Help! Kubota diesel generator failure

[Mark Reynolds]

Hi all,
The power to my father's ranch house is supplied by a Kubota diesel
generator, which was originally used as a light-tower for highway
workers. After working well for many months, it has suddenly
developed an elusive problem. Can someone please offer some advice?
Here is the information I have:
*It runs fine for various amounts of time, then shuts off (from
several minutes to several hours).
*It has been to a shop, where they eliminated the
oil-pressure/temperature monitoring circuit.
*Both fuel filters have been replaced.
*The fuel-shutoff solenoid was removed in order to eliminate it as the
culprit.
*An electric fuel pump was installed with no luck.
*The shop measured fuel pressure, and reported a drop in pressure
after running for a while. They replaced the mechanical fuel pump (I
believe they called it the lift pump). They said the fuel pressure
remains stable now.
*After picking up the generator from the shop, it was hooked back up,
and the same symptoms returned: Runs then shuts off suddenly.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. This has turned out to be a
real head scratcher!

 

[[email protected]]

In my experience with marine diesels this is most commonly caused by air
leaks in the fuel system.

I don't know if this applies, but I've seen cases where the vent in the
fuel cap caused a small engine (motorcycle) to stall unpredictably.


Daniel

 

[Gung Ho]

I second this one. Air in the lines or fuel pump will stall it out. Did you
run it dry at one time? Or get a bad batch of diesel? Water and dirt will
also cause you grief.

I've run the tank dry on our Kubota tractor and it can take a little bit of
effort to get the lines bled properly. If you don't bleed it right it will
start and stall out on you until the air is out of the system.

My suggestion:
1.Drain and rinse the fuel tank clean. Flush your lines.
2.Install a new fuel filter.
3.Fill the tank with good clean fresh diesel.
4.Bleed all the lines and recheck your fittings for leaks.
5.Be sure to reinstall the safeties or risk blowing the motor.
6.Run engine at high idle to ensure its working properly.

Good luck

 

[JME]

Is it diesal or gas?
Does it have an relays for the auto start or runnning function?
Does it stop and then auto start again?

 

[William P.N. Smith]

Is it diesal or gas?

Hmm, dunno, what do you think?

 

[JME]

Hmm, Thanks for contributing..

Hmm, dunno, what do you think?

 

[JTMcC]

Hmm, Thanks for contributing..

Hmm, thanks for reading before posting, not.

JTMcC.

 

[William P.N. Smith]

Hmm, thanks for reading before posting, not.

Jason, You know that old saying about "Never argue with a top-poster,
people might not be able to tell the difference"? 8*)