L6060 Breakin Procedure

[Hilbilly]

I've read a few threads on the topic and looks like there are almost as many opinions as there are owners. I read the owners manual and see the statements about not operating the tractor at full speed for the first 50 hrs, don't operate the tractor at fast speed, don't run engine faster than necessary and do not start quickly or apply brakes suddenly. So what does all that mean in real life terms? Do I idle it for 50 hrs? How fast is too fast? Is there a max engine rpm during the breakin period? Not very clear in my opinion.

I have 38 hrs on the tractor now and have been using the auto throttle advance with the engine set at idle speed. I have not run the engine to PTO speed yet but after about 25 hrs I started running it up to 2000 rpm to use my PTO chipper. I let it warm up before I do any light work with it and I've generally been very easy on it.

What I find odd is that when I brought this up with the dealers salesman he said I should run it like I stole it and that it was very bad for diesel engines to be babied. He said they sell a lot of high hp tractors to farmers and the first thing they do with them is put them to work. The one thing I did not like is when he was showing me the features on the tractor and used the throttle up button and ran the engine up to full throttle when it only had 0.2hrs on it. Anyways back to the topic.

Whats even more odd is that the 2008 Massey 1547 tractor that I bought, with an Iseki engine, had a totally different approach. The owners manual stated the tractor should be warmed up and then run at PTO speed for the first 50 hrs. I don't recall if it stated the tractor should be worked or not.

I guess I will eventually find out if the process I used was ok or not.

 

[BRMyers]

I have run my tractor no harder than what I needed to be able to get the work done. If that is PTO speed of 2,000+RPMs then it gets run at that until I'm done with the task. I don't stress it anymore than what I need to get the task done.

 

[skipperbrown]

I operate my new equipment as I would normally but I don't labor the engine and take it easy. For instance, if mowing (at PTO speed) and I hit a thick patch and the rpms start to drop and the engine begins to strain under the load, I don't push the engine by throttling up. Rather, I slow down so the engine quickly gets back to PTO rpms and then proceed more slowly. I have never run new equipment "like I stole it". Parts are still wearing in. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[TripleR]

I find the term run it like you stole it as nebulous as if not more-so than the manual. I found I could work a machine pretty close to the way I use them anyway. 540 PTO speed is below full speed. I don't run at the same RPM for extended periods; occasionally drop down to low RPM before resuming norml operations. I did not abuse or baby any of our tractors. As with any turbo, give it time to cool down before shutting it down.

These are tough machines and I seriously doubt you will see noticeable damage for years if at all due to the long lifespan of these tractors.

Yes, you will get opposing opinions and I cant honestly disagree; this has always worked well for me.

 

[Hilbilly]

Basically just use common sense. (although it doesn't seem to be all that common anymore). Never thought about the turbo cooling down though. That might occur naturally, based on the way I use it but maybe not. I usually end up driving it back the storage building after using it for work and maybe that allows the turbo to cool down since the engine is not working hard and just cruising back.

Is there a way to tell if the turbo has cooled down enough?

 

[TripleR]

Basically just use common sense. (although it doesn't seem to be all that common anymore). Never thought about the turbo cooling down though. That might occur naturally, based on the way I use it but maybe not. I usually end up driving it back the storage building after using it for work and maybe that allows the turbo to cool down since the engine is not working hard and just cruising back.

Is there a way to tell if the turbo has cooled down enough?

I often cool down the same way, but some, mostly farmers leave them in the field at end of day. Don't know of anyway to tell when it's enough.

 

[rScotty]

I have run my tractor no harder than what I needed to be able to get the work done. If that is PTO speed of 2,000+RPMs then it gets run at that until I'm done with the task. I don't stress it anymore than what I need to get the task done.

Absolutely. The idea of "run it like you stole it" is just ignorant. That's a salesman talking, not a mechanical guy.
Sure, some machines will do OK if they are stressed during break in, but what does that prove?
And give it a minute or two of easy work and idling before shutting it down. It can't hurt.

It sounds to me like the OP is breaking it in just right.
I do deviate from the manufacturer's recommendations by changing all my oils and filters 50 hours before going to the manufacturer's schedule.
rScotty

 

[orezok]

Ya gotta wonder about so called break-in. I've installed many Cat and John Deere generators up to 750kva and the break-in procedure consists of filling them up and starting. They go to 100% power and RPM in less than 10 seconds and do it hundreds or thousands of times even in the coldest wether. I've never seen an engine failure so you be the judge.

 

[rScotty]

Ya gotta wonder about so called break-in. I've installed many Cat and John Deere generators up to 750kva and the break-in procedure consists of filling them up and starting. They go to 100% power and RPM in less than 10 seconds and do it hundreds or thousands of times even in the coldest wether. I've never seen an engine failure so you be the judge.

I hear stories like that - and yes, I've seen the same thing on stationary engines. One thing it might be telling us is that they do a pretty good job of running them in at the factory.
rScotty

 

[ovrszd]

Just took delivery of a new JD 255HP road grader. Manual says don't baby it. Work the machine to it's capacity. Don't overheat.

The metals used in emgine construction today are much different than 20yrs ago.

