Author Topic: Sparky & diesel advice.  (Read 2471 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

RogerAS

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
Sparky & diesel advice.
« on: November 07, 2006, 04:17:43 PM »
Sparky & All,


(This got way too long to snipe anothers thread so I posted anew here).


Sparky wrote:

" I do not know as of yet how to change the RPM's on a Diesel but I would like to run this at the lowest RPM possible within reason of staying effecent and dependable."


There should BE a throttle somewhere! Follow the fuel injector tube from the cylinder head back to the pump. Somewhere on the pump there should be a moveable lever attached to a rod/shaft to control the amount of fuel pumped to the injector. Moving that lever one way or another allows more fuel to be pumped to the injector. That's the throttle control in a diesel. Govenors are USUALLY interal to the pump. That's how one controls the RPM and usually stops the engine. There should be an adjustable "stop" to limit high RPM at full throttle. Diesels are pretty straightforward this way. The only other way I know of to stop a diesel engine other than by fuel shuttoff is by air denial. With air denail the injector pumps raw fuel into a dead cylinder, which aint good. I've never seen it used on a diesel and only know it can be used in an emergency pump runaway situation.


You might want to "play" with the RPM/Amps out until you find a sweet spot these engine like. Too slow with very little load may lead to too cool operating temp. Lubricating oil must reach a given temp to be really effective and you engine's upper end may carbon up at too low RPM. Diesels run way cooler than gas engines. A good temperture gauge is a must for reliable long life in a diesel. If these are air cooled engines it is still a good idea to monitor the engine temp. Finding that sweet spot is a factor of engine temp and will change with the seasons. I like to see my engine running at about 180° F.


Running too high RPM cost fuel and wears the engine faster than it should. The RPM control should be a function of a position to the injector pump control rod/lever. Are these direct injection engines, does the diesel get injected straight into the cylinder?  Custom exhaust can help with the noise a bunch and gets rid of the soot any diesel spews. If these are air cooled they will have more "rattle" than a liquid cooled engine, but sound insulation in the engine room can help there a lot. The 350' distance will help there a lot too.


While my Kubota® isn't 350' away it is 75' from the house in its own building. I use relays, negative side driven, and push button switches for start. throttle up and down, and the glowplug. Charge enable is a STSP to another relay. I supply positive DC to the relays actuation coil which are near the battery bank, and the in-house switches complete the circuit for said relays. I feel most of the voltage drop is on the backside in my arrangement as they work very well. Whether you can make that work at 350' is one of those maybe deals. Maybe look at a remote wireless starting system made for a diesel! Or maybe use 110V ac relays or 5V dc relays with limiting resistors.


If these engines have glow plugs then winter startng should be easy. NEVER ever never use starting fluid. Small diesels don't like it when before top dead center detonation happens at all and diesels have a compression ratio high enough to make that ether explode way too soon. Starting fluid might blow the engine in one crank. If these are without glowplugs an intake air preheater may be needed. Warming the intake air just a little helps a bunch with cold weather starts. Also if these have a compression release use it in cold weather. Get the engine spinning full tilt with the compression released and then suddenly close it. I've had to start my Kubota down near zero F and it can be tricky. All I can say is don't rush it. If it doesn't fire right off let it "rest" a few and try again. I have propane torch warmed my egines' head for several minutes prior to an anticipated hard start. When you gotta have engine power you gotta make it reliable as hell or learn to improvise like McGyver. In the later case a simple old fashion oil lantern, metal type, under the engine stand will work. Keep the wick low and make sure the fuel hoses don't get too hot. Inside an enlosed room that heat will really help. Keep the diesel from gelling, also very important!


Oil leaks or seeps? There is a big difference. A seep might let a 1/4 ounce of oil by per change period. A leak could drain the engine in less than an hour. Either way it's messy and expensive sometimes engine rebuild expensive. Also either way new seals and gaskets can stop them.  Unless you have broken castings which I doubt. If these have spin on filters those might be old and messing with the pressure relief, if so equiped, raising the oil pressure too high. If the pressure relief valve is internal it might need checking out. Be sure there's not too much oil in the crankcase. Is the crankcase breather open? Dirt nesting wasps, or "dirt daubbers" or something could have plugged/obstructed the breather tube. Were they using synthetic oil in their previous life? If they run good the oil can be stopped fairly cheaply whatever the reason. Lastley check for excessive ring blowby. If, when running, the crankcase breather tube is puffing really hard in relation to the exhaust note, or in time with the power stroke, that can force oil past seals and such and really pollutes oil FAST. A copression check can verify/deny such blowby.


