# Kubota diesels?



## Ur5hittingMe (May 1, 2011)

Does anyone know much about kubota diesel motors as far as being able to survive emp or such type of event? They are newer diesel motors and from what I can tell, they are mechanical fuel injection as opposed to being electronic fuel injection. 
Anyone with knowledge about this would be greatly appreciated. I am but only a basic mechanic. 


Thanks in advance.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Those are tough engines. We have skid steers that run them, and they are very dependable. Expensive to re build, but with the right care, it will be a long time before you have to rebuild it. The only thing I would be concerned about is the electric fuel shut off solenoid. The rest is mechanical. Now, you may want to set up a simple charging system on it so you can have extras. You can still operate the engine if the solenoid is bad. Just take out the plunger and back the idle off so you can kill it when you are done using it. Sometimes when one goes out on logging equipment, I instruct the operator to idle it down and load it to kill the engine. Some engines won't idle down low enough to throttle them down to kill them.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

As stated they are pretty good engines but parts can be a real pain, they seem to build in silly little differences for each OEM, the same basic engine for a Kabota tractor may have a different head gasket than one for a Bobcat


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## Ur5hittingMe (May 1, 2011)

VUnder said:


> Those are tough engines. We have skid steers that run them, and they are very dependable. Expensive to re build, but with the right care, it will be a long time before you have to rebuild it. The only thing I would be concerned about is the electric fuel shut off solenoid. The rest is mechanical. Now, you may want to set up a simple charging system on it so you can have extras. You can still operate the engine if the solenoid is bad. Just take out the plunger and back the idle off so you can kill it when you are done using it. Sometimes when one goes out on logging equipment, I instruct the operator to idle it down and load it to kill the engine. Some engines won't idle down low enough to throttle them down to kill them.


Thanks a bunch. I am limited with diesel mechanical skill but I was hoping that was the only electrical component that I had to be concerned about. We have a excavator, tractor and rtv all with kubota diesels and they are definitely a tough animal. Always perform routine maintenance on them to keep them tip top. 
My concern was in being able to run 10k pto generator if that scenario was to ever materialize.

Thanks again. Should maybe get a few solenoids and stash them in a old microwave. Cheap insurance


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Tirediron said:


> As stated they are pretty good engines but parts can be a real pain, they seem to build in silly little differences for each OEM, the same basic engine for a Kabota tractor may have a different head gasket than one for a Bobcat


Yes, and being used to a 65.00 set of rings, a set for a kubota is 65.00 per piston. I had to buy a new head once....


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

A head that must have been cheap , the head gasket and plate are as much as a head for a 350 chev


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

I don't remember the exacts, but I know you could have bought an extremely good 350 chevy engine, less than 30k miles, and still had money left over, for what that head cost. It was cracked between two valves. I had an old Massey Ferguson that had an English Standard Diesel, the crank was like the Kubota, had the bosses where the bearing came out with the crank, then the bearing housing was opened to get the bearing out.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Ur5hittingMe said:


> Thanks a bunch. I am limited with diesel mechanical skill but I was hoping that was the only electrical component that I had to be concerned about. We have a excavator, tractor and rtv all with kubota diesels and they are definitely a tough animal. Always perform routine maintenance on them to keep them tip top.
> My concern was in being able to run 10k pto generator if that scenario was to ever materialize.
> 
> Thanks again. Should maybe get a few solenoids and stash them in a old microwave. Cheap insurance


Well, you can do without the solenoid altogether. Just unscrew it, take the rubber plunger out, screw the solenoid back in, and you are ready to go. Just back the idle screw off a little so you can shut it down with idle.


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## Ur5hittingMe (May 1, 2011)

VUnder said:


> Well, you can do without the solenoid altogether. Just unscrew it, take the rubber plunger out, screw the solenoid back in, and you are ready to go. Just back the idle screw off a little so you can shut it down with idle.


Thanks for the info. Much appreciated .


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

We have Terex/Amida (or Ingersoll-Rand) light towers at work that have D905 Kubota diesels mated with Marathon 6.5 KW heads. They run at 1800 RPM, and at our location sometimes 24 hours a day for weeks on end. We have one that has over 20,000 hours on it, and ALL of them have at least 8,000 hours. I would try to find a light tower, or do what this guy did: 
http://www.microcogen.info/index.php?topic=1743.0


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Oh yeah, as far as vehicles go, I have a Cummins 4BT in my F-250. It is 100% mechanical. It needs nothing electrical at all to run.


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