusting the solenoid electronically from input provided by a sensor on the rail.

 

[AKForest]

I want to thank you all for your input. A mechanic that has worked with similar systems suggested that it was quite possible that if the ECU malfunctioned it could allow the injector pump to over-pressure and fail and damage the injectors simultaneously. This would be especially true if the engine was operating at higher RPMs when the ECU went sideways. I would welcome any reflections or comments from you guys.

 

[AlaskaL3130]

Where are you located? Who is your dealer?

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I want to thank you all for your input. A mechanic that has worked with similar systems suggested that it was quite possible that if the ECU malfunctioned it could allow the injector pump to over-pressure and fail and damage the injectors simultaneously. This would be especially true if the engine was operating at higher RPMs when the ECU went sideways. I would welcome any reflections or comments from you guys.

You never answered my first question. How does this amount to $10,000 in repairs?

 

[Like Tractors]

I want to thank you all for your input. A mechanic that has worked with similar systems suggested that it was quite possible that if the ECU malfunctioned it could allow the injector pump to over-pressure and fail and damage the injectors simultaneously. This would be especially true if the engine was operating at higher RPMs when the ECU went sideways. I would welcome any reflections or comments from you guys.

The common rail injection system will not over pressure due to a computer failure, the rail has a mechanical relief valve, once that valve breaks over, the injection pump can not pump enough fuel to over pressure the system. That type of fail safe has been used on common rail diesels since their inception in the on highway market since around 2001, it is used for off highway engines also. I suggest that someone start measuring fuel system pressures and flows, not handy to do but the real diagnostician knows how to perform such tasks. Parts replacement diagnosis is for the hammer mechanics out there.

 

[Muhammad]

I can't comment on the mechanical issues here but the ongoing issue of dealers replacing parts on the customer's dime as a diagnostic tool is something that as a practice needs to end. I've been over that a few times with car repair and got to the point of having to threaten legal action against a dealer due to their inability to diagnose a problem. From that point forward I refused future repairs unless the dealer guarantees a fix or refund of repairs that don't fix the problem. If I'm paying $170/hr labor rate I expect expertise to diagnose and repair on the first attempt. Anything beyond that is a problem and I'm not afraid to exercise my rights as a consumer.

In one case a dealer failed to repair my car after two unsuccessful attempts totaling about $2,000 and wanted third shot at it for $4,500 more. I told them to take the parts out and return the car to me in the condition I brought it to them. I told them to eat the labor cost on the first two repairs as a lesson on how they need to hold their technicians to higher standards when customers are paying. They called back and told me they'd do the $4500 repair for free.

In your case, were either the injector pump or ECU bad? If not I'm guessing you'd rather have your $6,000 than two new parts that didn't need to be replaced.

 

[ruffdog]

I can't comment on the mechanical issues here but the ongoing issue of dealers replacing parts on the customer's dime as a diagnostic tool is something that as a practice needs to end. I've been over that a few times with car repair and got to the point of having to threaten legal action against a dealer due to their inability to diagnose a problem. From that point forward I refused future repairs unless the dealer guarantees a fix or refund of repairs that don't fix the problem. If I'm paying $170/hr labor rate I expect expertise to diagnose and repair on the first attempt. Anything beyond that is a problem and I'm not afraid to exercise my rights as a consumer.

In one case a dealer failed to repair my car after two unsuccessful attempts totaling about $2,000 and wanted third shot at it for $4,500 more. I told them to take the parts out and return the car to me in the condition I brought it to them. I told them to eat the labor cost on the first two repairs as a lesson on how they need to hold their technicians to higher standards when customers are paying. They called back and told me they'd do the $4500 repair for free.

In your case, were either the injector pump or ECU bad? If not I'm guessing you'd rather have your $6,000 than two new parts that didn't need to be replaced.

I totally agree! :thumbsup:

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I can't comment on the mechanical issues here but the ongoing issue of dealers replacing parts on the customer's dime as a diagnostic tool is something that as a practice needs to end. I've been over that a few times with car repair and got to the point of having to threaten legal action against a dealer due to their inability to diagnose a problem. From that point forward I refused future repairs unless the dealer guarantees a fix or refund of repairs that don't fix the problem. If I'm paying $170/hr labor rate I expect expertise to diagnose and repair on the first attempt. Anything beyond that is a problem and I'm not afraid to exercise my rights as a consumer.

In one case a dealer failed to repair my car after two unsuccessful attempts totaling about $2,000 and wanted third shot at it for $4,500 more. I told them to take the parts out and return the car to me in the condition I brought it to them. I told them to eat the labor cost on the first two repairs as a lesson on how they need to hold their technicians to higher standards when customers are paying. They called back and told me they'd do the $4500 repair for free.

In your case, were either the injector pump or ECU bad? If not I'm guessing you'd rather have your $6,000 than two new parts that didn't need to be replaced.

100% Agree :thumbsup:

 

[AKForest]

In reply to Cahaba Valley Farm, the injector pump was $4,000; the ECU was $2,000 +; the injectors completed the total of $10,000 (parts and labor).

 

[AKForest]

In reply to Alaska3130, my dealer is ESI in Fairbanks which, as you know, is 260 miles from my home in Talkeetna. I did not take it to Anchorage, only 150 miles away, and the nearest dealer, because they could not work on it until February. It stopped running December 17. In reply to several other comments, I really do believe that the mechanics at the dealership are doing good work. They have been in contact and following the directions of Kubota Corporation, right from the start. Kubota Corporation should be giving the dealership sound advice that is in the best interest of one of their customers. This type of failure and the costs that have accumulated does not speak well for Kubota. I have been in direct contact with Kubota Corporation. I am hoping that they take action to make this good. If they do, I will post accordingly. I imagine that many of you do as I did and read postings on Tractorbynet as well as other forums before making equipment purchases. None of us want to face repair costs like this.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

In reply to Cahaba Valley Farm, the injector pump was $4,000; the ECU was $2,000 +; the injectors completed the total of $10,000 (parts and labor).

Yes you stated that in your first post but how much of that $10,000 is labor versus parts?