Find a way to monitor the oil pressure with a fairly accurate gauge. I like mechanical tube type gauges for temp and oil pressure.


If I had 4 of these engines I'd buy a shop manual and set about making one like new while using another. I'd keep 2 as spare parts. When I finished restoring the one I'd put it into service and do another. I'd love to have another Kubota in new condition as a backup to one in new condition, with two more as backups to those. Jez:)


My First Kubota® EL-300-E was Over $1550 six years ago and a wife is moaning about $800 for 4 engines? Hmmm. I must have a keeper then ( NOT that Sparky doesn't ) 'cause mine never had a problem with that Kubota®. I bet these engines of Sparkys cost WAY over $800 each when new! I would also bet you he could sell one for $400, as is, real easy. I found a surplus US millitary Kubota® 300 series motor for $250 but it was minus MANY parts I had already from the first 300 series engine. I thought I did good, doooh! :)


 Yeah, Sparky made out like a bandit. Congrats!!

« Last Edit: November 07, 2006, 04:17:43 PM by (unknown) »

pepa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
Re: Sparky & diesel advice.
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2006, 10:54:29 AM »
good info Rodger, thanks, gl is selling multible units in lots by the pound as scrap (some damage damage but not to motors) and the description reads the same as mine, search ground heaters. pepa  
« Last Edit: November 07, 2006, 10:54:29 AM by pepa »

RogerAS

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
Re: Sparky & diesel advice.
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2006, 12:35:04 PM »
Pepa,


Oh if I had the coin of the relm to do a lot buy I would. I think with a little TLC they are good engines to be had. If one in ten is a knocker big deal! Whatta ya think about forming a otherpower engine buying consortium where we all buy 1 or 3 or whatever instead of one of us taking the big hit in the $! These are way too valuable to be recycled by crushing and remelting!!!!!! What kind of prices are you taking about here per?


Maybe we could build/rebuild these and send them to places in the world where if nothing else run a small deepfreeze to keep medicines that save lives. A few PV panles, one of the otherpower turbines to match the location, and a biodiesel eingine. A pair of good inverters and long life batteries. Teach the people as it is being installed how to run it, make them prove to you that they understand, and go do another. Think we could get a grant if we formed a nonprofit? Think the Gates Foundation will buy us all some engines by the truckload, PV's by the container, and batteries by the thousands? Willie Neslon can provide the biofuel? Oh, and maybe get Bratt Pitts to be our spokesperson ||/| ... LSHIH


Talk about a government screwup. The idea of crushing a good engine pisses me off!


Sorry Pepa, sortta lost it on election day there. :-)

« Last Edit: November 07, 2006, 12:35:04 PM by RogerAS »

zap

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1107
  • There's an app for that
Re: Sparky & diesel advice.
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2006, 03:09:10 PM »
I spied those ground heaters on gl also.  The motors did look like they were in good shape and Holloman is only about 11 hrs. away.  Kind of funny that gl can't even spell the name of the base correctly and too bad the price has started to rise so much.

« Last Edit: November 07, 2006, 03:09:10 PM by zap »

GeeWiz

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 36
Re: Sparky & diesel advice.
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2009, 04:16:38 PM »
I too have a few Kubota EL300 (it's my 2nd).  The first lasted 8 years, and I'm on my 2nd 4yrs.


Last week the Fan belt broke before we noticed and the motor got over heated (we have a heat alarm and shut it down when it sounded).


However even after replacing the belt, we've been having trouble with the motor under load.  (I have a 100amp alt on it, putting out 50amp).

It will run a few minutes and then just loose power and die.  If I pull the load off, it will run a little while longer.


This is a similar problem I had with the last engine before I decided to replaced it.  I'm not looking forward to another 2k for a new one.


I have a manual for it, and I'm thinking of pulling my old 1st motor apart and maybe rebuilding it.  I have already pulled the head and stuff, it's not a stuck valve ... (wish it was).  I'm guessing rings. (btw they have oversize ring and piston kits)


Anyway I was doing some searching and wouldn't you know my favorite discussion board comes up.


I saw a great note about buying from 'gl' here, but I don't know who they are.


If anyone has any suggestions on debugging this engine (low power) or on rebuilding it, or where to get some new one cheap.. Please let me know.

Thanks.

« Last Edit: April 20, 2009, 04:16:38 PM by GeeWiz »