I've saw modern engines disassembled with many, many miles/hrs on them. You can still see the hone hashmarks in the cylinder walls. This isn't your Grandpa's Model T.

Run it like it's designed to run.

 

[ovrszd]

I hear stories like that - and yes, I've seen the same thing on stationary engines. One thing it might be telling us is that they do a pretty good job of running them in at the factory.
rScotty

The Grader I referred to had 4.1 hrs on it when delivered. Would you suggest that's enough for break in?

 

[oosik]

My Op Manual for the 2009 Kubota M6040. 1) do not put the tractor under max load for the first 50 hours. 2) no sudden stops 3) no lugging 4) no "jump starts"

Otherwise just "use" the dam thing like a normal human bean.

 

[groundcover]

255 horse grader, that has to cost more than twice what DR gets for their pull behind rig !!

 

[jdtractor]

I will have to agree with ovrszd. Run it ! I致e been around lots of equipment heavy and farm ... work it ! But don稚 abuse it!

 

[SDT]

Ya gotta wonder about so called break-in. I've installed many Cat and John Deere generators up to 750kva and the break-in procedure consists of filling them up and starting. They go to 100% power and RPM in less than 10 seconds and do it hundreds or thousands of times even in the coldest wether. I've never seen an engine failure so you be the judge.

Bingo, Orezok.

SDT

 

[ovrszd]

255 horse grader, that has to cost more than twice what DR gets for their pull behind rig !!

$1K p/HP.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've owned six Kubota's over the years including my current L6060. None were "babied" when new nor were they abused. I performed the routine maintenance as per the manual and never had an engine related problem on any of them.

When I was a teenager, my grandmother gave me her 1949 Mercury after she had to give up driving. She was very gentile with the car and it looked like new with just 20K miles on it. Being a hot rodder, the first thing I did was take it out on the highway and open her up. When I hit 80, the engine started clattering and smoke billowed out the exhaust. I broke piston rings in all 8 cylinders.

A 1949 Mercury isn't a Kubota by any means but my point is, there is such a thing as babying an engine too much.

 

[MHarryE]

My engineering career was all with equipment having engines needing to be operated at max rpm for the machine to function. We are talking about machines with the same engines in tractors from sub-compacts where we used a 25 HP engine in vibratory compactors to combines with upwards of 400 horsepower. First time run at max was within 10 minutes of start when they moved into test and adjust. Yes, even the manual on my M7-171 says 50 hours, but the operation part with my KVT states to use it and the KVT will adjust to the optimum engine speed, which in much of my use for tillage is full power. Very conflicting. At Gleaner, Case-New Holland, or Caterpillar, if we told the customer to idle their machine for 50 hours before using it they would tell us they would buy someone else’s. But we did take that option away - electric throttles so engine was either at low idle or max speed. Like mentioned above for gen sets, you cannot run the engine at half speed and do the job for which it’s intended.

 

[OrangeMuscle]

Interesting thread. On my first L6060 I purchased last year, I took it a little bit easy. One thing I tried not to do was run at one RPM for too long. I made sure I was meandering through the range. I made sure I warmed up the engine before working and also making sure to cool down the turbo before turning off. Next week I will have my second L6060 delivered.

What is funny is that I have purchased over 25 brand new vehicles, and each and everyone of them had the same break in procedure. I would warm it up on the dealer lot, and then floor it immediately upon pulling out of the dealer. I would bring them all to redline through all the gears. My theory was I wanted to bore out the engine and let it know where the limit was right out of the gate. Even though it's an engine, I felt in a sense there was a lesson for the engine to learn. A lesson that could not be taught after babying it for a 1000 miles. Pistons and lifters and all the other goodies needed to know their full range of motion. For some reason I feel differently about doing this to the tractor. Not sure why?

 

[CMelder]

Decades ago I worked for Massey-Ferguson and we would "dyno" each tractor utilizing the PTO prior to delivery. The dyno run consisted of gently warming up the tractor systems and then pulling an initial 100% load and recording the max. h.p., and continue to run it at 25%, 50%, 75% load (2 hour intervals) for the next 10 hours, and then do a final 100% load and record h.p. The old Perkins diesels would increase in h.p. during that 10 hour dyno run every time. Usually the initial h.p. would be close to advertised PTO HP, and the final h.p. would be slightly higher than advertised. Upon delivery the farmer would immediately hook it up to the biggest piece of equipment he owned and go check it out. We knew this, so this is why we did the 10 hour run-in on these tractors. Of course, it is was an initial break in, and would basically lap in piston rings, etc. Many of the engines back then and now don't really get broken in until they reach 1,000 hours or more. Modern engine design, lube oil systems, lubricants are much better today and friction/heat is the enemy, so they usually do a great job in handling this, which in turn creates a more durable engine system. Keep in mind, the engine of your tractor is one item being broke in, but there is the remaining items behind the engine which need breaking in too. Probably to a lesser extent, but still require some break in time. My conclusion is similar to others on this post: With 38 hours on it, you have broken in the initial items and the remainder will take many more hours so use it like you need to, but don't abuse it. This really applies to normal operations, use it but don't abuse it. Gig'em!