With normal Maintenance...

[Kenneth in Texas]

And using it not abusing it, generally speaking how many hours can I expect out of my 3 cylinder kubota engine?

 

[ovrszd]

Oh man, that's a loaded question.

Everyone is going to totally be guessing here..... My guess, on average, 7000 hours. :confused3:

 

[oldballs]

I ain't gonna wait on that cigar.

 

[ovrszd]

I ain't gonna wait on that cigar.

It's kinda like buying a Lottery Ticket!!!! I'm totally guessing.

My neighbor has a JD4020 with 10,000 hrs on it with nothing but some valve work being done. Blue smokes a lot if sitting and idling more than a couple minutes but still pulls a hay baler.

 

[davesl708]

Great question.. Life's mystery. I have a friend with a 37yr old Kubota L that was used for commercial work the first 20yrs and he used it for the last 17 mowing and clearing 10 acres. It has >30,000 hrs. Not sure if it was rebuilt before he got it but he has not had very many problems with it.

It is kinda like the pickup that had 1 million miles on it. Other trucks get 100k and are done.

Diesel engines have amazing longevity when they are built right. I expect my BX to last the rest of my life. (hopefully another 30yrs)

 

[Grandad4]

Diesel engines have amazing longevity when they are built right.

... and when they are properly maintained. Acquaintance of mine who does landscaping, tends to jockey his equipment around and doesn't take care of it, managed to require a new engine in his GLxx40 in two years of neglectful operation. Key to longevity is good care, with engines, people and a lot of other stuff. :thumbsup:

 

[ovrszd]

Yep, Grandad4 is on track. Clean fuel, clean oil, clean air, all lead to longer hours on the engine without problems.

 

[nybirdman]

Look at it this way;150 hours x 30 years is only 4500 hours;most diesels are just nicely broken in at that point.

Average home owner/hobbyist will never wear out a tractor in their lifetime with normal use and up keep.

 

[ovrszd]

Look at it this way;150 hours x 30 years is only 4500 hours;most diesels are just nicely broken in at that point.

Average home owner/hobbyist will never wear out a tractor in their lifetime with normal use and up keep.

Correct. Boredom is usually the reason for replacement.

 

[orezok]

Correct. Boredom is usually the reason for replacement.

Yup... same problem with my starter wife. Only lasted 5 years :laughing: :laughing:

and high maintenance too!

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Oh man, that's a loaded question.

Everyone is going to totally be guessing here..... My guess, on average, 7000 hours. :confused3:

I figured it would be hard to answer but I just thought someone might have come to the end of the life of their Kubota engine, but like in everyday life I am finding it impossible to find someone thats crossed that road. I'm turning 450 hours on mine and cant tell it apart from when i bought it new.

 

[sweettractors]

Having bought and sold thousands of tractors in my lifetime, I usually see "farmer type" used tractors of all brands that will begin to show signs of engine breakdown at around 5000 hours. If you are lucky, you can get another 3000-5000 out of them before overhauling. Of course there are some exceptions. Ken Sweet

 

[Green Power]

Not related but we have a 4850 that had 20k hours on its first engine, however was replaced... I think they could afford a rebuilt engine (wasnt ours at the time) but now has a rebuilt engine with at least 2k hours since the rebuild...

 

[Creamer]

Not related but we have a 4850 that had 20k hours on its first engine, however was replaced... I think they could afford a rebuilt engine (wasnt ours at the time) but now has a rebuilt engine with at least 2k hours since the rebuild...

Those 50 series were great engines. My nephews have a 4450 they overhauled at 22,000 hrs. Still use it daily and it doesn't have easy jobs - a lot of stops and starts on the feedwagon and other chores. It has never done a lot of heavy pulling but did a lot of planting, silage cutter and sprayer work, along with hay moving. Never did anything of significance to it until the overhaul and that was just engine and cab kit.

 

[Grandad4]

Being that this is the Kubota forum and all, are you referring to a Kub L4850 or some other make? ☺

 

[motownbrowne]

Yep, Grandad4 is on track. Clean fuel, clean oil, clean air, all lead to longer hours on the engine without problems.

And I think if we're going for the high score on hours here, long run times is gonna be a big factor. Like highway miles versus putzing around town. 10 hours mowing a lawn (assuming good clean oil, fuel and air filter) are gonna be better for the tractor and engine than 1.5 hours of loader use, followed by a day of rest followed by 1.5 hours of bush hogging, etc. I think getting everything up to temp and keeping it there for a while is important.

On my recent second tractor search, I found a Deere 1050 with a 3 cylinder yanmar engine (I guess the whole tractor is yanmar, really). It had 6700 hours with no rebuild. That wasn't a deal breaker for me, but the seller didn't even seem to think that having that many hours was a reason to come down a little on the price, so I walked away.

Japanese engines are very impressive to me. My dad is on his second 93 Honda accord. Got 275,000 miles on the first one before the body rusted out and it needed exhaust work again. Now he's got 280,000 on this one and going strong. If the car averaged 40mph, which is optimistic, that's 7,000 hours, with nothing but a timing belt done to the motor. It will take my lifetime to put that many hours on my Kubota unless I start leaving it on over night, but I don't think it would have any problem making it there, especially if it was used for longer stretches at a time.

 

[Ford850]

My guess would be that most newer tractors will be 'worn out' due to all the electronics and safety features rather than the engines. Long term parts replacement is a bigger concern for me than engine life.

 

[Creamer]

My guess would be that most newer tractors will be 'worn out' due to all the electronics and safety features rather than the engines. Long term parts replacement is a bigger concern for me than engine life.

I have to agree. there are so many things to go wrong on the newer tractors and 20 years from now those modules will not be available. Unless somebody uses it commercially any of the decent brands will go twenty years mowing lawns and doing yard chores. 20 years at 250 hours/yr (which is a lot) is only 5000 hours and they should all go that easily.

 

[Grandad4]

+1. Very true. As long as parts are are available, it should be possible to keep a well maintained rig working indefinitely, or at least until the repair costs outweigh the value. Of course if it's an antique or has sentimental value, people will take a $2000 tractor, spend $ 8000 fixing it up and end up with a $5000 tractor!

 

[sweettractors]

It is possible for a inexperienced driver can do more damage to a tractor in a week than the person who bought and paid for it would do in a lifetime. Be careful who you let be in the drivers seat. Ken Sweet